There's Bix and his cornet. Louis Armstrong played the cornet, too. Bix looks like Lester Young here.
And here's Prez--check out their parallel line looks.
Bix's grave in Davenport. Who knows who the old dude is--who cares? Guys who keep there hands in their pockets don't like responsibility.
Bix as a Wolverine, though he wasn't from Michigan.
Bix's "In a Mist" first edition sheet music. Robbins Music was partially owned by Paul Whiteman, the so-called "King of Jazz"; yeah, that's why he's named White Man--King of Jazz my ass.
Bix's father, B.H., and the first car in Davenport.
Said to be the last photo taken of old Bix--Bix is for Bismarck.
The notice in the St. Louis newspaper (The Dispatch?) for Bix's first gig after being hired by Whiteman in St. Louis--Frankie Trumbauer joined Whiteman at the same time--Bix had been in Frankie's band in St. Louis just before this--and they had both played with Adrian Rollini's (he played the bass sax) New Yorkers. Paul's Rhythm Boys mentioned in this ad included Harry L. "Bing" Crosby.
Bix's final home--the Beiderbecke plot in Davenport's Oakdale Cemetery. That's old Leon Bismarck under the stone on the right with the wreath by it.
From Frankie Trumbauer's diary. Frankie's homesick for St. Louis here--he misses Bix, too.
Frankie Trumbauer, Lester Young's favorite saxophone player as a young man; he carried Frankie's recording of "Singin' the Blues" around with him in his favorite trunk--Frankie Trumbauer's trunk was also famous. Frankie became a WWII test pilot and later gigged with the NBC Orchestra in 1948 but after that he quit music and ended his life working for the Civil Aeronautics Authority--finally leaving the coil in 1956.
So there's a little Bix trip for you--he's buried up behind me as I'm still soused in Davenport--was that a rat I saw running across the roof of the building behind me?
thegrowlingIowanwolf
for The Daily Growler
1 comment:
Oh, heartbreakingly beautiful Bix. His parents hated that he was a musician and they never even unwrapped the records that he made and sent to them. On some visit home he found the gifts he had sent them unopened in the closet. They wouldn't listen to his trumpet playing even when he had records out, they so disapproved. No wonder the poor baby died of the DTs at the tender age of 29. It hurts to be so misunderstood. Say hello to the ghost of Bix for me out there.
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