BIX BEIDERBECKE RESOURCES
A  BIXOGRAPHY

    In this section I will exhibit selected photographs of Bix Beiderbecke and related subjects. I will have portraits, photos of Bix with fellow musicians and friends, programs of concerts and dances, and miscellaneous images. Some of the images were scanned at high resolution and may take a minute or more to download. The images were obtained through the generosity of several individuals. I am grateful to Dave Bartholomew, Rickey Bauchelle, Scott Black, Sergio Calve, Hans Eekhoff, Joe Giordano, Frank Hagenbuch, Rich Johnson, Michael Bezin, Randy Skretvedt, Rob Rothberg, Frederick C. Wiebel, Jr.and Jerry Zolten for providing many of the images and for kindly giving me permission to exhibit them in the present gallery. I will acknowledge their individual contributions by adding their initials after the title of the image. Unless stated otherwise, I am responsible for all the text associated with the images.

• Beiderbecke, Bix

• Pat Ciricillo

• Crosby, Bing

• Goldkette, Jean

• The Keller Sisters and Lynch

• Adrian Rollini

• Frank Trumbauer

• Whiteman, Paul

• The Wolverine Orchestra

The Wolverine Orchestra in the Gennet Studios
The Wolverine Orchestra Outside the Gennett Studios 1
The Wolverine Orchestra Outside the Gennett Studios 2

• Beiderbecke, Bix

• Blue Lantern Casino and Cottage

• Gennett Recording Company

• Goldkette, Jean

• Trumbauer, Frank

• Whiteman, Paul

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Beiderbecke Family Cemetery Plot. D.B. The Beiderbecke family has a plot in Oakdale Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa. Bix was buried here on August 11, 1931. Bix's stone is the one on the right. I am grateful to Dave Bartholomew for sending me a scan of this photograph which he took in 1981.

Bix Beiderbecke in January 1927. H.E. Bix first joined the Jean Goldkette orchestra in October 1924, but the association lasted only two months. Bix could not read music well and could not keep up with the steady addition of new material needed for the weekly radio broadcasts. Moreover, Eddie King, the Victor recording director, took a strong dislike toward Bix and his jazz solos. Bix rejoined the Jean Goldkette orchestra in September 1926, this time a successful association that lasted for a year. Mug shots of all musicians  in the Jean Goldkette Victor Recording orchestra were taken in January 1927 for publicity purposes. At that time, the orchestra consisted of -Bix, Brown, Farrar, Lodwig, Mertz, Morehouse, Murray, Quicksell, Rank, Ryker, Trumbauer and Willcox.

Bix's Grandparents House. A.H. Bix's grandparents on his father side were Carl (anglicized to Charles) Beiderbecke and Louisa Pieper (anglicized to Louise Piper). Both Charles and Louise were Prussians who, independently, immigrated to America in the mid 1850's, Charles with his uncle, Louise with her parents. The met in Davenport and were married in 1860. In 1880, they had a home built at 532 W. 7th Street  in Davenport. The neighborhood is now known as the Gold Coast. The photograph was taken by Joe Giordano during the 1999 Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Festival. I am standing on the driveway.

Bix's House.D.B. This is a photograph of Bix's house taken in 1981 by Dave Bartholomew. At the time, the house was for sale.  I am grateful to Dave for sending me a scan of the photograph.

Bix Mural. A.H. This image was obtained by scanning a postcard of the Bix Beiderbecke mural on the building located at Brady St. and West River Drive, Davenport, Iowa. The mural portrait is by Loren Shaw. The photograph of the mural is by Dennis/Karen Clevenger. I am grateful to Richard M. Sudhalter for his generous gift of the postcard.

Bix's Last Residence. A.H. Bix's last stay in Davenport was from November 1930 to February 1931. Late in February 1931, he moved into room 605 of the 44th Street Hotel in New York where he stayed until late June. At this time, Bix moved for a few days with Rex Gavitte at 24-60 32nd Street, Astoria, Queens and then to a new apartment house at  43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, Queens. The photograph of the entrance to the apartment building was taken on August 6, 1999, when a group of Bixophiles gathered in front of the house to honor the memory of Bix.

Memorial to Bix Beiderbecke Record. A.H. This is V Disc No. 774. It was produced by the Music Branch, Special Services Division, War Department. It is a 12-inch, 78 rpm recording. Side A has "A Handful of Stars" by Ray Noble and his Orchestra with a trumpet chorus by Lt. Harry Johnson and "Singin' the Blues" by Buddy Hackett and his orchestra. Side B has "Dancing on the Ceiling" by Glen Gray and his Orchestra with Red Nichols on trumpet. On the label is written "Memorial "SS" Release (As suggested by Dr. John Dale Owen)". Image of side A. Image of side B.

Blue Lantern Casino and Cottage. R.J. In May 1926 Frank Trumbauer lead a Goldkette unit at Hudson Lake, Indiana. The engagement lasted from May 22 to August 30, 1926. The orchestra played at the Blue Lantern Casino. In August 2000 Rich Johnson of the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society accompanied by Journalist Jim Arpy went to the site where the Blue Lantern Casino is located and took photographs of the Casino and of the cottage where Bix and other musicians from the band spent the summer of 1926. The initial account, before Rich and Jim visited the Blue Lantern Casino can be read by clicking the link http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~alhaim/itemsofspecialinterest.htm#The Summer of 1926 at the Blue Lantern Inn at Here is the account of the visit and links to some of the photographs that Rich took. Rich wrrote on 08/25/00: "The cottage [where Bix stayed in the summer of 1926] is no longer yellow, but blue. We met the Millers, Lorraine & Del (parents of the owner, their son, who lives in St. Louis), at the Casino and followed them to the cottage. It is now located at least a mile from its original location which was south of the Casino and by the railroad tracks. Del had just installed a wooden railing around the front porch the day before we arrived, which I noticed right away. Upon entering the front door you find yourself in a room which was probably the place where Bix's piano stood. Off to your right were doors that led into two small bedrooms. This was the original cottage. Since then, they have added a room across the back which contains a kitchen and bath. It was very exciting just being there and thinking back to when Bix, Pee Wee, and the others once shared this very house. Del is in the process of fixing up the place, installing new windows, carpeting, etc. Their son now is asking 40 thousand plus the cost of repairs. Phil [Popsychala] told me that when he talked with the woman realtor who was handling the property a few months ago, and "before they found out about Bix," the price was $29,900. We also re-visited the Casino and found it the same. The outside had been painted but the stage, dance floor, etc., was the same. The owner is very "tight lipped" and will not say what his plans are. Jim Arpy, a journalist and former charter member of BBMS, went with me. We had an exciting and enjoyable time, to say the least! By the way, Lorraine & Del Miller are very nice people!" General view of Casino. View of Casino from across the lake. Original soda fountain. Rich writes: "Customers purchased soft drinks which they would "spike" with liquor since prohibition was in force. If you look at the upper-right you can see part of a wooden telephone booth. The soda fountain and the booth date back to 1926." View  of inside of casino. Former "yellow" cottage, now blue. I am grateful to Rich Johnson for generously providing the account and the photographs.

Weekly Program for the Blue Lantern, Summer 1926. R.R. In March of 1926, Jean Goldkette took an option on  the Casino in Hudson Lake and renamed it The Blue Lantern. He assigned to that venue an orchestra directed by Frankie Trumbauer. The band consisted of  Fuzzy Farrar (t); Bix(c); Sonny Lee (tb); Doc Ryker, Pee Wee Russell, Frank Trumbauer (reeds); Itzy Riskin, (p); Frank DiPrima (bj); Dan Gaebe (b); Dee Orr (d). According to all accounts, that was a very happy summer for Bix. The Blue Casino put out weekly programs. I have three pages  from one of the programs.   Front Cover.    Page 8.    Photo of Band.

The Last Photograph of Bix? D.S. In a Forum posting, Bill Anthony asks if there are any photographs of Bix from 1930 or 1931. The last photograph that I know of is from late August 1929. Paul Whitmena and his musicians had spent June-August in Los Angeles in connection with the film "The King of Jazz". There were problems with the script that could not be worked out and by August 28, 1929,  Paul and the orchestra left Los Angeles. According to Evans and Evans, "Bix: The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story", p. 487,  this photograph of Bix and Tram was taken "en route back to New York". The accompanying image is a scan from Duncan Schiedt's magnificent book "Twelve Lives in Jazz", Delta Publishing, Parma, Italy, 1996. The same photograph is included in Hoagy Carmichael's auto biography "Sometimes I Wonder", published in 1965. The caption to the photo reads: "Bix and Frankie Trumbauer somewhere in Kansas when Paul Whiteman's band was returning from Hollywood. I was a freeloader on this trip." I met Duncan in March 2000, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He graciously gave me permission to scan and post this photograph from p. 31 of "Twelve Lives in Jazz."

Ad for a Dance at Haynes Dancing School. R.J. During the Spring of 1921 Bix played several dates with the Buckley Novelty Orchestra around Davenport. During the summer of 1921, Bix played with the bands in the excursion (out of Davenport) steamers "Majestic" (Plantation Jazz Orchestra) and "Capitol" (Ten Capitol Harmony Syncopaters). On August 5, 1921 Bix had the first gig under his own name, the "Bix Beiderbecke Five", for a dance at the Haynes Dancing School. The ad appeared in the August 5 issue of the "Davenport Democrat and Leader" paper. The building today houses "Trash Can Annie's  Antique Clothing." For a current photograph of the building click here. Rich Johnson, after seeing the mention of the dance in Sudhalter and Evans "Bix: Man and Legend", reasoned that there could be an ad in a local paper for the dance. Rich was successful in his search . "I've  found it, I've found it", he exclaimed  -to the surprise of the library patrons around him- when he came upon the ad looking through  the microfilms  in the Davenport Library.

Musician's Union Transfer Sheet. R.J.  When a musician took up residence in a new city or own, he/she would transfer his/her membership to the new local. The date of this document is June 18, 1926 and corresponds to a transaction related to his membership involving the St. Louis and Detroit locals (withdrawal/deposit). I found it fascinating to realize, as I went through the document, that Bix was reading the questions and answering them. This scan is from a copy of the document located in the Davenport Library. I am indebted to Rich Johnson for sending me the copy.

Door to Doyle's Academy of Dance. D.B. Bix with the Wolverine Orchestra opened at Doyle's Dancing Academy on January 14, 1924. The engagement had been arranged for them by Cincinnati's band leader Bernie Cummins. The Academy was located on the third floor of the building at the corner of Court Street and Central Avenue in downtown Cincinnati. The Wolverines "had caused a greater stir among local musicians than on paying customers," wrote Sudhalter and Evans in "Bix: Man and Legend." Therefore, on March 31, 1924, the Wolverines notified the management of Doyle's Academy of their decision to leave the Academy and seek an engagement at the Athletic Club in Indianapolis. However, the people in charge of Doyle told the musicians that their contract was binding and that they could not leave. To ensure that the musicians would not depart, the management told them that they could not remove their instruments from the Dance Hall. The Wolverines were determined to leave. Thus, that night, Dick Voynow, who had stayed in the dance hall under the guise that he had to work on some arrangements, lowered their instruments from the third floor to the street where the remaining Wolverines were waiting to recover their instruments and load them into cars. After bringing down all the instruments, Voynow joined his colleagues and they all drove to Indianapolis where they arrived early in the morning of April 1, 1924. A photograph of the building where the Academy was located is given in page 102 of Sudhalter and Evans book. Dave Bartholomew took a photograph of the door to the building  in the late Seventies shortly before the block long building was demolished.

Voyager Bix. F.W. This a  booklet published by Frederick C. Wiebel, Jr. on March 10, 1986, the day that Bix would have turned 83. The booklet consists of ten pages, 6 1/2" x 8 1/2 ". Fred drew the images in each page to make what could be called  a montage. Fred writes on 07/30/01, "The individual drawings were printed without borders and butted up to each other, taped together and to the inside back of the cover and folded up accordion style to expand out to about 65". I had wanted to print them on a single 65" piece of paper but that was impossible at the time. I tried to use as many Bix images as I could squeeze in to tell the story. When I was working on the bust I had put most of the Bix photos all on one large piece of cardboard so I could look at them all at once. I liked being able to do that. Individually the Bix photos looked like different people but by seeing them all together I was able follow the logical changes and became aware of the continuity in each, if that makes any sense. I decided to concentrate my efforts on the visual aspects of Bix as my contribution to 'the cause'. I can't remember just how many "Voyager Bix" booklets I printed, but I'm sure it was less than 50 copies. I just have a xerox 'test pressing' copy myself. I can't locate the cover design at this time but it's probably buried in my studio somewhere along with the hundreds of other Bix related drawings. I used to sell them by mail and at shows that I did.  I mailed out xerox version freebies too." To see the ten images of the drawings, click each of the following links. Mont 1.  Mont 2.  Mont 3.Mont 4.  Mont 5.Mont 6. Mont 7. Mont 8. Mont 9. Mont 10.

A Beiderbecke Reverie. F.W. Fred writes on 8/10/01. "I had spent many hours at Oakdale [the cemetery where Bix is buried, ed.] and in the heat of the summer I could feel the images of Bix's life rising out of the ground like evaporating dew and hear cornet strains in the rustling of the leaves in the trees. I tried to recapture that feeling in the sketch. I didn't want to make any corrections or use colors as I thought that would break the spell by making it too solid. It was done in an acrylic wash on a 9" X 12" canvas and it is dated April 4, 1986. I was going to use it for the cover of a Bix calendar with significant dates that I put together from the chronology in Bix, Man & Legend.  I contacted some 'Jazz' calendar publishers but they didn't feel that there would be enough interest to make it commercially viable."

Ad for the Camel Pleasure Hour. S.B. In September of 1929,  after recording "Waiting at the End of the Road", his last record with the Paul Whiteman orchestra, Bix collapsed. His health was very poor. Paul Whiteman and Kurt Dieterle put Bix on a train to Davenport where he remained for several months of rest and treatment.  Bix returned to New York in April 1930. The jazz scene was not very encouraging. Bix was reluctant to join the Paul Whiteman again. Let's recall that it was the brutal Whiteman tour that had started in May 1929 and the idle summer in Hollywood that contributed to the rapid deterioration of Bix's health. Few jobs were to be found, but he managed.  Bix joined Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and played on college campuses. He had a recording date with his old pal Hoagy Carmichael. Things were beginning to look up. Sudhalter and Evans, in their magnificent book "Bix, Mand and Legend" (Arlington House, 1974) provide a detailed account of the genesis of the Camel radio program: "One non-playing guest that night was John Wiggin, a Bix fan since his undergraduate days at Stanford University. He had just been named by NBC to produce their new Camel Pleasure Hour radio series. N. W. Ayer & Son, the advertising agengy handling the account, nominated Nat Shilkret to form the orchestra. Not illogically, Shilkret's choice for arranging and general musical organization was Bill Challis. Together, the two men set out about recruiting what was, in effect, a large Whiteman-style orchestra." Several of the members of the orchestra were either old buddies of Bix's or musicians he knew well: Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Min Leinbrook, Lennie Hayton, Carl Kress, Carlie Margulis, Red Mayer. The premiere of the Camel Pleasure Hour took place on Wednesday, June 4, 1930 over WJZ from New York City, one of the "blue" stations of the NBC network. Bix played on the Camel Pleasure Hour every Wednesday until October 8, 1930, when he blacked out in the middle of the broadcast and returned to Davenport. Bix was replaced by Bob Ephros.

Bing Crosby and Eddie Lang # 1. S.B. Bing joined the Paul Whiteman orchestra on December 6, 1926. It was not until October 27, 1927 that Bix joined the Whiteman organization. Bix and Bing must have become buddies very quickly. On October 29, 1927, after their performance with the orchestra at the Ambassador Theatre in St. Louis, Bix and Bing double-dated Ruth and Estelle Shaffner. Bing's association with Paul Whiteman ended on May 6, 1930. As Bing started performing and recording as a solo artist, he hired the great Eddie Lang as his accompanist. This is a publicity photograph from the early 1930's.

Photographs of the Blue Lantern. M.B. Photo 1. A view of the entrance to "The Whistle Stop." Photo 2. The train from South Bend at the station, only a Flag stop. Photo 3. A view of the entrance at night. Photo 4. A view of the back end from the North edge of Hudson Lake Photo 5. The restored cabin where Bix and cohorts stayed in the summer of 1926.

Bing Crosby and Eddie Lang # 2. S.C. Another publicity photo of Bing and Eddie. This was scanned by Sergio from p. 31 of the December 1932 issue of "Cinegraf" a magazine published in Argentina by Editorial Atlantida.

The Wolverine Orchestra in the Gennett Studios. H.E. This is the famous photograph taken on February 18, 1924 during the first recording session of the Wolverine Orchestra at the Gennett Recording Studios in Richmond, Indiana. From left to right: Min Leibrook, Jimmy Hartwell, George Johnson, Bob Gillette, Vic Moore, Dick Voynow, Bix Beiderbecke and Al Gandee.

 

The Wolverine Orchestra Outside the Gennett Studios, 1. H.E. This image and the next one were taken outside the Gennett studio after the recording session of May 6th, 1924. The photogrpahs  belonged to George Johnson who send them, together with an article he wrote called "Wolverine Days"  in 1936 to the English jazz magazine "Swing Music". The originals were never send back to Johnson and are since lost. Standing in car,  left to right: Leibrook, Hartwell, Moore, Johnson. Standing in front: Gillette, Bix, Voynow.  The scans are by Hans Eekhoff  from a copy of  the magazine that belongs to Ate van Delden. Copies of the photographs are found in p. 148 of "Bix" The Leon Bix beiderbecke Story" by Philip Evans and Linda Evans.

 

The Wolverine Orchestra Outside the Gennett Studios, 2. H.E. For information about the origin of the photograph, see previous image. Left to right, unknown, Leibrook, Hartwell, Johnson, Moore, Gillette, Voynow, Bix. Addendum, 09/10/01. Dave Bartholomew transmits the following information in an e-mail message, "I've been told by a good authority (Sam Meier of Richmond, Indiana) that the "unknown" in the boxcar photo is recording supervisor Ezra  Wickemeyer. He has a hat and holds his hands in his pockets.  Sam  Meier says Ezra Wickemeyer liked to struck a pose when being photographed.  He has seen other pictures of him." Mr. Wickmeyer was the recording supervisor for Hitch's Happy Harmonists recording session of May 19, 1925. Hoagy Carmicheal replaced Hitch at the piano and two great tunes by Hoagy were recorded, namely, "Boneyard Shuffle" and "Washboard Blues." Hoagy recorded "Washboard Blues" again on November 18, 1927, this time with Bix and the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. That was the first recording of Bix with Whiteman. I am grateful to Dave for supplying the identity of the "unknown" man in the photograph.

 

Pat Ciricillo Sitting at His Piano. J.G. At the end of April 1930, Bix took residence in room 605 of the 44th Street Hotel. His neighbor in room 606 was trumpet player and Columbia University music student Pasquale "Pat" Ciricillo. Pat had purchased a Wurlitzer upright piano some months earlier. He secured a job in a summer resort for three months, beginning in June 1930 and allowed Bix to borrow the piano for that period. Pat returned to Manhattan in the Fall of 1930, in time for his classes in Columbia University, and the piano went back to room 606, but Bix would drop in Pat's room to use the piano during September of 1930 and again beginning in February 1931, when he retuned from Davenport. According to Pat Ciricillo, Bix composed "Flashes" and "In the Dark" on Pat's piano. The piano is now on exhibit at  The Louisiana State Museum Jazz Collection in New Orleans. I am grateful to Joe Giordano  for the gift of a copy of this photograph taken by Joe Giordano.

 

Davenport Blues Sheet Music. A. H. On January 26, 1924, Bix Beiderbecke and His Rhythm Jugglers, Don Murray (clarinet), Tommy Dorsey (trombone), Tommy Gargano (drums) and Paul Mertz (piano), recorded the immortal "Davenport Blues" in the Gennett Records Studios in Richmond, Indiana. Hoagy Carmichael, who was present in the session as he had driven Bix from Indianapolis,  provides the following account in his autobiography "Sometimes I Wonder": Bix started doodling on his horn. He seemed to find a strain that suited him. By that time everybody took a hand in composing the melody and the true friendship of musicians began: with the music. "We're ready?" Bix said. Everyone nodded. "Oh sure." As far as I could see they didn't have any arrangement worked out. Or tune either. Yet when the technician came in and gave them the high sign, they nodded. "Spin it, Sam." "Any time you are ready." Away they went, down into the lowest darkness of mood and music. Dorsey said in the break: "Call it Davenport Blues in honor of Bix's home town." "Thanks, fellas." Davenport Blues was copyrighted in 1927 and again in 1937 by the Robbins Music Corporation. The sheet music, an arrangement for piano,  was edited by Bill Challis.

Vincent Bach Corporation File Cards for Stradivarius Cornets Purchased by Bix in 1927. A.H. On February 17, 1927, Bix purchased at Hans Bach music store on West 48th Street a Bach Stradivarius cornet, serial number 0616, bell mandril # 101, made of French brass. Bix also orderefd another Stradivarius cornet, serial number 0620, bell mandril # 106, made of  French brass and gold-plated. The cornet was sent to Bix after he had returned to Detroit. The # 620 cornet is the one currently located in the Putnam museum. For information about this cornet click here.  Roy Hempley kindly sent me scans of the two file cards. To see the images click 616 and 620. The images are shown  with the permission of  The Selmer Company. Their generosity is herein acknowledged.  I also want to thank Enrico Borsetti for giving me a link to the Selmer Company site. That resulted in a very fruitful correspondence with Roy.

Bix's Bach # 620 Cornet. E.B. This is the cornet currently in the Putnam Museum, Davenport, IA. Bix ordered this cornet on February 17, 1927. For information about this cornet click here.

Bix's Signature. A.H. This item with Bix's signature below  the title "Dennington Builders, Inc. appeared on ebay in 2001. I grabbed the image and saved it. If the owner of the item objects, I will quickly remove this image from the gallery. The origin of this item is  unknown.

Vince Bach Corporation File Card for Jimmy McPartland's Stradivarius Cornet. AH. According to Evans and Evans,  "Bix: The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story," Bix helped Jimmy McPartland buy a Bach Stradivarius cornet. In a telephone interview of 2/1/54, Jimmy McPartland stated, "We played a jam session in the Three Deuces and Bix showed me his new Bach cornet, the best horn he'd ever owned. I fell in love with it, and right after the jam session, he took me over to the Dixie Music Company. Bix put down $100 for a Bach [serial number 929]. and told me, "You can scrape up the other $50." Jimmy did and picked up the cornet on December 14th. " To see the image of the file card, click here. I am grateful to Roy Hempley for sending me the scan and to the Selmer Company for permission to show it.

The Steamboat S. S. Capitol. F.W. During the summer of 1921, just before he left for the Lake Forest Academy, Bix played cornet with the bands of two steamboats. On June 21 he joined  the Plantation Jazz Orchestra on the S. S. Majestic. Day excursions on June 21, 25, 28 and 30 originated in Davenport, and Bix was on the boat on those days. On July 6, Bix joined Doc Wrixon's "Ten Capitol Harmony Syncopaters [sic]" on the S. S. Capitol. According to Sudhalter and Evans, "Bix: Man and Legend,", "the old stern-wheeler worked the river from Hannibal, Missouri, deep in Huck Finn country, all the way up to Winona, Minnesota, east of Rochester.. Most of the trade was in 24-hour charter jobs."  When the Capitol docked in Davenport on July 15, the musicians union officials had Bix removed from the band because he did not have a union card.

Davenport, Part 1. F.W. Davenport, Iowa was Bix's birth place. Davenport is located on the Mississippi river and boats were an integral part of life. Through the courtesy of Fred, I offer three images: the Davenport ferry, the skyline of Davenport and the key to the city.

Davenport, Vintage Postcards. A.H. Davenport, Iowa was Bix's birth place. That is where Bix went to school, church, and walked to the banks of the Mississippi River. Here are some views of places where we could meet Bix if we had a time machine. First Presbyterian Church. View 1. View 2. Tyler School. This is the elementary school that Bix atttended. The school is located across the street form Bix's home on Grand Avenue. The cancellation date on the postcard is October 7, 1913. At this precise time, Bix was enrolled in fourth grade. Davenport High School. View 1. View 2. View 3. Blackhawk Hotel. (1917) Bix played in this hotel on December 23, 1929 with the Trave O'Hearn Dance Orchestra. Mississippi Hotel.  Enrico Borsetti and Rich Johnson tell me that Agatha, Bix's mother,  moved into the Mississippi Hotel in downtown Davenport shortly after Bismark's death in 1940 where she remained until her death on September 5, 1952. Davenport Ferry. (1915) Second Street, Davenport. Third and Brady Streets, Davenport. Kirkwood Boulevard, Davenport.  A part of  the First Presbyterian Church can be seen on the left.  Davenport Outing Club. (1906) This is where Marie Louise, Bix's sister, got married to Theodore Shoemaker on November 8, 1924. Bird's Eye View of Davenport. (1913)

More Vintage Postcards of Davenport. L.M.P. Looking East on Main Street from Second Street.  Second Street Looking West. Corner of Second and Brady Streets. Third and Brady Streets. Courthouse. High School. 1909 City Hall. 1909 Public Library. 1923 I am grateful to LyndaMeyer Paxton for graciously giving me permission to post her postcards.

Advertisements for OKeh Records. R.R. According to Tim Gracyk and R. J. Wakeman (see http://www.garlic.com/~tgracyk/tmw.htm ), "The phonograph industry's main trade journal from 1905 to around 1930 was Talking Machine World (TMW). It eventually covered radio products as carefully as talking machines and in 1929 was renamed Talking Machine World And Radio-Music Merchant. The 1929 Crash seems to have put an end to the publication, or at least I have seen nothing later than the December 1929 issue." The TMW featured articles and lots of  fascinating advertisements. There were ads for anything related to phonogrpahs, including ads for recently released records. The following, taken from various issues of the Talking Machine World,  are of interest to the Bixography. 1. Ad for OKeh Records: "Riverboat Shuffle" and "Ostrich Walk" by Frankie Trumbauer and His Orchestra. June 1927. 2. Ad for OKeh Records: Sophie Tucker, Frankie Trumbauer and Boyd Senter. October 1927. 3. Ad for OKeh Records: Sophie Tucker, Frankie Trumbauer, Sigmund Krumgold, Seger Ellis. December 1927. 4. Ad for OKeh Records: Frankie Trumbauer and His Orchestra, Joe Venuti's Blue Four, McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans, Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang, Boyd Senter. December 1928.

Sheet Music of Goldkette "You Are Just A Vision", Copyright 1925. S.B. Music by Jean Goldkette, Ray Ludwig, Don Murray and Charles Horvath, words by Howdy Quicksell. This song was never recorded by the Jean Goldkette orchestra.

Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra, 1924? 1925? S.B.

Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra, 1924, Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, MI. R.B. From left to right: Spiegle Willcox , trombone; Bill Rank, trombone; Steve Brown, tuba; Ray Lodwig, trumpet; Fuzzy Farrar, trumpet; Russ Morgan, director; Chauncey Morehouse, drums; Howdy Quicksell, bnjo; Doc Ryker, alto, baritone, clarinet; Lou Longo, piano; Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, alto; Don Murray, clarinet, tenor, baritone.

Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra, late 1924 or early 1925, Graystone Ballroom, Detroit, MI. R.B. From left to right: Russ Morgan, director; Steve Brown, bass, tuba; Bill Rank, trombone; Spiegle Willcox, trombone; Howard Quicksell, banjo; Fuzzy Farrar, trumpet; Chauncey Morehouse, drums; Lou Longo, piano; Doc Ryker, alto, baritone, clarinet; Don Murray, clarinet, tenor, baritone; Ray Lodwig, trumpet; Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, alto.

Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra, 1926, Southboro, MA.  H.E. On September 12, 1926 the musicians of the Jean Goldkette orchestra left Chicago by train  for their eastern tour. The tour started in New England with headquarters in the Hillcrest Inn, Southboro, Massachusetts. The orchestra travelled by bus to every engagement. The photo shows the band members sitting on top of the bus they used. They are from left to right: Bill Challis, Spiegle Willcox, Irving Riskin, Bix Beiderbecke, Don Murray, Howdy Quicksell, Doc Ryker, Chauncey Morehouse, Fred Farrar, Ray Lodwig, Bill Rank. Steve Brown is sitting on the hood, holding a gun.  In his book "Waiting for Dizzy" (Oxford Univesity Press, New York, 1990), Gene Lees writes about this photo. "Spiegle Willcox has a photo of the band on a wall in his home. The men are seated on the roof of a mini-bus on the side of which a banner proclaims: Jean Goldkette Orchestra New England tour J. A. Lyons Mgr. Wherever the band played during that New England tour, the place was packed with musicians, such was the band's reputation - and Beiderbecke's." Addendum by Hans Eekhoff.  What Steve Brown is holding is actually a cigarette lighter shaped as a gun; Spiegle had one too (present from Brown who always was his roommate); he's holding it in the picture taken the same day where the band is holding the banner across the road.

Part of the Goldkette Sax Section, ca 1926. H.E. Don Murray and Jimmy Dorsey fooling around. Enrico Borsetti tells me (e-mail message 01/07/01) that the photot was made for advertising Conn instruments. The photograph is inscluded  in a book with many orchestras advertising Conn instruments.

Announcement of Junior Prom with an Appearance by the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, 1927.S.B. On January 24, 1927, the Jean Goldkette orchestra opened at the Roseland Ballroom for their second engagement and a repeat of their phenomenal earlier success. Early in February, after completing their engagement, they returned to Detroit and the Graystone Ballroom where they remianed for several months. On April 13, 1927 the band was on the road again with stops in Dayton, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; Terre Haute, Indiana; Bloomington, Indiana; and State College, Pennsylvania (the home of The Pennsylvania State University) on their way East. The engagement in State College was on April 29, 1927 in connection with Penn State's Junior Prom. The announcement shows that the Jan Garber band was the second band for that particular engagement. I would like to add a personal note because Penn State is very close to my heart. My first position as a professor of chemistry was at Penn State; my older son started going to school in State College, and my younger son was born there. Hooray for the Nittany Lions!

Goldkette Reunion in the Early 1940's. H.E. Back row, left to right : unknown (Lou Longo?), Chauncey Morehouse, Doc Ryker. Front row, left to right : Fuzzy Farrar, Jimmy Dorsey, Jean Goldkette and Spiegle Willcox. All played and recorded with Bix. H.E.

The Keller Sisters and Lynch, 1926.  R.S. This photograph comes from the sheet music of I'm Forever Dreaming of You." The Keller Sisters and Lynch recorded two sides with Jean Goldkette and His Orchestra when Bix was a member of the orchestra. "Sunday" was recorded on October 15, 1926 and "Proud of A Baby Like You" on January 28, 1927. I thank Randy for providing the scan.

Portrait of Adrian Rollini. F.H. This photograph is probably from about 1927. Adrian Rollini's phenomenal bass saxophone sound is heard in many of the recordings by the California Ramblers and in all of the 1927 recordings of Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang.

Bela Lugosi and Paul Whiteman, Hollywood, 1929. S.B. This photograph was taken at Universal studio during the filming of "The King of Jazz". At that time, Bela Lugosi was filming "Dracula". Both films were released in 1930. In June 1929, Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra went to Los Angeles to film "The King of Jazz". Except for the regular broadcast for Old Gold over station KMTR and occasional engagements, the musicians had not much to do except hang around, which they did for about two months. By the end of August 1930, Paul Whiteman, who could not agree on a script with the officials in Universal, decided to take the orchestra back East. This turn of events is most unfortunate because what could have been an extended appearance by Bix in a film (Bix can be seen playing his cornet for a few seconds in a Fox Movietone Newsreel of May 12, 1928), was not to be. It seems pretty clear that the summer of 1929 contributed enormously to the deterioration of Bix's health. On June 2, 1929 Don Murray died in Los Angeles from a dreadful accident (fracture of the skull while under the influence of alcohol). The band arrived in Los Angeles on June 6 and, surely, soon after, Bix  must have learned of the accident. Bix and Don were close friends since 1922  (note that in many photographs of the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, Bix and Don are next to each other) and the news of Don's death must have affected Bix deeply. The two months of relative inactivity did not help either. With not much to do and living in a relatively inaccessible location (Bix and Boyce Cullen had rented a house in Laurel Canyon), Bix must have done a lot of drinking. Thus, the decline in his health must have accelerated considerably. This is not idle speculation: there is ample evidence that upon his return to New York Bix's health was seriously compromised. On September 13, 1929, during his last recording session with Paul Whiteman, Bix could complete only the first record cut on that day - "Waiting at the End of the Road" - and collapsed immediately after that. On September 15 he left New York for Davenport and  spent about a month at home. On October 14, Bix entered the Keeley Institute in Dwight, Illinois. It was at about this time that Paul Whiteman returned to Hollywood to film "The King Of Jazz". But Bix was not to accompany him.

Announcement of Paul Whiteman  Orchestra's Engagement in the Ambassador Theatre in St. Louis, 1927. S.B. St. Louis, Missouri, located at the intersection of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, downstream from Davenport, Iowa, turned out to be a very important city in Bix's life. After his phenomenal success with the Wolverine Orchestra, Bix's career floundered. His first experience with Jean Goldkette was short and ill-fated. From December 1924 to September 1925, Bix starts college and drops out, spends some time in New York sitting with the California Ramblers, joins briefly the Charley Straight, Nat Natoli and Island Lake bands. Sometime in June 1925, Trumbauer gets in touch with Bix for a possible engagement at the Arcadia Ballroom in St. Louis. Things work out nicely and Bix arrives in St. Louis in August 1925 and starts rehearsing with the Frank Trumbauer's orchestra for a September 8 opening. From August 1925 to May 1926, with the exception of a brief visit to Davenport and an appearance of the band in Carbondale, Illinois, Tram's hometown, Bix spends all his time in St. Louis playing steadily with the Trumbauer orchestra in the Arcadia Ballroom. This is the longest period of time that Bix spends in one place since December of 1923. It is in St. Louis that Bix meets Ruth Shaffner. The steady rehearsals and performances, and his close relationship with Ruth very likely result in Bix leading a relatively ordered life. This in turn contributes to a marked improvement in Bix's cornet technique and ability to read music. For a year and a half, Bix is silent as far as recordings are concerned. Bix's only recording session in 1925 takes place on January 26 - the Jugglers session. Bix's first recording session in 1926 takes place on October 12 with the newly reconstituted Jean Goldkette Victor recording orchestra. What a difference 16 months make! Bix's tone is clearer, sharper, stronger.         Bix leaves St. Louis on May 7, 1926 and does not return until October 29, 1927. This is two days after Bix and Tram  join the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, after their short-lived association with Adrian Rollini's New Yorkers.        The image associated with this text is an ad in a St. Louis newspaper (St. Louis Dispatch?) for Paul Whiteman's one-week engagement at the Ambassador Hotel. The "potato head" caricature is being used in the ad and "Paul' Rhythm Boys" are the only musicians specifically mentioned.

In A Mist Sheet Music. F.H. This is the original issue of the sheet music. Note the heading "Paul Whiteman Presents" on top. Subsequent issues, such as the one in the Bixography home page, did not include that heading. For additional information, connect to http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~alhaim/recordingsinamist.htm#SheetMusic

Flashes Sheet Music. F.H. Bix Beiderbecke wrote four piano compositions. Flashes was copyrighted on April 18, 1931.

Driftwood Sheet Music. R.R. I believe that this is the only sheet music with a photo of Bix. This was issued in 1924 in various forms, some without a photograph insert, others with various photo insets. The design is by Perret. The heading above the photgraph reads "Featured by Dick Voynow and the Wolverines."

Ad for Columbia Records and Paul Whiteman's Concert In Carnegie Hall, October 6, 1928. S.B. In the Fall of 1928 Paul Whiteman and his orchestra made an extended concert tour. The concert started  with a performances at Carnegie Hall on October 7 and ended on December 9 in Boston. In between those dates, concerts were presented in Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Canada (Toronto). Bix suffered a breakdownon November 30, 1928 in Cleveland and did not complete the tour ith the rest of the orchestra. Bix's whereabouts are unknown until February 3, 1929. There is speculation that during this period, Bix recorded Cradle of Love with Ray Miller and his orchestra.  The concert in Carnegie Hall was one of the highlights of Bix's career: he performed his composition "In A Mist". For a detailed account of the concert go to http://ms.cc.sunysb.edu/~alhaim/recordingsinamist.htm#Bix'sPublicperformance

Full Page Ad for Engagement of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra at Castle Farm, Cincinnati, Ohio. D.B. The Jean Goldkette Orchestra closed at Roseland on September 18, 1927 and was dissolved. Bix and several of  the Goldkette musicians joined the newly forme band organized by Adrian Rollini at the New Yorker Club. The band was, unfortunately, very short-lived. By October 27, 1927 Bix and Tram joined the Paul Whiteman Orchestra at the Indiana Theater in Indianapolis.  Two weeks earlier, the orchesta was in Cincinnati for an appearance at Castle Farm, October 16-October 21, 1927. The image is a full-page ad in the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune.  I thank Dave Bartholomew for kindly sending me a scan of the ad.

Photographs of the Buidings of the Gennett Recording Company. F.H. The Starr Piano Company, the first piano company west of the Alleghany Mountains, was founded in 1872 by James Starr. Henry Gennett joined the company in 1893. Starr entered the recording business in 1915. The records made beetween 1915 and 1918 were issued under the green and white "Starr" label. The name of the record label was changed from "Starr" to "Gennett" in 1918. The records were  made using the lateral cut process which was used also by  the "Victor Recording Company". A fascinating account of the legal proceedings between "Gennett", supported by "OKeh", "Vocalion" and "Compos", and "Victor", supported by "Columbia", is given in "Jelly Roll, Bix, and Hoagy. Gennett Studios and the Birth of Recorded Jazz" by Rick Kennedy, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1994. Fred Wiggins, the manager of the Starr Music Store in Chicago, is probaly the single most important individual in building the reputation of Gennett in the field of jazz. Among the jazz names that recorded for Gennett in the early days, we have King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, The New Orleans Rhythm Kings,  Jelly Roll Morton, The Wolverines, The Happy Harmonists, The Bucktown Five, Bix and His Rhythm Jugglers, Hoagy Carmichael, Ladd's Black Aces (really, the Original Memphis Five), Bix and the Sioux City Six, Louis Armstrong and the Red Onion Jazz Babies. Four images are available:Gennett View, Gennett Vertical , Gennett Street and Gennett Sign . The images are scans of the photographs taken in 1974 and 1975 by Frank Hagenbuch.

Photographs of the Starr Piano Factory. D. B. All jazz fans, including Bixophiles, are aware of the crucial importance of the Gennett Recording Company. The first recordings (Fidgety Feet and Lazy Daddy) of the Wolverine Orchestra, with Bix, were made in the studios of the company in Richmond, Indiana, on February 18, 1924. Other jazz giants who made recordings in the Genett's studios in Richmond are The New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver with his Creole Jazz Band (featuring Louis Armstrong), Jelly Roll Morton, and Hoagy Carmichael. In addition to Rick Kennedy's book cited in the previous entry, I would recommend the article in http://www.visitrichmond.org/JazzHeritage.html  . Because of its importance in the recording of early jazz, the Gennett Recording Company has been referred to as "The Cradle of Recorded Jazz". The Gennett Recording Company was part of the Starr Piano Company. A non-profit organiztion, The Starr-Gennett Foundation,  is "dedicated to promoting the rich musical heritage of the Gennett Record Company and its parent Starr Piano Company in Richmond, Indiana." The home page for the Foundation is found at http://www.starrgennett.org/about/index.html  The Starr Piano Company began to make pianos in Richmond in 1878 and closed its operation in 1949. In its heyday, the Starr factories in Richmond spread over 35 acres and occupied 300,000 square feet.The buildings have been slowly deteriorating. In his book, Rick Kennedy writes, "By 1983, only a couple of abandoned structures remained, including a mammoth piano assembly building with a large fading Gennett Records sign painted on an outside wall." David "Bart" Bartholomew took some photographs of the old piano building (orignally built in the 19th century). Bart sent scans of  overall views of what was left of the old piano factory in the winter of 1985 and in the summer of 1986 .  A close-up of the sign (with Bart looking out the window) shows how faded the sign is. For a cleaner image of the sign, go to  http://www.starrgennett.org/history/index.html

Sheet Music for "When". F.H. This song written by Razaf, Schafer and Johnson was recorded by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra on March 12, 1928. The vocal was by the sweet trio consisting of  Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord  and Austin Young and two of the members of the Rhythm Boys, Al Rinker and Harry Barris. Bix had two six-bar solos.

Announcement of the June 7-13, 1929 Engagement of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra in San Francisco's Pantage Theatre. S.B. On May 24, 1929, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra boarded the Old Gold special train at Pennsylvania Station, New York with Los Angeles as its final destination to film the King of Jazz at  Universal Studios. On its way to Los Angeles, the train stopped in various cities for concerts and/or radio broadcasts. It was a brutal schedule with stops at Philadelphia , PA, May 24; Pittsburgh, PA,May 25; Fort Wayne, IN, May 27; Chicago, IL, May 28; Springfield, IL, May 29; Indianapolis, IN; St. Louis, MO, May 31; Kansas City, MO, June 1; Omaha, NE and Lincoln, NE,  June 2; Denver, June 3; Salt Lake City, UT, June 5; San Francisco, CA, June 7, where the orchestra stayed for about a week. The train arrived in Los Angeles on June 15. According to accounts from Ruth Schaffner (she met Bix in St. Louis on May 31) and Fritz Spurrier (he met Bix in Los Angeles on June 16), Bix was already looking "weak", "pale" and "nervous". Certainly, the brutal schedule did not help. This is the beginning of the summer that I refer to in the text that accompanies the Bela Lugosi-Paul Whiteman photograph. Bix learned of Don Murray's death and spent a relatively idle summer in relative isolation in a house in Laurel Canyon. This is the summer that  resulted in the precipitous deterioration of Bix's health.

Signed Photograph of Frank Trumbauer,  1938 (?).  R.R.   I believe this photograph was taken in 1938 at the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel.

Cover of February 1930 OKeh Catalogue. R.R.

Sheet Music of Trumbauer Solos.  R.R. The Trumbauer sheet music bears a single date: the copyright date of 1927.  No credit is given for the transcription.

Photograph of Frank Trumbauer's Trunk for Musical Instruments. J.Z.  Jerry Zolten wrote on 06/19/00; "Just acquired a great piece of jazz history--a trunk that belonged to Tram. On the lid in faded white block letters are these words:  Frank Trumbauer-Musical Instruments-Paul Whiteman Orch-Theater-Do Not Drop." Jerry kindly sent an image of the trunk on 07/16/00.

Signed Photograph of Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, probably 1928. A.H. This photo was up  for auction on ebay in late 1999. I was not the highest bidder, but I grabbed the image. If the high bidder sees this image and is offended, I will remove the image. I do not know the year this photo was taken, nor do I know who Link is. However, I think it is from 1928 because it looks like other promotinal photos in conjunction with the tour of Fall 1928.

Signed Photograph of Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra. A.H. This photo was up  for auction on ebay in late 1999. I was not the highest bidder, but I grabbed the image. If the high bidder sees this image and is offended, I will remove the image. This photo is the same, except for the dedication by Wilbur Hall, as the one in p.429 of Evans and Evans' "Bix: The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story".

Paul Whiteman In Sailor Suit From the Film "King of Jazz". A.H. On June 15, 1929, the Paul Whiteman orchestra arrived in Los Angeles to film "The King of Jazz". For three months, except for the weekly Old Gold broadcasts, the musicians hung around while Whiteman  discussed with Universal the script for the film. By August 28, 1929 Whiteman decided to take his orchestra back east and wait for an acceptable script. When Paul Whiteman returned to Los Angeles to film  "The King of Jazz" in Otober of 1929, Bix was convalescing at the Keeley Institute in Dwight,  Illinois. Thus, the great opportunity to have a lengthy sound film of Bix was lost for ever.

Paul Whiteman Souvenir Program. R.R. The concert presented in Carnegie Hall on October 7, 1928 was the first in the Fall tour of Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra. The tour included the concert on November 11, 1928 in the City Auditorium of Ponca City, Oklahoma. The image is from the souvenir program sold at the Ponca City Concert.  There is some question as to whether Bix played in the concert. According to Irving Friedman (Bix: The Bix Beiderbecke Story, by Philip R. and Linda K.Evans, p. 416), Bix missed the train from Tulsa to Ponca City. However, he sent a telegram (received by Paul Whiteman in the train) announcing that he would arrive by plane. Some members of the band went to the airfield in Ponca City and, indeed, Bix arrived on time for the concert. But apparently, Bix and the pilot had been drinking during the flight. Bix went backstage and slept through the concert.

Another Signed Photo of Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, probably 1928.F. H. Frank Hagenbuch sent me an image of this photograph of the Paul Whiteman Orchestra . Frank wonders if the second musician from the left is Bix Beiderbecke. I believe that the unknown musician is the same as the guy in the middle of the previous photograph of the Paul Whiteman orchestra.

Paul Whiteman in Hollywood with the Laemmles, Father and Son, 1929.  S.C. Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra, including Bix, arrived in Los Angeles, California on June 15, 1929. The purpose of the trip to Los Angeles was to make the film "The King of Jazz" for Universal Studios. Weeks went by but no agreement about a script could be reached. July and most of August passed, but Universal could not come up with a script which was acceptable to Whiteman. On August 28 , 1928, Paul Whiteman decided to take the band back home to New York, but agreed with Universal that when a satisfactory script became available, the band would return to Hollywood. Bix's health had deteriorated during the long, hot summer in Los Angeles, and on September 13, 1929, after the successful recording of take 8 of  "Waiting  the End of the Road", Bix collapsed. He went home to Davenport on September 15 on a leave of absence at full salary. In October, Whiteman reached an agreement with Universal and the band left New York. When the orchestra arrived in Los Angeles,  Bix was not with them: he was a patient at Keeley Institute, Dwight, Illinois. Filming of "The King of Jazz" began and was completed in March 1930, alas without Bix. The producer of the film was Carl Laemmle, Jr., the son of Carl Laemmle, who had started Universal Pictures in the 1910s.  The photograph is from  p. 8 of  "Cinelandia y Films", October, 1929,  published  in Spanish in Los Angeles, California. I am grateful to Sergio for the scan.  The caption for the photograph reads, " In the struggle to reach the supremacy that every enterprise desires in this age of talkies and musicals, the Universal Company does not fall behind. They have engaged, at a fabulous salary,  the king of "jazz" orchestra leaders, the famous Paul Whiteman. In the photograph, we can see Whiteman in front of a radio microphone, next to Carl Laemmle (father and son), owners of Universal Studios."

Return to homepage                   Brief Table of Contents
 
 

Recordings
The Original 78's
Analysis of Some Recordings: Is It Bix or Not ?
Complete Compilations of Bix's Recordings
Tributes to Bix
Miscellaneous Recordings Related to Bix
In A Mist
Chronological listing of Bix's recording sessions
Complete list of Bix's 78 rpm 10" and 12" Albums