Hot Bands

Pre-jazz there were established white marching bands, military bands and dance bands. But a fourth influence on jazz was the New Orleans mania for organising carnivals and gatherings which always included music and produced endless Hot Bands -

out doors in the hot South, indoors in the dark dives, 'parade' music, marching bands, picnic bands, funeral bands and, of course, dance bands 

military music rooted in the Spanish/American War 1898 spread with demobilisation and the availability of cheap instruments

after the Victrola was launched in 1901 it was Sousa (and Caruso) who dominated the recordings

dances needed dance bands - Texas Tommy, Shim Sham Shimie, Turkey Trot, Grizzly Bear, Bunny Hug, Chicken Scratch, Monkey Glide, Camel Walk, Buzzard Lope, the Fox Trot then the Black Bottom and Charleston

Recordings / Songs / Marches -

1865 Henry Clay Work - 'Marching through Georgia' and in 1875 he wrote 'Grandfathers Clock' 

1859 Daniel Decatur Emmett - 'Dixie' - a Northerner written for a minstrel show but became the Confederates marching song 

1865 James Ryder Randall put words to a German tune 'tannenbaum' - 'Maryland my Maryland' - a Confederate song from the civil war 

1862 Julia Ward Howe borrowed 'John Brown's body' from the Hutchinson’s hit which converted many to the anti slavery cause. A northerners march - 'Battle Hymn of the Republic'

1898 Porter Steel, Alphonse Picou - 'High Society'

1899 Kerry Mills - 'Whistling Rufus'

1902 Will Handy - 'Oh Didn't he Ramble' ... 'bagged' for the wake! 

1911 William Tyers - 'Panama'

Paul Barbarin - 'Bourbon Street Parade'

'Bugle Boy March', 'Gettysburg March'. 

New Orleans parade bands -

Imperial Band, Onward Brass Band, Oscar Celestine's Tuxedo, Bunk Johnson's Original Superior, Alcide Nunez's Reliance Brass Band, Jack Laine's Ragtime Band ... and John Robechaux ... 

John Philip Sousa (18 - ) - Sousa developed a steady, strong 'two beat' marching accompaniment.

1897 - 'Stars and Stripes Forever' 

James Reese Europe (1880-1919) - made the music of dives of Storyville respectable in middle class dance halls, no 'slow drag' here, the Society Orchestra!

The most influential hot band of its time, but without 'hits', neither writing nor playing. But he gave black musicians a platform and promoted them through 'The Clef Club'.

From vaudeville orchestras to musical director of Cole and Johnson's shows and Bert Williams' 'Lode of Koal' to Carnegie Hall.

1913 Vernon and Irene Castle, musical director with Europe's Society Orchestra. 'Too Much Mustard', 'Down Home Rag'. The Fox Trot, the relaxed germ of swing. 1915, the Broadway show, 'Watch Your Step'.  

Nobel Sissle and Eubie Blake joined Europe in 1916.

Europe joined the Hellfighters in World War I and played his new music in France. His mix of ragtime and jazz big band was unbelievable and rapturously received ... 'Memphis Blues', 'Ja Da', 'Clarinet Marmalade'. 

Hot Blues Bands - Mamie Smith's The Jazz Hounds, Perry Bradford's Jazz Phools were blues singers accompanist bands which also recorded instrumentals.

Hot Dance Big Bands - 

Paul Whiteman - commissioned George Gershwins 'Rhapsody in Blue' in 1924.

Fletcher Henderson - 

Duke Ellington - Washingtonians

Territory Bands - 1925 - 100 bands all over the country

Jean Goldkette and Bix

 

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