[Dixielandjazz] Buddy Bolden

[Anton Crouch]

Hello all

I don't know whether Brian Harvey was being elliptical or not, but it would
be unwise to dismiss his comment on a Bolden recording out of hand. And,
yes - I'm the arch sceptic.

Don Marquis ("In search of Buddy Bolden", 1978) provides a (relatively)
recent starting point - a report of a comment by Willie Cornish to Charles
E Smith in 1939. Dan Hardie discusses this further in "The loudest
trumpet", 2001. 

Incidentally, Dan's recent DJML post says "Around the 1940's Wil. Cornish
who played trombone with Bolden  told Sam Charters  the band had made a
recording on wax cylinder." Dan's reference in "The louderst trumpet" is
the same as Marquis' - Smith (1957). Dan, who did Cornish talk to?

I agree with Don Marquis "That the cylinder was made is quite believable;
that it is gone forever is even more believable ..." (p 44). Like Dan, I
disagree with Marquis when he says "...and perhaps preferable since its
presence would cause insoluble problems." (Marquis, p 44; Hardie, p 19-20).

The most recent discussion of the issue is by Tim Brooks ("Lost sounds",
2004, p 514 - 515). This provides further support for Brian's position - a
story by George Baquet and Alphonse Picou about a Bolden recording c. 1906.

It's not too difficult to be both sceptical and open-minded   :-)

All the best
Anton