[Dixielandjazz] Mickey Mouse Music pre WW 2?

[Stephen G Barbone]

OK Bill, here is Dictionary.com definition of Mickey Mouse Music.  
(Dictionary.com is based on the Random House Dictionary)

Mickey Mouse
noun (often initial capital letters) informal

1. trite and commercially slick in character; corny; (mickey mouse  
music)

2. useless, insignificant, or worthless (mickey mouse activities just  
to fill up one's time)

3. trivial or petty: (mickey mouse regulations.


Origin:

1930-35; after the animated cartoon character created by Walt Disney,  
orig. with reference to the banal dance-band music played as  
background to the cartoons.

Word Origin & History
Mickey Mouse
cartoon mouse character created in 1928 by Walt Disney (1901-66) As an  
adj. meaning "small and worthless" it dates from 1936, originally used  
especially of mediocre dance-band music, a put down based on the type  
of tunes played as background in cartoon films.

Now that's not proof either, but see other etymology for corroboration  
e.g.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Mickey+Mouse

I can't remember much about musical slang in use before the late 1940s  
but do remember at that time that "mickey mouse" fit the above  
definitions and was in common usage among musicians in NYC. So while  
none of the above is absolute proof, coupled with Roger's dad's memory  
of it being used pre WW2,  I'll buy it.  <grin>

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband