[Dixielandjazz] Clarinet solo -- who was first?

[Phil O'Rourke]

What I meant was that the song is "High Society" in relation to Picou.

I was not mentioning the Oliver song title which I think they added "Rag" to
get extra royalties..

Porter Steele, as best as my research can do, wrote and copyrighted the song
as "High Society".
See shortest details below.

Phil O'Rourke
Australia

High Society (Porter Steele)
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High Society is a multi-strain melody, originally a march copyrighted in
April 1901 by Porter Steele, which has become a traditional jazz standard.

The piccolo obligatto is not found in Steele's first version of the song; it
appears to originate in an orchestration by Robert Recker from later in
1901. In New Orleans, Louisiana, Alphonse Picou adapted the piccolo part
into a clarinet variation, sometimes considered one of the earliest
documented jazz solos. The Picou variations became standard in New Orleans
jazz (unusual in a form that values improvization); many traditional jazz
clarinetists from the generation just after Picou until today will copy or
do a close paraphase of Picou's solo, sometimes followed by their own
improvisations on a second chorus. Picou himself recorded it a number of
times in his later life, including recordings with Kid Rena Papa Celestin
and on film.

The tune was recorded as a march by Charles Prince's Band in 1911. The first
jazz recording of it made by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in 1923, with
Johnny Dodds on clarinet. Apparently unaware that the tune had previously
been copyrighted, Gennett Records filed a copyright on the tune as a Joe
Oliver original.




> [Off-list]
> > Alphonse Picou is the person that originated this solo for High Society
> > (notice no rag).
>
> Sorry Phil.
> But you have lost that one.
> The Oliver was labelled HS 'Rag'.
> Regards,
> Bill.