July 30, 2009 The First Published Blues Sorry it’s been awhile since my last newsletter. I’ve been working on several new books at once and have been putting all my efforts into completing them. Blues began as an oral type performance, sung more for an individual’s feelings then for public performance. Obviously no one will be able to find when the first blues was played. It was not written music and was not a historic time for who ever first performed it. But we do have an idea of when the first blues was printed and published. When I first formed my early jazz band I went about searching for music for the band to play. I found some arrangements in the John Robichaux music library at Tulane University in New Orleans. One of these was the arrangement of a song written by Anthony Maggio entitled “ I Got the Blues .” After some research I did find the story of how the writing and publishing of the ‘first’ blues came about. It seems that a New Orleans musician by the named of Tony Maggio was taking the ferry boat from New Orleans across the Mississippi River to Algiers. On his way to the levee, he heard an elderly Negro with a guitar playing three notes. He kept repeating the notes for a long time. Maggio didn’t think anything with only three notes could have a title so to satisfy his curiosity he asked what was the name of the piece? The guitar player replied, “ I Got the Blues.” Maggio returned home with the melody on his mind and wrote “ I Got the Blues,” making the three notes dominate most of the time. He arranged the piece for his five-piece orchestra that was playing at the Fabaker restaurant in New Orleans. “ I Got the Blues’ which Maggio said he composed with the purpose of a musical caricature, became a most popular request number There is a section in the band arrangement that presents the three note theme in a ‘minor’ key. In a very short time all the Negroes in New Orleans with street organs were playing the Blues. During this time people asked Maggio for copies, but he only had his manuscript. Maggio had no intention of publishing it because his interest in music was entirely classical. However, the people’s demand by now was so overwhelming that the band’s first violinist Barzin (later to play first viola with Toscanini at the Met) persisted until Maggio finally consented to publish 1000 copies for piano, 500 for band and 500 for orchestra which were printed in Cincinnati by Zimmerman Publishing House. This took place in 1908. The copies were sold in a very short time. W. C. Handy came to New Orleans in 1910/1911 and heard the song which was still playing on the streets. Handy, upon returning to Memphis, wrote the Memphis Blues in 1912. He composed a piece, “Jogo Blues” that used this same three note theme which later became the main theme in his song the “ St. Louis Blues” in 1914. Many of the early jazz bands such as Chris Kelly’s and Buddy Bolden’s Band had a large blues repertoire. As the music gained popularity, Tin Pan Alley began publishing quasi blues arrangements that were not true 12 bar blues. Anthony Maggio was a life member of Musician’s Local 17. His work extends over many years, with letters of commendations from many a ‘top name,’ such as Fulgenzio Guerrieri, Victor Herbert, Walter Henry Rothwell, Herbert L. Clarke, Joseph Weber and others. May 29, 2008 The Miracle of the Dew Drop The Dew Drop Dance Hall was built in 1895 in Mandevelle, Loisianna, using ordinary wood and nails. It has since became a shrine and it’s image has become a badge of honor for all jazz musicians who can remark, “I played at the Dew Drop.” Once you have been able to make that statement you become one of the immortals of jazz. You stand alongside of Louis Armstrong, Buddy Petit and so many others. You have become one of the honored. On May 17th, I had the opportunity, for a brief period of time, to wear that badge. I was asked to lecture and lead a concert performed by the Musica Jazz Antiqua band in the old historic dance hall. This brief newsletter will tell of a just a few of my reflections on that magical afternoon. The building, while needing repair, still stands. Withstanding the force and power of huge hurricanes, its mere existence is something for everyone to think of and ask, why? Most of the historic jazz buildings are long gone. Armstrong’s house was destroyed and burnt. All the old dance halls in New Orleans are gone, yet the Dew Drop still stands. The Dew Drop is not a large historic site like the Roman Coliseum, nor tall and imposing like the Washington Monument, yet there it sits on Lamarque Street in Mandeville, emanating a charisma like no other historic shrine. As a structure, it's appearance is simple and plain. Compared to other great historical monuments, the old hall doesn't inspire an immediate feeling of awe when looking at it, nor profound feelings. Still, one can't help almost a feeling of love when remembering what historical moments occurred inside of that humble rectangle we call the Dew Drop. Thoughts go back to the jazz musicians that played there and the people who danced to their music. So it's not the appearance of the building that inspires the soul. It's what occurred there that makes it magical. The Musica Jazz Antiqua band was honored to be part of the charisma of the Dew Drop on May 17th with a concert that included 12 great musicians, a star vocalist in Dan White and several young children parading through the aisle with their umbrellas. Suddenly, the year did not seem to be 2008 but somewhere around 1900. While conducting the music and looking up at the band I tried to imagine seeing Louis playing trumpet, little Chester Zardis on bass and Isidore Fritz on clarinet. The spirit of the old Dew Drop and the continuation of that spirit seemed to engulf all the people that were crowded into the hall that Saturday night. The band played the style of music that was heard at the Dew Drop from its beginning.
In between the relaying of historic notes to the audience, and the music performed by the band, along with the great, exciting performances of Dan White, the audience let loose with roars of appreciation. This mood was also felt by the band members, who had a sense of participating in a historic moment while re-creating great moments of the past in the Dew Drop. I must admit that I had some tears in my eyes and a feeling deep in my heart that now “I had played the Dew Drop.” Miracles don’t happen often enough, and perhaps some so-called miracles are just chance, but to me, that Saturday night will be always be remembered as a continuation of the “Miracle of the Dew Drop.” May 1, 2008 Dew Drop Dance Hall Lecture/Concert I'll be flying to New Orleans in Mid-May to present a lecture and concert on the history and music of one of the only remaining and oldest of the New Orleans style dance halls. It was built in 1895 and has housed a who’s who of early New Orleans jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Buddy Petit, Papa Celestin and the local Mandeville band of the Fritz Brothers. Check out this Second Line File to read of the history of this historic building and its activities around the turn of the 20th Century (be patient, the file takes a long time to load). A personal highlight of this trip for me, at the concert I will be conducting the members of my old band the “Musica Jazz Antiqua” that was active during my 20 year stay in the Mandeville area. I am delighted to have the honor of working with these fine musicians and seeing them once again. I have planned a program of music that was popular around the turn of the 20th Century that begins with a French quadrille, cakewalks, ragtime and the new jazz style that was evolving. The concert will be at 5:00 p.m. on May 17th at the historic Dew Drop Dance Hall. I will report on the activities in Mandeville once I return to my mountain home in California. April 30, 2008 I found the below information and thought that jazz fans all over the world might be interested, especially if they enjoy cooking. One of my fond memories is having lunch with Al Rose. We both ordered red beans and rice. Try the recipe and let me know how it turns out. -Karl LOUIS ARMSTRONG'S FAVORITE DISH
1 lb. red kidney beans
Wash meat; then boil, using just enough water to cover the meat. When meat is tender, add washed kidney beans and garlic; also adding salt & pepper according to taste. Cook for one half hour; then add chopped onion & green pepper. Hot pepper may now be added at any tine, taste determining the amount used. Cook under moderate flame, adding water as the ingredients thicken. Keep in mind that red beans should be served about as thick as a stew; not too thick; not too thin. Beans should be cooked until they are thoroughly tender. If meat is done before the beans, the meat may be removed. If the temperature is correct, the beans should be done in about 31/2 hours. The above recipe will serve 6 persons. Regarding the rice, there are many ways to prepare it. However, I find the best results by draining and steaming. For the above portion of red beans use 2 cups of long grain rice and 1 quart of salted water. Clean and wash rice, add to salted water, and allow rice and water to come to a boil. Stir occasionally with a fork, to prevent rice grains from sticking. Continue to cook over a medium flame, until the rice is fully swollen. Then pour rice into a sieve, and allow to drain until all water is removed. Empty all but two cups of water from the pot in which rice was previously boiled, place sieve containing the drained rice within the pot, cover, and allow to steam. This is a sure way of securing fluffy rice. Remember, that the rice must be served separately; it should not be added, or mixed with the beans. When ready to serve, red beans and meat may be placed in a deep dish. The rice, as I explained, should be served in a separate dish. Any salad may be served with this meal, and French bread will add the final touch. Well, there you have it....Red Beans and Rice, and I hope you like it. Satchmo thinks that there is nothing like this Creole dish. If I can cook it successfully, I am sure that you can, too, for after all, cooking is only a matter of taste and imagination, don't you think? So try it out for yourself, and as you go along, you'll find yourself improving! March 12, 2008 Dear readers, colleagues and jazz fans: This Newsletter is going to be a monthly item (possibly more often) where I hope to present interesting information and inform the readers of this site to whats happening in my research. I have a number of current projects to tell you about. First; my book on the stories and history of popular music is now being edited. It is a rather large book. When I play piano at a club I usually tell a story about a song that I am going to play. Throughout the years I have collected a large number of these stories and put them together to use when I played. I have the music in one file and just the stories in another. The songs are divided into: standard songs (such as "As time Goes By"), Christmas songs, Patriotic songs, Irish/American songs, and TV Themes. The book is a large one and is about 1000 or more pages. Other new Projects are: ESSAYS IV, ESSAYS V, BASEBALL AND JAZZ, JAZZ IN PRINT 2 (FROM 1930 TO 1939), THE SAX IN EARLY JAZZ, IMPORTANT FIRSTS IN JAZZ, THE EVOLUTION OF SYNCOPATION, AND JAZZ'S USE OF CLASSICAL THEMES AND JAZZ IN CLASSICAL COMPOSITION. I'll describe each of these in later newsletters. Any question about the info on my site email me. Later, Karl Koenig
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