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3-2-2018
Black US Army Bands and Their Bandmasters inWorld War IPeter M. LeffertsUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln, [email protected]
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Lefferts, Peter M., "Black US Army Bands and Their Bandmasters in World War I" (2018). Faculty Publications: School of Music. 67.https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/67
1
Versionof04/02/2018
Thisisthethirdversion,puton-linein2018,ofthiswork-in-progress.Thisessaywasputon-lineforthefirsttimein2012,at(https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/25/),andasecondversionwasputon-linein2016,at(https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/55/).Theauthorisgratefultothosewhohavecontactedhimaboutthisworkandwelcomesfurthercomments,additions,andcorrections([email protected]).BlackUSArmyBandsandTheirBandmastersinWorldWarIPeterM.LeffertsThisessaysketchesthestoryofthebandsandbandmastersofthetwentysevennewblackarmyregimentswhichservedintheU.S.ArmyinWorldWarI.Thenewbandsunderwentrapidmobilizationanddemobilizationwiththeirregimentsover1917-1919.Theywereforthemostpartunconnectedbypersonnelortraditionstothelong-establishedbandsofthefourblackregularU.S.ArmyregimentsthatprecededthemandthatcontinuedtoserveoutsideEuropeduringandaftertheGreatWar.Pressedtofindsufficientnumbersofwillingandableblackbandleadersforthesenewregiments,theArmyturnedtoschoolsandtheentertainmentindustryforthenecessarytalent.ThenewlyformedbandsentertainedservicemenandciviliansinEuropeandAmericanotonlywithtraditionalmilitarymarchesandconcertbandfare,butalsowithminstrelshowsandrevues,andwiththelatestflavorofragtimemusic,whichtheycalledjazz.Themostimportantaspectofthisstoryisthatitprovidesacontext---includingcolleaguesandcompetitors---forthewartimeandimmediatepost-waraccomplishmentsofJamesReese(Jim)Europe.ThestoryofhowJimEuropeandthe“HarlemHellFightersBand"introducedjazztoEuropeansduringWorldWarIisoneofthemostfamoussetpiecesinAmericanmusichistory,andhismurdershortlyaftertheirreturntothestatesisoneofitsgreattragedies.Thereisnodenyinghisfameandaccomplishments,butLieutenantEuropewasnotanisolatedfigure.Rather,hewasfirstamongequals.HewasoneofanumberoffreshlymintedblackU.S.Armybandleaders,someofwhomwhoalsohadbeenfamouscivilianmusiciansintheirownright,whobroughtlargeandsmallensemblejazztoEnglandandFrancein1918-1919.Asmallnumberofthesenewblackbands,aftertheArmistice,touredtheStatestocapitalizeswiftlyontheirmomentoffameandthesurgingpopularityofthenewjazzmusic.MOBILIZATIONFORWAR
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TheU.S.Army’sfourregularblackcombatregiments,activelyoccupiedelsewhere,
didnotseeserviceinEuropeduringWorldWarI.1Rather,27newregimentsforAfrican
Americansweremobilizedin1917-1918,andtherewasnotagreatdealofcrossingover
fromtheolderoutfitstothenewer.ElevenofthenewunitswereU.S.Armycombat
regiments,comprisingthe92ndDivision(sevenregiments,threeofartilleryandfourof
infantry)andthe93rdDivision(fourregimentsofinfantry),althoughinfacttheunitsofthe
93rdendedupfightingwiththeFrenchArmyunderFrenchcommand.Theremainderof
the27regimentswerethesixteenso-calledPioneerInfantryRegiments801-816,ofwhich
allbut810and812servedoverseas.ThesePioneerRegimentsconsistedofnon-combatant
blacktroopswhoworkedasstevedores,dugtrenches,graves,andlatrines,andbuilt
hospitals,roads,bridges,andrailroadlines.2Inaddition,otherunitsoftheU.S.Army's
ServiceofSupplyweremannedbyAfricanAmericans,andtheybroughttheirbandstothe
docksanddepotsatfarremovefromthetrenches.
Allotthe27newcombatandPioneerinfantryregimentswereeventuallyableto
establishregimentalbands,3andwithoneexception(JamesRileyWheelock,aNative
American),thesenewblackbandsallwereconductedbyblackconductors.Bandsmenwere
assignedtotheirregiment'sHeadquartersCompany.
AppendixIofthispaperpresentsthenamesoftheBandLeadersandAssistantBand
LeadersthatIhavebeenabletodeterminefortheseunits,alongwiththenamesofsomeof
theotherindividualsonthebandleadershipteams.Tomakesenseofsuchamassofmostly
unfamiliarnames,wemustbeginwiththerealizationthatthetalentpoolofblack
musicianseligible,available,andwillingtoenterthearmyasbandmasterswasnotlarge.
Someoftheunitsquicklywereabletobuilddistinguishedbandsunderexperienced
leaders.Butbecausethenumberofqualifiedconductorswassosmall,thearmyhadtocast
1Duringthewar,theNinthCavalryservedinthePhilippines,theTenthCavalryandTwenty-FourthInfantryservedinArizonaontheMexicanborder,andtheTwenty-FifthInfantryservedinHawaii.2SeeAppendixI.3NotallthebandswereabletobeformedintheUS.Thebandofthe805thwasorganizedonlyinJanuary1919inEurope(PaulS.Bliss,Victory:Historyofthe805thPioneerInfantry,AmericanExpeditionaryForces(St.Paul,Minn.:theauthor,1919),pp.207-209;seealsoAddieW.HuntonandKathrynM.Johnson,TwoColoredWomenwiththeAmericanExpeditionaryForces[NY:BrooklynEaglePress,1920]),p.223.TheSt.NazairebandalsoonlygotitsinstrumentsinEurope(HuntonandJohnson,p.222-23).
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itsnetfairlywide,catchingeveryonefromregulararmymen,nationalguardbandsmen,
membersoftheeducationalcommunity,andseasonedveteransoftheentertainment
industry,toneophytesjustoutofcollege.
Agewasonesignificantfactorthatworkedagainstacohortofactive,senior,
nationallyprominentAfrican-Americanmusiciansbornfromthelater1850sintotheearly
1870s---alreadyintheirfortiesandfiftiesandthusabovedraftage---whodidnotserveas
militarymusiciansinthiswar.4ExceptforElbertB.Williams(b.1864),GeorgeE.Dulf
(b.1872),andJamesRileyWheelock(b.1874),allthebandmastersofthenewlyactivated
regimentswererelativeyoungsters,menintheirtwentiesandthirtiesbornfromaround
1880toaround1895.Theprimaryleadersofthegreatestcombatregimentbandswere
bornaround1880-1885.5Lessprestigiousbutstilloftenmentionedwerethebandsledby
menbornaround1885-1890.6Thebestofthehurriedlyassembledanddrilledbandsofthe
PioneerInfantryregimentswere,naturallyenough,thosepreparedbytheirtwomost
seniorbandmasters,whoweretheonlytwotomakeLieutenant:JamesRileyWheelock
(b.1874)andWillVodery(b.1885).MostoftheprettygreenAssistantBandLeadersinthe
PioneerInfantryregimentswerebornbetween1889and1895.7
Themajorityofbandmastershadworkedpreviouslyinmorethanoneprofessional
arena.Thosewithpriorarmyexperience,andwhothuswerefamiliarwithmilitarydrill
andothercustoms,werefew.ElbertB.Williams,thefirstofficiallyapprovedblackarmy
bandmasteroftheoriginal“quotaoffour,”wasaveteranwithtwenty-nineyearsofservice.
Fromthe10thCavalryinArizona,andofpurelymilitarybackground,cameitsbandmaster
AlfredJackThomas(anotheroftheoriginal“quotaoffour”blackbandmastersintheUS
army),hissecond-in-commandDorcyRhodes,andBurnitMcReynolds.E.E.Thompson,
4IncludingHendersonSmith(b.1858),N.ClarkSmith(b.1866),WillMarionCook(b.1869),WilliamH.Tyers(b.1870),FredW.Simpson(b.1871),WalterH.Loving(b.1872),JohnRosamondJohnson(b.1873),andW.C.Handy(b.1873).5J.TimBrymn(b.1879),F.EugeneMikell(b.1880),JamesReeseEurope(b.1880),E.E.Thompson(b.1883)andA.JackThomas(b.1884).Ofthisgeneration,theprincipalfigurenottodirectamilitarybandwasFordT.Dabney(1883-1958).6DorcyRhodes(b.1887),BurnitMcReynolds(b.1887),NormanScott(b.1888),FrankL.Drye(b.1889),andArthurT.Stewart(b.1891).7WesleyI.Howard(b.1889),EdwardBailey(b.1890),RalphS.Redmond(b.1890),AmosM.White(b.1890),GeorgeL.Polk(b.1890),RalphW.E.Brown(b.1893),LawrenceDenton(b.1893),LouiaVaughnJones(b.1895).
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nowaClefClubandTempoClubinsider,wasaten-yearveteranofBritishmilitarybands
fromhisJamaicandays,andhadalsoservedaUSNationalGuardstintwiththe15thN.Y.
MenoflessmilitaryexperienceincludedFrankL.Drye,whohadservedjustonethree-year
termofenlistmentwiththe9thCavalry,andGeorgeE.Dulf(anationalguardsmanwhohad
experiencedsomeactiveduty).JamesReeseEurope(aranknovice)musteredintothe
regulararmyafterashortstintintheNationalGuard.
Theaterandsocietyorchestras,andbandsoftheitinerantvaudeville,minstrel
shows,medicineshows,andcircusside-shows,werethelargestsinglesourceofnewblack
bandmasters,eventhoughfewmenfromthisspherehadhadanypriormilitaryexperience.
Whattheydidhave,though,wasafamiliaritynotonlywithpopularmusicbutwiththe
performanceofclassicalmusicinarrangementsforband.8FromNewYork’s“Black
Manhattan”camenotonlyEuropeandThompson,butalsoBrymn,Vodery,Redmond,
KincaidandDeBroite;fromChicagocameDulf,Bailey,andStewart;fromMinneapolis,
Cason;fromKansasCity,Denton,andfromtroupesontheroadcameGeorgeL.Polkand
AmosM.White.MenjustonestepremovedfromthemusicbusinessincludedFrankL.
Drye,whooncehadbeenontheroadascornetsoloistforW.C.Handy,andF.Eugene
Mikell,whohadrunminstrelshowandtheatreorchestrasformanyyearsinJacksonville,
FloridaandChicago.
BlackschoolsdirectlyyieldedDryefromTuskegee;Mikell,amanwhoalsohad
extensiveprioreducationalexperienceinSouthCarolinaandFlorida,fromthe
Bordentown,NewJerseyIndustrialSchool(“theTuskegeeoftheNorth”);theveteran
ElbertB.WilliamsfromthenewColumbiaConservatoryofMusicinWashington,D.C.;
RalphW.E.BrownfromtheHungerfordSchoolinEatonville,Fla.;HoraceB.Wallacefrom
LaneCollegeinJackson,Tenn.;andNormanScott,aself-employedmusicteacherfrom
Wilmington,Del.TothisnumbercanbeaddedNativeAmericanconductorJamesRiley
WheelockfromtheCarlisleIndianIndustrialSchool.NeophytesLouiaVaughnJonesand
8Thelargerminstrelshoworchestrasandbandsoftenplayedclassicalmusic.Inoneweekin1911,forexample,thebandofRichard’s&Pringle’sFamousGeorgiaMinstrelsrenderedselectionsfromWilliamTell,BohemianGirl,Faust,Tannhauser,PiqueDame,Rigoletto,IlTrovatore,andLuciadiLammermoor,andlightclassicalbandfaresuchasthefantasiason“RockedintheCradleoftheDeep”and"OldFolksatHome.”SeetheIndianapolisFreeman,February18,1911,p.6.
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WesleyI.Howardwereveryyoung,recentgraduatesoftheNewEnglandConservatory,
wherebothwereviolinmajors.
*
RECRUITMENT
Areviewofbandsandbandmastersundertakengeographicallyprovidesthemost
insightintothearmy’sstrategyofmusicalrecruitment.Inthisrespect,itisappropriateto
startwithChicago,somanyofwhoselocalblackmusicianscouldplay“genuinejazzmusic,
suchasisonlyfoundinChicago.”9ItwasChicagoratherthanNewYorkCity,moreover,that
hadthegreaterheritageofmilitarymusic.Thisrequiressomeexplaining.Atthe
declarationofwarinApril1917thereweretwostandingAfrican-Americanregiment-level
bandsinadditiontothefourregularblackArmyregimentalbands.Theseadditional
regimentalbands,ledbyblackbandmasters,belongedtotheonlytwoexistingblack
NationalGuardregiments,the8thIllinoisofChicagoandthe15thNewYork.10TheEighth,
considerablytheseniorofthetwo,hadbeenaroundforquiteawhile,itsrootsdatingback
tothe1870s.ItwasformallydesignatedastheEighthIllinoisVolunteerInfantryRegiment
in1898whenitwascalledintoactivedutywiththeregimentfortheSpanish-American
War,anditwasrecalledtoactivedutyintheMexicanborderwarof1916.Itsnationally
recognizedbandwasasuperlativeoutfit,skilledinpopularaswellasclassicalstyles,and
anaspirationalmodelforallthesubsequentnewbands.
ThebandoftheOldEighthwasledbyGeorgeEdmundDulf,aprominentfigurefor
decadesinblackminstrelshowswhohadbeenassociatedwithitsince1898,conductingit
ca.1898-1901andagainca.1914-1917.11Underhisbaton,itwasinvolvedwithjazzfrom
anearlydate.In1916,theregimentswungintocampinTexasto“atunethatwasfreighted
withhomesicknessforChicagotroops....Itwasjustthe“Jazband”oftheEighthIllinois
9ChicagoTribune,March10,1919,p.7.10TherewerealsoindividualcompaniesofAfricanAmericansoldierswithinprimarilywhiteregimentsinsomestatenationalguards,andsomeofthesecompanieshadbands.The372nd,forexample,wasmannedbymenfromseveralsuchblackcompanies.Itislikelythatitsregimentalbanddrewonthepersonnelofanumberofestablishedcompany-levelblackguardbands.11OnGeorgeDulf,seenow“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofGeorgeE.Dulf:MaterialsforaBiography,"on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/57/
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infantrymakinglightthestepstocampfortheNegrodoughboys.”12Theregimentwas
broughtintowarserviceinthefallof1917andredesignatedasthe370thinDecemberof
thatyear.Ittrainedfarfromhome,firstatCampLogannearHouston,inwhichcitythe
bandledtheGreatParadeoftheEighthRegimentonNovember7,1917,andthenatCamp
Stuart,nearNewportNews,wherethebandledtheWashingtonBirthdayparadeofseveral
thousandmilitarypersonnelthroughNorfolk,VirginiainFebruary,1918.The370thwent
toFranceinApril1918,and,aftertenmonthsaway,waswelcomedhometoChicagoina
greatcelebrationonFebruary17,1919.13
ThesecondgreatAfrican-AmericanregimentformedintheChicagoareawasthe
365thInfantry,aunitofdrafteeswhichwasorganizedinOctober1917atCampGrant,just
southofRockford,Il.Toberegimentalbandmasterofthe365th,ayoungoutsider,FrankL.
Drye,aformermilitarybandsmanandthenthecornetsoloistforW.C.Handy,camenorth
fromhiscurrentpositionasbandmasterattheTuskegeeInstitute,viatheDesMoines
trainingcampforblackofficers,whereheearnedhisofficer'sstripe.AtCampGrant,
LieutenantDryeorganizedsomeverysuccessfullargeshowsforwhichhewasmusical
director,conductor,andcornetsoloist.Drye,acommissionedlineofficer,laterfoughtatthe
frontinEuropeandwasindividuallydecoratedforvalor.Theunit’sofficiallyappointed
BandLeader,whohandledmostofitsday-to-dayconductingduties,wasaprominentlocal
ChicagomusicianandcolleagueofDulf,sergeant(laterLieutenant)ArthurT.Stewart.
WhilestillinRockford,asixteen-mansubsetoftheirensemble"establishedareputation
for'jazzstuff'."14The365thwenttoFranceinJune1918andenjoyeditsowngreat
welcomehomecelebrationinChicagoonMarch10,1919.BandsergeantAlbertJones,an
12ChicagoBroadAxe,July8,1916,p.4(“EighthTroopsSwingInCampto“Jaz”Music”).Thisisanearlyappearanceoftheword"jaz,"and,characteristically,itisassociatedwithChicagomusicians.Infact,theearliestknownapplicationofthetermtomusic,fromjustayearearlier,isfromtheChicagoTribune,July11,1915,p.E8("BluesisJazzandJazzisBlues").NewOrleanstheatricalmusiciansinlater1916werereportedasiratethatChicagomusicianswerebeingcreditedwithdiscoveringthenewformofmusicknownasthe"jazband."SeeNewOrleansStates,November12,1916,p.32NewOrleansStates,November14,1916,p.4,NewOrleansStates,November22,1916,p.10,andNewOrleansTimes-Picayune,November22,1916,p.6.13ForthemarchinNorfolk,seeFrankE.Roberts,TheAmericanForeignLegion:BlackSoldiersofthe93rdinWorldWarI(Annapolis,MD.:NavalInstitutePress,2004),p.25;forthereturnandcelebration,seeChicagoTribune,Tuesday,Feb.18,1919,p.1.14RockfordRepublic,February1,1918,p.5.
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activeclarinetistinChicagobeforethewarandafrequentsoloistwiththebandatCamp
Grant,conductedthebandinappearancesinChicagoafteritsreturn.15
InJuly1918,athirdmajorChicagoarearegimentofblackdraftees,the803rd
PioneerInfantryregiment,wasorganizedatCampGrant.ItsbandplayedunderEdwardW.
Bailey,whohadbeentheleaderoftheorchestraatoneofthenation’smostimportant
African-Americantheatricalvenues,theStatesTheateronChicago’sSouthSide.Theband
quicklytookCampGrantbystormbeforeshippingout,andaconcertbythegroupuponits
arrivalbackhomeafterthewarwaseagerlyanticipated.16Manyofthemenofthe803rd
wereRockfordarealocals,especiallyemployeesoftheRockfordMalleableIronWorks,and
thusitwasappropriatethatBailey’sassistantbandleaderwasAlfredJ.Taylor,aTuskegee
graduateandtalentedmusicianwhohadtouredwiththeTuskegeeSingersanddiscovered
theRockfordarea;settlingthere,hetookadayjobattheironworks.WhenTaylorreturned
toRockfordafterthewar,heformedanAmericanLegionbanddrawingnotonlyonmen
fromthe803rdbutalsoincludinglocalveteranswhohadplayedwiththebandofthe
365th.17
FromtheNewYorkarea,theblackentertainmentindustryyieldedupsomeofits
finesttalenttothearmy,eventuallystaffingfiveregimentalbands,fourofwhichwere
widelycelebrated.AsinChicago,thestorymustbeginwiththeNationalGuard.
Thesecondofthenation’stwoblackNationalGuardregiments,the15thN.Y.,had
onlyrecentlybeenestablished,onJuly1,1916.Thehistoryofthebandofthe15thN.Y.is
anelaboratestory,andonethathasbeendistortedsomewhatbythecelebrityofJames
ReeseEurope.ItsfirstChiefMusicianwasE.E.(EgbertE.)Thompson,handsdownthemost
obviouscandidateforthejobworkinginNewYorkCityatthetime.Thompson,“theblack
15ChicagoDefender,October30,1915,p.6;ChicagoDefender,November27,1915,p.6;RockfordDailyRegisterGazette,May7,1918,p.2;ChicagoBroadAx,April19,1919,p.4;DallasExpress,May10,1919,p.1.16RockfordMorningStar,September16,1918,p.14;RockfordMorningStar,June3,1919,p.32.17RockfordMorningStar,December23,1919,p.4.AndasanotherexampleofhowtheChicagoareaveteranbandsmenkeptincontact,"abandcomposedofthebesttalentofthe365thInfantryBand,the8thRegimentBand,andthe803rdPioneerInfantryBand"headedtheparadethatkickedoffthefirstAmericanLegionrecruitmentdriveamongAfricanAmericanveteransintheChicagoareaatthe8thRegimentArmoryonOctober12,1919(ChicagoBroadAxe,October11,1919,p.2).
8
Sousa,”wasaveteranoftheBritishmilitarybandworldwho,becausehecouldneverrise
tobandmasterintheBritishArmy,hadlefttheCaribbeanandmilitarylifein1907forwhat
becameahighlysuccessfulcareerintheNewYorkentertainmentindustry.18Ashewas
becomingestablishedinNewYorkCity,healsopolishedhismusicalskillsasastudentfor
threeyears,from1908to1911,attheInstituteofMusicalArt,earningthedeeprespectof
itsdirector,FrankDamrosch.19Thompsonhadbeenleadingaprofessionalconcertand
danceensembleoffortymen,“Thompson’sMilitaryBand,”inNewYorkforseveralyears
whenthecallcametobuildabandfortheguardregiment.Heledthebandofthe15thN.Y.
initsfirstfullseason,fromlatesummer1916tomidApril1917.
Thompson'sNationalGuardbandwasaunitmadeupofamixtureofunpaid,
enlistedguardsmen,someofwhomownednoinstrumentsandhadnopriormusical
experience,andalsoringerswhowerepaidNewYorkprofessionalmusiciansdrawnfrom
hisowncommercialoutfit.Heworkeddiligentlyallfallandwintertoalterthismixand
staffthebandentirelywithmusically-experiencedvolunteerguardsmen,buthewasnever
abletopullthisoff.Nonethelesshisaccomplishmentswiththebandwerepraised,andits
corewasstrong.The15thN.Y.marchedinagreatNewYorkCityparadetogetits
regimentalcolorsonOctober1,1916tothetuneofthebandunderThompson.20Shortly
thereafter,thebandmadeitsfirstconcertappearance,playingforabenefitatthe
ManhattanCasinoonOctober20.21Meanwhile,theprofessionalThompson’sMilitaryBand
playedatTempoClubconcertsunderthesponsorshipofJimEuropein1916-17and
18MortenClausen,"EgberthE.Thompson:HeIntroducedCopenhagenerstoRealJazzMusic,"TheBlackPerspectiveinMusic16/2(1988):151-76atp.161.19FrankDamrosch'sstrongletterofrecommendationforE.E.ThompsonisprintedintheNewYorkAge,April5,1919,pp.6-7.20NewYorkAge,October5,1916,p.1,ontheparade,mentionsthattheregimentalbandhad65members.NewYorkAge,October5,1916,p.4,inaneditorialdiscussinglastSunday’sparadeandgettingtheunit’scolors,“Col.Haywardandhisofficersdeservemuchcreditforwhattheyhaveaccomplishedinsoshortatime.AndspecialmentionmustbemadeofChiefMusicianThompsonandhisband.”AshortarticleintheNewYorkAge,October5,1916,p.6,offerscomplimentstothe15thregimentbandunderChiefMusicianThompson.21NewYorkAge,October26,1916,p.6,inareviewofthebandconcertonOctober20,mentionsthatThompsonwasworkingwith“untrainedmaterial,”andthatmanyofitsinstrumentalistshadbeenjustassignedtheirinstrumentsandwerelearningthem.AcolumnistintheIndianapolisFreeman(November4,1916,p.4)saidthatthisconcertprovedthatThompson“isthepeerofallthecoloredbandmastersandcanbecomparedwithoutmuchexaggerationwiththebestofthewhite.”
9
continuedtoplayontheirownandforJimEuropeafterThompsonsteppeddownfromthe
15thN.YinApril1917.22
ColonelWilliamHayward,commanderofthe15thN.Y.,wasjealousofthebandof
themoreseniorblackNationalGuardregiment,the8thIllinois.InDecember1916,on
accountofhisconcernforthequality,irregularstaffing,andcontinualout-of-pocket
expenseofthebandunderThompson,Haywardbegantoputpressureononeofhisnewly-
commissionedofficers,JimEurope,tohelpwiththesituation.23Europe,oneofthebest
knownblackmusiciansinNewYorkCity,hadenthusiasticallyenrolledintheNational
GuardinSeptember1916asaprivate,thoughnotasabandsman,andasjustmentioned,
hehadbeenemployingThompson’sbandinhiscivilianbusiness.Hewasrapidlypromoted
tosergeantthatfallandthengivenanofficer’scommissioninDecemberasafirst
lieutenant.Inearly1917,withthehelpoffellowClefClubberNobleSissle,whohadalso
joinedthe15thN.Y.inthefallof1916,JimEuropemountedavigorousfundingand
recruitmentcampaignfortheband.Theirgoalsweretogetmoreprofessionalmusiciansto
enlistasguardsmen,andtoestablishanendowmenttopaythemanacceptablewage,since
guardsmenearnednomoneyfortheirservice.
Ninemonthsaftertheregimentwasestablished,andjustaftertheUSdeclarationof
warinApril1917,the15thN.Y.passedinspectionandwasfederalized.Thompsontookthis
momenttostepasidefromtheregiment’sband.24Haywardandhisfellowseniorwhite
22NewYorkAge,September28,1916,p.1;NewYorkAge,April5,1917,p.6.23ForthestoryofJimEuropeandthe369th,seeaboveallReidBadger,ALifeinRagtime:ABiographyofJamesReeseEurope(NewYork:Oxford,1995).ThemostimportantolderaccountsoftheactivitiesofthebandareNobleSissle,“MemoirsofLieutenant“Jim”Europe”(unpublishedcarbonoftypescriptca.1942,nowhousedattheLibraryofCongressandavailableonlinethroughtheAmericanMemoryCollectionattheLibraryofCongresswebsite)andArthurW.Little,FromHarlemtotheRhine:TheStoryofNewYork'sColoredVolunteers(NY:CoviciFriede,1936).ForaschematicoverviewofJimEurope'scareer,seealso“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofJamesReeseEurope:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/58/24NewYorkAge,April19,1917,p.1.Col.Hayward’sstatementaboutthebandsituationincludedthefollowing:“ItmaynotbegenerallyknownthatalthoughMr.Thompsonwhohasresignedasbandmaster,workedhard,hewasunabletogetthemembersofhisbandtoenlist.Thebandthatthepublichasseenandheardwascomposedonlyinpartofenlistedmen.Theothersbeingcivilianswhoseserviceswerepaidforfromtimetotime,andoneveryoccasion,includingrecruitingduty,exceptingthree.Ofcourse,thenon-enlistedmenwereofnousetouswhentheregimentwentintoservice.Idonotthinkthatthefailuretosecureenlistedmenforthebandwasthroughlackof
10
officershadshakendowntheirrichfriendsforcontributions.Europe,takingoverwitha
$10,000bandfundnowathisdisposal,25immediatelysailedforPuertoRicotorecruit
somemusicians,especiallyreedplayers.Curiously,despiteallhewasdoingandwoulddo
fortheband,EuropecouldnotbeitsofficialBandLeader.AnappointmentforFirst
LieutenantEuropeasBandLeaderwouldhaverequiredanunacceptabledemotiontonon-
commissionedofficerstatus.Instead,F.EugeneMikellenlistedandreceivedthe
appointmentassergeantBandLeader.26Europewasnonethelessexofficiotherenovated
band’sprimaryconductorandmusicaldirector.Forthenexttwoyears,itwasreferredto
asEurope’sband,andatitsheadhebecameamajorinternationalcelebrity.Withtheband
fundalreadyseriouslydepleted,theirfirstpublicappearanceunderJimEuropewasata
benefitattheManhattanCasinoonJune22,191727;itleftforthefrontsixmonthslater.Its
regimentservedthelongestoverseasofanyoftheblackregiments;thefirsttoleave,it
sailedforFranceonDecember12,1917andreturnedtotheUSonFebruary12,1919.It
wasrenamedthe369thinFrance.WhentheregimentreturneditscolorsbackinNewYork
onFebruary17,1919inagiantparadethroughManhattan,itwasheadedupbytheband,
whichwasdirectedbyEuropeandledbydrummajorGillardThompson.28
ThesecondgreatAfricanAmericancombatinfantryregimentfromNewYorkCity,
the367th,wasformedfromdrafteesatCampUpton,onLongIsland,inearlyNovember
1917.Thusthe369thand367thofNewYorkCitywereaguardsmen/drafteespairjustlike
370thand365thofChicago.Thebandofthe367thwasputintothehandsofnoneother
diligentandearnesteffortsonMr.Thompson’spart.Hehadadifficulttask.Ifelt,however,thatprogresswouldbemadebymakinganewstartfromthebeginning.”25Thepersonalsubsidyof$10,000givenbyNewYorkbankerDanielG.ReidisreportedinalmosteverystoryaboutJimEurope'sband,buttheregiment'sofficersandotherprominentNewYorkersamongHayward'sfriendsgavelesseramountstothebandfund,whichwasforinstrumentsaswellassalaries;indeed,theReidcheckfor$10,000maywellhavebeenintendedjustforthenecessaryequipment(TrentonEveningTimes,September7,1917,p.3;ChicagoDefender,March23,1918,p.5;NewYorkHerald,April17,1918;FlintJournal,April22,1919,p.3;Little,FromHarlemtotheRhine,p.122).26Thus,JimEuropeandEugeneMikellstoodinthesamerelationshipinthe369thasLieut.FrankL.Drye,alineofficer,andLieut.ArthurT.Stewart,BandLeader,hadinthe365th.OnMikell,see“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofEugeneMikell:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/60/27Sissle,"Memoirs,"p.63;seealsoBadger,ALifeinRagtime,p.150.28NotBill"Bojangles"Robinson.
11
thanE.E.Thompson,whohadbeenthefirstbandmasterofthe15thN.Y.Afterlessthan
twomonthsofrehearsal,hehadhislatestregimentalbandreadytoplayataGrandMilitary
BallonNewYear’sEveatthe71stRegimentArmoryat34thandParkinManhattan.Itwas
reportedatthetimethatThompsonwantedtomakehisgrouponeofthebestinthearmy,
andthatthey“madeamostfavorableimpression.”29The367thanditsbandparticipated
withalltheotherCampUptonregimentsintheWashington'sBirthdayParadeinNYCon
Friday,February22,1918,winninggreatapplause.Varietycommentedthat"manythought
itabettermusicalorganizationthanthebandJimmyEuropeformedandwhichisnowin
France."30TheregimentgotitscolorsafteramajorparadethroughManhattanonMarch
23,1918,andupontheirarrivalinHarlem,thebandhadenoughpeplefttoentertainthe
crowdwithragtime.31AttheendofMarchthebandappearedinconcertattheManhattan
OperaHousewithguestsincludingAbbieMitchellandWillMarionCook.32Enduringseven
monthsofstatesidepreparation,itcontinuedtoparticipateineventslikeLibertyLoan
parades.33The367thfinallywentoverseasinJune1918.Itcontinuedtobethesubjectof
attentioninNewYorkpaperswhileabroad,andaMonsterBenefitwasheldforthe
regimentinManhattaninOctober,withahuge,raciallyintegrated,all-starroster.34Backby
lateFebruary1919,the367threturneditscolorsinitshomecityafteranotherspectacular
paradethroughtown,ledbytheband,onMarch14,1919.
Atthesametimeasthe367thwasbeingformedonLongIsland,butashorttrain
rideoutofManhattanintheoppositedirection,the349thand350thFieldArtillery
29NewYorkAge,December29,1917,p.6;NewYorkAge,January5,1918,p.6.30Variety,lateFebruary1918,p.8ontheVaudevillepage.31Forageneralaccountoftheparade,seetheNewYorkTimes,Feb22,1918,p.11,andNewYorkTimes,February23,1918,pp.1,3.TheCrisis15/6(April,1918),p.294,reportsthat“AnattemptwasmadetoleavethecoloredsoldiersoutoftheWashingtonBirthdayParadedownFifthAvenue.TheGovernorinterferedandthebattalionofthe367thcoloredregiment,whichparaded,receivedthemostattentionandapplauseamongthe10,000marchers.”32NewYorkAge,March30,1918,p.6(“367thinDanceandSong”).33NassauPost,April19,1918,p.5.34ThebenefitwasheldSunday,October27,1918.SeeadvertisementsintheNewYorkAge,October19,1918,p.6andNewYorkAge,October26,1918,p.6;thesamepaperprintedareviewonNovember2,1919,p.6.ParticipantsincludedwhitestarsBelleBaker,IrvingBerlin,DavidBispham,EddieCantor,EddieLeonard,andMarilynMiller,aswellasblackstarsincludingBertWilliams,WilburSweatman,AbbieMitchell,FordDabney’sSyncopatedOrchestra,andWillMarionCook’sClefClubOrchestraandSingers.
12
regiments,composedofdrafteesprimarilyfromNewYork,NewJersey,andPennsylvania,
werebeingassembledatCampDixnearTrenton,NJ.Theexploitsoftheseunitswere
followedwithcarebythepressofthreecities:NewYorkCity,Trenton,andPhiladelphia.
Themoreprominentbandtoemergefromthispairwasthatofthe350thundera
ManhattanClefClubstalwartandlong-timecolleagueofJimEurope,J.TimBrymn.35His
regimentalcolonelwantedtheirbandtobethebestintheservice,anditswhiteofficers
workedhardtoraiseabandfundthatwouldsupportanensembleof100men.Thegreat
contraltoErnestineSchumann-Heink,the“MotheroftheArmy,”sangataconcertwiththe
bandinNewJerseyonMay15,1918,andbecameitschiefsponsor.36Intermsofdrumming
upprivatemoneytofundalargeband,Brymn’s350thregimentwasevidentlyevenmore
successfulthanEurope’s369th.Hetookanensembleof70overseasandcontinuedtoadd
mentoit.BrymnwrotecolumnistLesterA.WaltonoftheNewYorkAgefromFrancein
October1918andsaid,“Mybandisnowincreasedtoonehundredmusicians,asweare
consideredA-1inthearmy.”37Indeed,itwaswidelyreportedtobethesinglelargest
musicalunitservinginWorldWarI.Oneoftheregiment'scombatsoldiers,whoservedas
DrumMajorwhenhewasnotatthefront,wasWilliamH.(WillietheLion)Smith,thegreat
Harlemstridepianist.
WhenPresidentWilsonopenedanationwideRedCrossCampaigninMay1918,the
kickoffwasahugeparadeinManhattanonSaturday,May18,ledbyBrymn’s350th
regimentband(withThompson’s367thconsiderablyfurtherbackinthelineofmarch).
Famously,thepresidentcouldnotresistmovingtoitsmusicandgotoutofhislimousineto
35EmmettJ.ScottsaysBrymnalsohelpedpreparethebandofthe349thforanextendedperiod,whichmakessensesinceitwasatCampDixatthesametime.SeeScott'sOfficialHistoryoftheAmericanNegrointheWorldWar(Chicago:HomewoodPress,1919;repr.NY:ArnoPress,1969),p.310.Itisfurtherpossiblethatthebandsofthe3439thand350thwereoccasionallymergedoverseas,whichcouldgoalongwaytoexplainBrymn'sclaimthathisbandeventuallyexpandedto100musicians.OnTimBrymn,seenow“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofJ.TimBrymn:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/64/36NewYorkAge,May17,1918,p.6;seealsoScott,OfficialHistory,p.311.37Bycontrast,JimEurope’sbandonthecontinent,thoughsecondtononeintheAmericanArmy,wasanensembleofjust44or45;Badgersays44wentoverseas.SeeReidBadger,“PerformancePracticeTechniquesintheJamesReeseEuropeBand,”InHowardT.Weiner,ed.,EarlyTwentieth-CenturyBrassIdioms,RutgersInstituteofJazzStudies,StudiesinJazz,no.58(ScarecrowPress,2009),Chapter7,pp.64-72.
13
walktheroute.38Brymn’sbandstayedintowntoparticipateinSundaymorningservices
onMay19,anditgaveaconcertontheCentralParkMallfortheRedCrossthatafternoon,
playingforanaudienceof50,000.39Shortlythereafter,inJune1918,itwentoverseas,
returninginearlyMarch1919.
Alittlelaterintheyear,attheendofJuly1918,afifthAfricanAmericanregiment
thatincludedmenfromtheNewYorkarea,the807thPioneerInfantryRegiment,was
formedatCampDixwithdrafteesfromNewYorkandNewJersey,alongwithmenfrom
Delaware,WestVirginia,andNorthCarolina.Itsbandbecamethefourthandfinalgreat
NewYorkareablackarmyband,alongsidethoseofEurope's369th,Thompson's367th,and
Brymn's350th.(Thebandofthe349thnevermadethesamekindofsplash.)TheBand
Leaderofthe807thwasthegreattheatricalcomposer-arrangerWillVodery,40with
experiencedtrombonistRalphS.RedmondasAssistantBandLeader,andtenorsoloistand
jazzinstrumentalistOpalD.Cooperasdrummajor.Withinjustthreemonthsthisensemble
reachedanoteworthylevelofexcellence.Infact,afrontpage1929obituaryintheNew
YorkAgeforoneofitsperformerssays“theirbandwonfame,secondonlytothatofLieut.
JimEurope’sFifteenthHellfighters.”41And“atleastonecommandingofficerpronounced
them‘thebestbandintheA.E.F.’.”42TheBandSecretary,CorporalAlbertA.Smith,wasnot
shyaboutdeclaringthat"WeestablishedourselvesasoneofthepremierebandsintheA.
E.F."43
SuchrenownindicatesthatVoderyhadfoundamongsttheregiment’sdraftees(or
broughtwithhimintothebandasvolunteerenlistees)manyEastCoastprofessionals.By
onelaterdescriptionitwasabandof52players,whileoneextantphotographshowsa
conductorand47instrumentalists.44Fortheatricalshowstheybrokeoutasmallergroup.
38NewYorkAge,May25,1918,p.1(“HeHeardMusicandJustHadtoWalk”);seealsotheNewYorkAge,May17,1919,p.6:“Isimplymustmarchtothatmusic;itisirresistible.”39NewYorkTimes,May20,1918,p.11;JerseyCityJournal,May20,1918,p.5.40OnWillVodery,see“ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofWillVodery:MaterialsforaBiography,”on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/62/41NewYorkAge,January26,1929,p.1,inanobituaryofCharlesL.Thorpe.42AccordingtoMarkTucker,quotingfroma1926PittsburgCourierarticle.SeeMarkTucker,"InSearchofWillVodery,"BlackMusicResearchJournal16/1(Spring,1996):123-82,atp.134.43PhiladelphiaTribune,June14,1919,p.1.44AphotoofthebandtakenwhentheywereatSouillywasfirstpublishedintheNewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6.
14
ThereisarosterofVodery’sminstrelshowandpitorchestratotaling30names,comprising
about10actor-singersand20instrumentalists.45Morethanhalfoftheseindividualscanbe
tracedasactiveprofessionalactorsandmusiciansincivilianlife.Oneparticularly
prominentsubsetofmenwhoplayedtogetherinthe807th---OpalCooper,Sammy
Richardson,LouiaV.Jones,andEarlGranstaff---returnedtoFranceafterthewarand
playedtogetheron-and-offformostofthe1920s.
MovingdowntheEastCoast,theBaltimore-Washingtonareaalsoyieldedapairof
AfricanAmericancombatregiments,the368thInfantryandthe351stArtillery,whichboth
wereformedfromdrafteesandestablishedinOctober1917.Theseunitswereorganizedat
CampMeade,whichliesroughlyhalfwaybetweenthetwocities.Theydrewtheirrecruits
fromPennsylvania,Maryland,andtheSouth.Tworegulararmybandsmenwhosecareers
hadlongbeenjoinedcameeasttogetherfromthe10thCavalryinArizona---BandLeader
AlfredJackThomasandAssistantBandLeaderDorcyRhodes---toconductthebandsof
thesenewunits.ThomasandRhodeshadeachtakentimeofffromtheirdutieswiththe
10thCavalrytogotheGovernor’sIslandArmyBandmastersSchool,in1912-14and1914-
1916,respectively.Maintainingastrikingparallelism,theywereoftenmentionedtogether
intheWashingtonpapers,46andtheywouldbothmusteroutafterthewarandreturnto
theCapitolareatoworkinacademia,ThomastoBaltimoretoestablishtheAeolian
ConservatoryandRhodestoWashington,DCtoruntheHowardUniversityROTCBand.
Thomas’sbandwasbyfarthemoreimportantofthepair,ifassessedby
documentedactivitiesandcontemporarynewspaperreferences.Hemadeabigeffortto
staffitwithexperiencedmusicians.Inanadvertisementforplayersplacedinthe
WashingtonBee,Thomaspromised“NoTrenchdigging,guarddutyorotherlaborious
dutiestoperform.Specialprivilegesaccordedtobandsmen.”47JimEurope,infact,thought
the368thofA.J.ThomaswasthebestbandintheA.E.F.Bythisheprobablymeantthatit
45NewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6("MakingMusicfortheArmy").46Forexample,WashingtonBee,February9,1918,p.5,whentheyweregueststogetherataWashingtondinner,andWashingtonBee,April5,1919,p.3,reportingonbothaftertheirreturntothestates.47WashingtonBee,December8,1917,p.8.
15
wasthebestofthebandsatperformingseriousmusic,andweknowthat“themensaythey
prefertoplayclassicalpieces.”48Inearly1918thebandnumbered87pieces,which
includedafieldmusicunitof39bugles,fifes,anddrums,andaconcertunitof48.The48
playerswereevenlydividedatthistimebetweenwoodwindsandbrass,andThomas
hopedtoincreasethenumberofwoodwindstoachievearatioofone-thirdbrass
instrumentstotwo-thirdswoodwinds,thereverseoftheusualratioinarmybands.49
Thebandofthe368thcouldsplitoffaterrificfreestandingjazzbandledbyits
colorfuldrummajor,EdgarA.Landin.Animposing6’4”formerPhiladelphiapoliceman,
Landinwashailedas“TheRagtimeBaton-Twirler,”“TheGreatCake-WalkingBandleader
andHisJazzBand,”and“TheSultanofSyncopationandHisGallavantin’JazzBand.”While
inthestates,thebandofthe368thwasactive,forexample,providingaconcertatCamp
MeadeonEasterSunday1918towhichthepublicwasinvitedandthatwasannouncedon
pageoneoftheWashingtonBee.50ItalsoplayedinBaltimoreandWashington.Theband
wasespeciallybusyinthespringof1918intheLibertyLoanDrive.Toopenthiseffort,
PresidentWoodrowWilsonattendedaBaltimoretroopreviewandparadeonSaturday,
April6,1918whereDrumMajorLandin’santicswereahitwiththedourpresident.Landin
immediatelybecameasignificantnationalcelebrity,“TheDuskyDrumMajorThatMade
thePresidentLaugh.”51
Laterthatsummer,inJuly1918,athirdimportantBaltimore-Washingtonareaband
wasformedatCampMeadeaspartofthe808thPioneerInfantryregiment,aunitwhich
drewalmosthalfitsmenfromMaryland.ItsBandLeaderwasaNativeAmerican(Oneida),
JamesRileyWheelock,awell-knownmusicalfigureintheBaltimore-Washingtonarea.
Wheelock,"theredrivalofSousa,"52wasoneofthemostseniorofthenewbandmastersat
age44.Hehadmadeaprominentpublicbidinthespringof1917tobecomethe
bandmasterofaregimentinoneofTheodoreRoosevelt'sproposedvolunteerdivisions,
andthentookapostathisalmamater,theCarlisleIndianIndustrialSchool,when
48NewYorkAge,February22,1919,p.6;seealsoBadger,p.308.49WashingtonEveningStar,March24,1918,p.14.50WashingtonBee,March30,1918,p.1.51BaltimoreSun,April12,1918,p.16;PhiladelphiaEveningPublicLedger,April19,1918,p.8;BaltimoreSun,May12,1918,p.14.EdgarA.Landin(3September1891-March1966).52AlbanyEveningJournal,September22,1905,p.10.
16
PresidentWilsonquashedRoosevelt'splans.53WiththeclosingoftheCarlisleSchoolayear
laterbythegovernment,Wheelockwasanobviouschoicetoleadthebandofalocally-
staffedregiment,andhewasabletoattracttalentedmusicians.Intheracialpoliticsofthe
Army,Wheelockwaseffectivelywhite,whichwecaninferfromthefactthatayounger
NativeAmerican(Chippewa)andCarlislegraduate,GusWelch,wasacommissionedofficer
(secondlieutenant,risingquicklytocaptain)inthe808th,whoseofficercorpsalwayswas
describedasall-white.
America'sDeepSouthwasrepresentedamongthecombatregimentsbythe371st
Infantry,basedinSouthCarolina.ItsbandwasledbyCaptainElbertWilliams,aretired
ArmyveteranwhohadbeentheU.S.Army'sfirstofficiallyappointedandconfirmedblack
regimentalChiefMusician(1908);hehadbeenteachingmusicinWashington,D.C.Before
goingoverseas,the371stInfantryBandplayedforeventssuchasa"raceconference"
encouragingAfricanAmericanstopurchasewarbondsandwarsavingstamps(thrift
stamps).54
TheGreatPlainsandupperMidwestarethefinalAfricanAmericanpopulation
centerfromwhichthearmydrewheavily.Onecombatinfantryregimentnotyetaccounted
for,the366th,wasmusteredintoserviceatCampDodge,justtothenorthwestofDes
Moines,Iowa,inNovember1917.ItsbandmadeitsfirstappearanceonFebruary5,1918,
underSergeantGrinnell.55
AndKansasCitydeservesmentionforthetwoPioneerInfantryregiments,the805th
and806th,thatwereorganizedatnearbyCampFunstoninManhattan,Kansas,inthe
summerof1918.TheywerestaffedmostlywithrecruitsfromtheKansas-Missouriand
broaderGreatPlainsregion,butaswastrueofmanyoftheotherPioneerInfantryunits,
theyalsodrewonawider,evennationalpopulationfortheirmanpower.Themenofthe
bandofthe805th,forexample,werenotjustfromKansas,Missouri,andOklahoma,but
53GettysburgTimes,March24,1917,p.3;PhiladelphiaEveningPublicLedger,March27,1917,p.5.TheNewYorkAge,June7,1917,p.1reportsthatRoosevelthadwantedtoraisetwoblackregiments.CouldWheelockhaveknownthis,andmighttherebearelationshiptohisappointmentwiththe808th?54Columbia(SC)Record,March13,1918,p.8.55DesMoinesBystander,March8,1918,p.4;DesMoinesBystander,March15,1918,p.3;DesMoinesBystander,May3,1918,p.4.
17
alsofromTexas,Ohio,Louisiana,Delaware,NewJersey,andNewYorkCity.Theywereled
byGeorgeL.PolkofSmyrna,Delaware,whoatthetimehefilledouthisdraftregistration
cardhadbeenplayingwithJ.C.O'Brien'sGeorgiaMinstrels.56LawrenceDentonfrom
KansasCity,wholedthebandofthe806thforatime,rememberedthatithadmen"from
allover,Louisiana,Mississippi,LosAngeles."57Nonetheless,forbothunits,theirprincipal
identitylaywithKansasCity,and,forexample,upontheirreturn,thesoldiersand
bandsmenofthe805thledtheJuly4,1919paradeinthatcity.58
SERVICEINFRANCE
Overseas,mostofthebandsstayedclosetotheirregiments,playingforthetroopsin
thetrenchesunderfireandforthemenatrestimmediatelytotherear.59Awayfromthe
combatzone,theyperformedatmilitaryceremonies,atpublicopen-airconcertsfor
civilians,atprivatesoireesforgeneralsandpoliticiansandroyalty,inmusichallsand
hospitals,andatRestAreas.Thelargerbandswerereallyentertainmenttroupes.They
couldbreakupintosmallergroupsincludingjazzbandsandvaudevilletheatreorchestras,
andbandsmencouldputdowntheirhornstopickupbanjosandviolins,ortosingin
quartets,doublequartets,andchoruses.Notjustpurveyorsofconcertmusic,thebands
carriedactorsandsingersontheirrosterandcouldmountandaccompanystagedminstrel
andvarietyshowsthatincludedskits,soloandquartetsinging,andvirtuosodancing.
Thebandsvariedconsiderablyinsize,quality,andcapabilities.Pinningdownthe
numberofinstrumentalistsinthelargergroupsishardtodowithoutphotosorrosters,
andthesecanbesurprisinglyhardtocomeby;further,citednumbersneedtobe
interpretedwithcaution,sincetheymayincludeonlytheinstrumentalistsoralsoinclude
56Bliss,Historyofthe805th,pp.65-67,208,givesafullrosterfortheband,includingphotosandhometowns;GeorgeL.Polkwasjustaprivatewhenhewaspulledoutoftherankstoleadtheband.57NathanW.Pearson,Goin’ToKansasCity(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,1987),p.18.58KansasCityAdvocate,June6,1919,p.4.59Fordiaryaccountsoftwo(white)bandsmen(bothofwhomendedupinPershing’spost-armisticeAll-StarAEFGHQband),whichareinsightfulaboutformingbands,fashioningsoldiersintomusicians,andthebandsman’sdailylife,seeRoyceBoyer,“TheWorldWarIArmyBandsman:ADiaryAccountbyPhilipJames,”AmericanMusic14/2(1996):185-204,andseethediaryofbandsmanRobertR.Gustafson,onlineatwww.worldwar1.com/dbc/rgustafson.htm(accessed6/7/2011).
18
theactorsandsingers.Numbersalsochangedependingonwhetherwhatisbeing
describedisthebandbeforeembarkingforEurope,thebandinthewarzone,ortheband
ontourafteritsreturntotheUS.Passengerrostersofthetrooptransportsmayreportall
themusicians,orelseleavesomehiddenincombatunitsiftheyhadneverbeenofficially
transferredintotheHeadquartersCompany.Thefluepidemicof1918-1919insuredthat
photographsofthebandsinFrancemaynotalwayshaveshowedthematfullstrength.
TheUSArmy'smilitarybandreformsofmid-1918(seebelow)permittedbandsat
fullstrengthtoincreasefrom28to48men,andthelatternumbermightalsohave
determinedhowmanyindividualswereofficiallyidentifiedasbandmembersinthetroop
shippassengerlistsuponthereturntoAmerica(whileadditionalbandsmencouldsimply
havebeenlistedamongtheprivatesintheHeadquartersCompany).Aphotoofthebandof
the372ndshowsscarcelytwodozenmen.Dulfinthe370thsailedwith25,returnedwith
48,andtouredafterthewarwith56.Polkinthe805thhad38.Passengerrostersgive
EuropeandMikellagroupof50inFrance,whiletheHell-FightersBandtouredwith65
backintheUS;Europe’soverseasbandissometimesdescribedasagroupof44or45,but
twoofficersand56enlistedmenweredetailedtotraveltoAix-les-Bains(seebelow).The
additionalenlistedmenwerelikelytheactorsandsingersinthetroupe.Thomashad48.
Voderysailedwith55,aphototakeninthefieldshows48men,andhereturnedwith48.
Brymnsailedforwarwith37musiciansandreturnedwith48,althoughheclaimedthathis
bandreached100meninFrance,60andbackintheUS,hetouredimmediatelyafterthewar
with70.
Thoseensemblesbuiltfromdrafteesmightbesmallandweak---barelyableto
scratchoutamarchoraccompanymilitarydrills---whilebetterbandsmightworkfroma
playbookofmainlystandardlightclassicalandmiddlebrowpopularfare.61Intensive
recruitingbyanambitiouscolonelwithabandfundandanableconductormightcoaxa
60AletterfromTimBrymntoLesterWaltonoftheNewYorkAgewaspublishedinOctober1919,inwhichBrymnwritesthat"Mybandisincreasedtoonehundredmusicians,asweareconsideredA-1intheArmy"(NewYorkAge,October26,1918,n.p.[p.6]).61Notalldrafteebandsmenwerealreadymusicians,oriftheyhadcomeintothearmywithsometraining,forexampleasapianistorsinger,thentheywerenotalwaysproficientonabandinstrument.Bandsneededinstruments,andfundsforthispurposecouldbehardtolocate.Bandsweremostlyblendsofprofessionalsandcapableamateurswithrankbeginners.Conductorsmightbepulledfromtheranksofprivates.
19
significantnumberofvoluntaryenlistmentsandresultinaflexible,professional-quality
ensemble,anentertainmenttroupewhosenumbersincludedsingers,actors,anddancers
inadditiontobandsmen.Anabilitytoplaythenewesthotragtimeidiomcalledjazzoften
garneredthemostattention.Notallbandleadershadanaffinityforjazz,though,andinat
leasttwodemonstrableinstances(inthe368thandthe809th),jazzbanddutieswere
delegatedtotheAssistantBandLeaderorthedrummajor.
AlthoughJamesReeseEurope’sbandunquestionablyhadthehighestvisibilityand
renownofanyU.S.ArmybandinFrance,eachoftheotherblackregimentalbandsserving
inEnglandoronthecontinentdeservesfurtherattentionthanithasreceivedtodate.
Exceptwhenthebandswereawayfromthefront,however,particularlyattheleaveareas
atAix-les-BainsandnearbyChambery,orinParis,muchoftheirwartimeactivityis
extremelyhardtotrace.Inthecombatzone,whentheywereplayingatallratherthan
duckingartilleryshellsandhelpingthewounded,theywerenotgoingtogetmuchifany
pressduetoanewsblackoutonaccountoftheneedforsecrecyabouttheirregiment's
whereabouts“SomewhereinFrance.”SuchaccountsasdoturnupintheUSpresscouldbe
printedmonthsafterthefactduetocensorshipandtransportationdelaysformail.An
articleintheNewYorkHerald(Parised.),quotedinaNewJerseypaperaftertheArmistice,
revealshowbandactivitiescouldbesensitivenews:“Theappearanceofthebandofthe
350thFieldArtilleryRegimentinNancyforaconcertwasthefirstnoticeherethattheonly
brigadeofnegroartilleryeveryorganizedhadbeendefendingNancybyholdingthe
Marbachesector,southofMetz.”62
BythetimeoftheArmisticeonNovember11,1918theregimentshadbeenabroad
foranywherefromonetoelevenmonths,andinsomecasestheirbandshadneverleftthe
sideofthetroops.AftertheArmistice,themajorityofbandsmenfacedanadditionalthree
monthsormoreofcamplifeinmudandrainalongsidealltheotherdoughboys,with
boredom,pneumonia,andthefluepidemicasunpleasantcompanions,beforetransport
home.Atthismoment,totheirrelief,bandsotherthanJimEurope’sbegantobesummoned
awayfromtheirregimentsformoreceremonialduties,inspecialassignmentsthatwerea
welcomediversion.
62Woodbury(N.J.)DailyTimes,December24,1918,p.1.
20
*
CONCERTIZINGINFRANCE
Thefollowingquickreviewofbandactivitiesfirstwillsummarizetheactivitiesof
thetwomostcelebratedbands,thoseofJimEuropeandWillVodery.Nexttobesketched
willbewhatweknowaboutthemoreprominentremainingbands,movingfromdivisionto
divisionratherthanfollowingthestatesidegeographicalpaththatwastakenaboveinthe
accountoftheirinitialformation.Mentionedherearetheprinciplewartimeanecdotes
aboutthebandsoftheblackcombatregimentsthatcanbegleanedfromlateraccounts,
especiallyUSnewspapersarticlesandconcertadvertisements.Wartimecensorshipin
EuropeandAmericastillobscuresourviewoftheactivitiesofthebandsbeforethe
Armistice,evenatthedistanceofonehundredyears.Surelymuchmoreremainstobe
discoveredinthenewspaperfilesandarchivesoftheFrenchvillages,towns,andcities
whereblackregimentsandtheirHeadquartersCompanybandswerebilletedor
concertized.
THE369THANDTHE807TH
The15thN.Y.spentthelongesttimeabroadofanyblackregiment---atotalof
thirteenmonths---fortenofwhichitsbandwasunderMikell’sbaton.Hehadsubstantially
morepodiumtimewiththebandthandidJimEurope.However,itwasthetotalofthree
monthsofconcertizingawayfromthefrontbeforetheArmisticebyEuropeandthe“Hell
Fighters’Band”thatdrewextensiveattentionatthetimeandhasbeenremarkedonat
lengthbysomanysince.ThesethreemonthsbeganwithamonthintherestareaatAix-les-
BainsfrommidFebruarytomidMarch1918,includingelaborateconcerttoursbytrainto
andfromthattown.63JimEurope,asacombatofficer,hadtohavespecialpermissionto
stepoutofhiscompanytoconductthebandatAix-les-Bains.
63Aix-les-Bainsislessthan400milessouthofParisandthefront,butthebandwassaidtohavetravelledseveralthousandmilestogetthereandback.Therestareahadjustopened,andEurope'sbandentertainedthefirstsoldierstobepulledoffthefront.SeeTheCrisis15/6(April1918),p.
21
The15thN.Y.wasformallyre-designatedthe369thonMarch12,1918,andwas
senttothefrontunderFrenchcommand.Europewentwiththefighters.Hewasawayfrom
theheadquartersbandforalmostsixmonths,frommidMarchtoAugust1918,toleadhis
machineguncompanyincombat,duringwhichexperiencehegotgassedandwas
hospitalizedinJuly.HerejoinedthebandintimefortwomonthsofconcertsinParisfrom
midAugusttomidOctober1918.Theretheband'sinitialappearancewasatthefinal
meetingoftheAlliedPeaceConferenceinParis,heldintheThéatredesChamps-Elyséeson
August18.Thissignaleventwasfollowedbyeightweeksofappearancesathospitalsand
restcampsaroundthecity.
Europe’sgroupisrememberedtodayprincipallyforitsinstrumentalperformances
andforthesingingofNobleSissle,butitmountedstageshowsaswell.Forinstance,during
itsfirstmonthawayfromtheregiment,“ThefineArmybandofAmericanNegromusicians
cameoverfromAix-les-BainsandputChambéryinawhirlofexcitement.Aconcertwas
giveninthetheaterundertheauspicesoftheY.M.C.A.,andthehousewascrowdedtothe
doorsandeveryseatintheorchestraoccupiedbyAmericansoldiers.Aminstrelshowwas
partoftheprogramme,andthetwoendmen,intraditionalminstreltogs,crackedjokes,
danced,andsangsongs,withachorusandbandtosupportthem.Thewildapplauseofthe
audienceworkedtheactorsintoaperfectfrenzyofcakewalks,hand-springs,and
grotesquegestures,andthecurtaindroppedonaroarofexcitementfromsoldiersand
actorsalike.”64
TherecordofthebandunderMikellislesseasytotrace,andinthatrespectits
historyisquitesimilartothoseoftheotherbandsinthe92ndand93rddivisions.
Nonetheless,thoughhetendstogetsnubbedinlateraccountsthatfocusonJimEurope,
Mikelldidvaluableservice.Indeed,inJune,1918hewashonoredinhisownrightata
ceremonywherehereceivedabatonpresentedbyaFrenchregimentalbandmaster.65On
July4,1918,inoneofitsmostprestigiousengagementsunderhisleadership,Mikellledthe
294,whichreportsthat“AnAmericanNegrobandledtheAmericansoldierswhoreturnedfromtheirfirstexperiencesinthetrenchesinaparadeatAix-les-Bains,France.”64Outlook,v.118/16(April17,1918),p.621,fromanarticlebycorrespondentPaulineSandsLee,whowrotefromfromChambéryonFebruary24,1918.65NewYorkAge,June15,1918,p.6(“BandmasterMikellisPresentedWithBaton”).
22
bandinaconcertatGeneralGouraud’sheadquartersinChalons-sur-Marne.Inmid1918
Mikellenjoyedthearmy’sboostinrankforbandleaderstoSecondLieutenant,andhe
remainedwiththeband---andEuropecamebacktoit---whenalltheregiment’sotherblack
officerswereremovedlaterthatsummer.66Thebandwasreturnedtoitsregimentand
pulledbackfrompublicengagementsafteritsstintinParis,keepingalowprofileforitslast
threeandahalfmonthsoverseaswhileotherbandstookthespotlight.JimEuropereturned
totheU.S.notasacombatofficer,butasanofficerinhisregiment'sHeadquarters
Company.
TheotherpreeminentblackregimentalbandofWorldWarI,WillVodery’s807th
PioneerInfantryBand,beganitsoverseasservicewithatasteofcombat:“whenwearrived
inacertainpartofFrancewewerecarryingammunitiontothefrontunderfire.”Its
“climacticsuccess”reallybegan,though,whenthebandwasdetachedfromitsregimentto
betheFirstArmyHeadquartersBattalionPostBand.Thiswasthemostdistinguishedand
lengthiestassignmentundertakenbyanyoftheblackregimentalbands,inwhichcapacity
itplayedalloverFrance.TheopportunitywascreatedwhenonOctober16,1918,General
JohnJ.Pershingturnedoverpersonalcommandofthemillion-manUSFirstArmyto
GeneralHunterLiggett,whocommandedituntilApril20,1919.Naturally,Liggettthen
neededhisownheadquartersbandindependentofPershing’s,andacompetitionwasset
upfortheposition,whichwaswonwhenVodery’sbandbeatoutfourother(white)
regimentalbands.67Thebandofthe807thtransferredtoFirstArmyHeadquarterson
November13,1918.BasedfirstatSouillynearVerdunandthenatBar-sur-Aubeinthe
countrysidesoutheastofParis,closebytoPershing’sownheadquartersatChaumont,
Vodery'smenservedasFirstArmyHeadquartersBandforfivemonthsuntiltheFirstArmy
wasdissolvedinApril.Inearly1919,Voderysteppedawayfortwomonthstodothe
66NobleSissle,whoheldtherankofsergeantanddrummajor,whileprimarilyperformingasasinger,hadtoleavethe369thtobecomeastaffofficerwiththe370thwhenhereceivedhisofficer’scommissioninthefallof1918inFrance.Heperformedagainwiththe369thbackintheUSinearly1919beforeEurope'sdeath.ThemodernsecondaryliteraturesometimescreditsSisslewithactuallyconductingtheband,therebymis-identifyinghimwithMikell.67LetterfromSgt.CharlesL.Thorpe,printedintheNewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6.GeneralPershingalsodeterminedtohaveanewband,alarge,all-starAEFGHQ[GeneralHeadquarters]Bandrecruitedfromthevariousregiments.Simpleracismrearingitsheadagain,nomembersofanyblackregimentalbandweretakenforthisgroup.
23
BandmasterscourseatnearbyChaumont,andaVoderylettershowsthatafterthecourse
heexpectedtoreturntothestateswithFirstArmyHeadquarterspersonnel.Instead,inlate
April,heandthebandweresentbacktotheirregiment,whichhadmissedthemsorelyand
whichwasnowatBourg,Haute-Marne.
AfewreferencesindicatethecaliberofeventforwhichVodery'sbandprovided
entertainmentinthisassignment.68ItrepresentedtheAmericanArmyatareceptionfor
FrenchPresidentM.PoincaréandMme.PoincaréatVerdunonNovember20,1918,when
PoincaréwastravellingtojoinMarshallsFochandPetainfortheceremonialentriesinto
theliberatedtownsofAlsace-Lorraine.Poincaré“saiditwasthefirstcoloredbandhehad
everheardanditsmusicwasastounding.”69OnDecember5,thebandplayedwhileGeneral
LiggettdecoratedeightaviatoracesatSouilly.OnJanuary8,itplayedattheservicesin
honorofColonelRooseveltatwhichGeneralLiggettandGeneralDrumandstaffwere
present(TheodoreRoosevelthaddiedonJanuary6).Further,duringJanuarytheband
playedatoneoftheCatholicCathedrals,anditalsoplayedprivatelyonJanuary19forthe
PrinceofMonacoathischateau,atwhichoccasion"thePrinceexpressedparticular
pleasureinNegromusic.”70AndonMarch21,theyplayedforGen.Pershing,hisstaffand
guests,thekingandqueenofBelgium,atLignol,thechateauthatwasLieut.Gen.Hunter
Liggett’sheadquartersnearBar-sur-Aube.71OnApril6theyplayedforGeneralPershingat
Bar-sur-Aube.Andtheyalsomadetoursofbasehospitals,ofcourse.72
Vodery'soutfitwasverymuchatheatertroupeaswellasaconcertband,andit
couldmountatleasttwodifferentshows.Adescriptionofoneoftheshowsperformedin
Bar-sur-AubeinJanuarymentionscomedysketches,asaxophonequartet,acomedian,and
asong-and-danceroutine.73
68AllmaterialinthisparagraphistakenfromtheChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.4andPhiladelphiaTribune,June14,1919,p.1,exceptwherenoted.69VoderyletterofNov.22,1918,printedintheNewYorkAge,December21,1918,p.6;NewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6.70TheCrisis17/6(April,1919),p.294.71ClevelandGazette,April26,1919,p.3;seealsoNewYorkTimes,March22,1919,p.3.72TheCrisis17/4(February1919),p.194.73NewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6;NewYorkHerald(Parised.),January29,1919,p.2(“HeadquartersBandofFirstArmyGivesShow”),ascitedinMarkMiller,SomeHustlingThis!TakingJazztotheWorld,1914-1929(Toronto:TheMercuryPress,2005),p.54.
24
OTHERBANDSOFTHE93RDDIVISION
Whatoftheotherbandsattachedtotheblackcombatdivisions?Theregimentsof
the93ndDivisionwerethefirsttogo“overthere,”embarkingbetweenDecember1917
andApril1918,beginningwiththe15thN.Y.AllservedatthefrontunderFrench
command.WiththeexceptionofJimEurope's,theirbandsstayedclosebythetrenches.
GeorgeDulf’sgreatChicagobandoftheOldEighthIllinois,nowthe370th,wasparticularly
famedforitsexperienceclosetotheaction.OnOctober13,troopsofChicago's370thwere
thefirsttoenter"theFrenchcityofLaonwhenthatfortressfellafterfouryearsofGerman
occupation....[and]BandmasterDulfledthebandthatmarchedattheheadofthe
regimentintoLaon...."...."playingFrenchnationalairsasitmarched,andfinally
breakinginto"TheStarSpangledBanner,"then"YankeeDoodle,"andfinally"Dixie"."74
Then,inthedriveontheRhineinNovemberitwastheonlybandtogooverthetop(at
Metz),and“played‘Illinois’intheveryteethofGermanguns.”Anotheroften-toldanecdote
recountshowtheyheldaconcertinwhatwassupposedtobeaquietsector,atBar-le-Duc,
nearVerdun,whileanunexpectedairplanebattleragedoverheadbetweenFrenchand
Germanaviatorsanditraineddownshrapnel.InlaterNovember,inceremoniesafterthe
Armistice,theyplayedattheparticularrequestofMarshallsFochandPetainandGeneral
Pershing.TheyalsogaveaspecialconcertatBrestforGeneralPershingbeforehesailed
hometotheStates.75WhenNobleSisslereceivedhispromotiontoLieutenantinOctober
1918,hewastransferredfromthe369thtothe370thtobecomeanofficerinthis
regiment'sHeadquartersCompany.
Thebandsofthe371stand372nddidnotleavesignificantanecdotesinU.S.sources
concerningtheiractivitieswhileoverseas.
BANDSOFTHE92NDDIVISION
Thesevenregimentsofthe92rdDivisionallsailedlaterthanthoseofthe93rd,
embarkingforthewarinJune1918,andallservedunderU.S.command,spendingon
74KansasCitySun,February15,1919,p.1.75ChicagoTribune,February15,1919,p.10;SanFranciscoChronicle,October5,1919,p.E5;GrandForksHerald,December24,1919,p.10;CheyenneStateLeader,January7,1921,p.5.
25
averageaboutninemonthsoverseas,onlythefirstfiveofwhichcamebeforetheArmistice.
OfthebandsofthethreeFieldArtilleryregiments,thoseofthe349thand351stseemto
havemadelittlewidespreadimpact.TimBrymn’s350thFieldArtilleryBand,however,
achievedsignificantrecognition.Beforethebigfalloffensive,"GeneralPershingordered
thebandtomakeatouroftheentirefront,foritisknownthatmusichasmoretodowith
sustainingthemoraleofthesoldiersthanalmostanyothermedium.76Then,returningto
campanditsregiment,thebandwasathandinthebloodyArgonneandMetzdrivesinfall
1918,andbyBrymn’saccount,atonepointtheyhadtoputdowntheirinstrumentstofight.
TheyservedatthebattlesofEpley,Pontamousson,andMarbach.Croixdeguerrewinners
includedsixbandsmen,amongthemSergeantHeyder,clarinet,BobbyJones,percussion,
andCorporalRusselSmith,cornet.77"Inspiteoftheintensivefightingwhichneverletup,
LieutenantBrymnkepthismusiciansinconstantrehearsal."78Further,"theyservedtheir
countrybydrivingammunitiontruckstothefrontlinetrenches,aswellasbyinspiring
theircomradesbytheirmusic."79AftertheArmistice,thebandwonrecognitionas"the
onlycoloredaggregationofmusicianstoappearbeforePresidentWilsonandGeneral
Pershingbyspecialrequestduringthetourofthebattlefrontbythecountry’sChief
Executivepriortotheopeningofthepeaceconference.”80And"whenPresidentWilson
visitedFrancelastChristmastime,heexpressedadesiretoheartheBlackDevilBand,and
whentheyplayedforhisentertainmentatthesectorwhichhevisitedatholidaytime,the
ChiefExecutivehailedtheorganizationasthepeerofallcoloredaggregations."81Away
fromthefront,inconcert,theyplayedspecialengagementsinNancy,Marseilles,Bordeaux,
Brest,andothercities.Inaddition,weknowthatBrymn'sbandplayedforthreeweeksata
basehospitalinParisandatGeneralPershing'sgreatreviewofthe92ndDivisiontogether
76HarrisburgTelegraph,April5,1919,p.13.77BinghamtonPress,January26,1922.78HarrisburgPatriot,April4,1919,p.14.79TrentonEveningTimes,March24,1919,p.7.80PhiladelphiaInquirer,March19,1919,p.3.WilsonarrivedonDecember13,sothiswouldhavebeenatsomepointbetweenmidDecember1918andearlyJanuary1919.81HarrisburgTelegraph,April5,1919,p.13.
26
withPresidentWilsononJanuary28atLeMans.Further,thememoirsofdrummajor
Willie“theLion”SmithmentionavisitofthebandtotherestareaatAix-les-Bains.82
ThefamedactivistandauthorW.E.B.DuBoiswentovertoFranceshortlyafterthe
Armistice,sailingfromNewYorkonDecember1,1918tobeanobserverattheVersailles
PeaceConference.WhileinParishehelpedorganizethePan-AfricanConferencein
February1919tocoincidedwiththePeaceConference,andheadedhomeinlateMarch
1919.InearlyJanuary,DuBoisvisitedthe92ndDivisionintheMarbachesector,inMaron
ontheMoselleRiverbelowMetz,justwestofNancy.DuBois,inafamouseditorialforThe
Crisis,describedtheimpactofBrymn'sbandinevocativelanguage:83
"InFrance....TimBrimmwasplayingbythetownpump.TimBrimmandthebuglesofHarlemblaredinthelittlestreetsofMaroninfarLorraine.Thetinystreetswereseasofmud.DankmistandrainsiftedthroughthecoldairabovetheblueMoselle.Soldiers---soldierseverywhere---blacksoldiers,boysofWashington,Alabama,Philadelphia,Mississippi.Wildandsweetandwooingleaptthestrainsupontheair.Frenchchildrengazedinwonder---womenlefttheirwashing.UpinthewindowstoodablackMajor,aCaptain,aTeacher,andI---withtearsbehindoursmilingeyes.TimBrimmwasplayingbythetown-pump."Chicago’s365thhasleftfewertracesofitsexperiencesabroad,butalatesummer
1918letterfromFrancetotheIndianapolisFreemanfromdrummerJasperTaylor,written
shortlyafterhisarrivaloverseas,speaksaboutplayingpopularmusic---lovesongsandjazz
numbers---andalsostandardbandselectionsfortheboys.84AftertheArmistice,band
memberBenJacksonwrotehometoafriendanaccountthatdetailssomeoftheir
whereabouts.Justbeforetheunit"wentoverthetop"withthebanddoinghospitalservice
undershellfire,theywereatSoisy,aboutfourkilometersfromPontaMousson,whichis
twenty-sevenkilometersfromMetz.(Theywereclosebytothe350thatthismoment.)
TheymoveduptoAttonfortheattack,andthenreturnedtoPontaMousson.Theymoved
againonDecember5toanotherunnamedtownwheretheystayedforamonth,andthen
82TrentonEveningTimes,March23,1919,p.25;BinghamtonPress,January26,1922;AmiriBaraka,TheLeRoiJones/AmiriBarakaReader,ed.WilliamJ.Harris(NewYork:Thunder'sMouthPress,1991),pp.535-536.83TheCrisis17/5(March1919),p.215-6.84IndianapolisFreeman,September28,1918,p.2(“ABlackHunChaserWritesFromFrance”),citedinMiller,SomeHustling,p.52.
27
billetedatAmbrièresinJanuarybeforeembarkationatBrest.Nowthe"OldEighth"was
locatednearby.85
Thebandofthe366thseemstohavekeptalowprofileonshore,thoughitwasa
shipboardfavorite,86andneitherthebandsofthe367thunderE.E.Thompsonnorofthe
368thunderA.JackThomasgeneratedmanyreferencesbackintheU.S.totheiractivities
whileabroad.Wedo,however,haveaphotoofthebandofthe367thserenadingGenerals
PershingandGouraudinthesummerof1918.87Andweknowthatthebandofthe368th
playedconcerts“inToul,Saizerais,Nancy,Brest,LeMansandotherplaces,”butalsowere
onthesceneforcombatonthreefronts---intheVosges,intheArgonneforest,andatMetz.
IntheArgonnefightinginSeptember,bandsmenhadtoputdowntheirinstrumentsto
becomestretcherbearersandfirstaidmen,andtoburythedead,andtheyalsowere
slightlygassed.88
PIONEERINFANTRYBANDS
TheAfricanAmericanPioneerInfantryregimentssailedfromAugustthrough
October1918,intimeforonlyjustfive(802,805,806,807,808)toassistinthefinal
bloodyassaultsonGermanpositions.Arrivingsomuchlaterthanthecombatregiments,
theyalsostayedonthecontinentmuchlater---deepintothesummermonthsof1919---to
workoncleaningupthedebrisandscarsofwar.Astheentire92ndand93rdDivisions
pulledbacktotheportareasandreturnedtothestatesinFebruaryandMarch1919,
demandsonthePioneerInfantryregimentalbandsincreasedbothtoentertainthe
remainingtroopsandtoserveonceremonialoccasions.Thesebands,too,variedwidelyin
85LetterdatedJanuary10,printedinSpringfield(Ill.)DailyIllinoisStateJournal,February3,1919,p.13.86ItreportedlyplayedaconcerteverynightonboardtheUSSCovingtononthewaytoFranceandonboardtheAquitaniaonthewayhome(on-linebiographyofHenryFrankSmith(1892-1960),versionof11/01/2006,athome.earthlink.net/~gskwink/InHonor.html,accessed06/04/2013).ForanotherreferencetotheconcertsontheAquitania,seealsoAdeleLoganAlexander,HomelandsandWaterways:TheAmericanJourneyoftheBondFamily,1846-1926(NewYork:PantheonBooks,1999),p.421.87NewYorkAge,September14,1918,p.6;Sweeneyreprintsitbetweenpp.112-113.ThepublicationdatesuggeststhatthiswasaneventofJuly/August/earliestSept.88NewYorkAge,Feb22,1919,p.6;TheSouthernWorkman,vol.48(April1919),p.254.Toul,Saizerais,andNancyareneareachotherintheLorraine,closetothefront.LeMansisinthewestonthewaytoorfromBrestandSt.Nazaire.
28
talentandaccomplishment.Vodery'sgreatbandofthe807thwasdiscussedabove.Iwill
justmentionafewmorebelowthathaveleftsomesignificanttraceofoverseasactivity.
Thebandofthe803rdwas"eventuallydetachedfromtheirregimentandsent
touring....entertainingeverybodyfromAlsace-LorrainetotheMediterranean."Itplayed,
forexample,atareceptionforthecivilianpopulationofChalles-les-EuxonMarch12,1919,
anditwasphotographedwithAddieHuntoninChamberyonMarch18,1919whileon
specialdutyintheleavearea.Theywereatremendoushit."Thesemengaveussomuchjoy
andentertainmentintheirplayingthatnotonlydidtheYmakeeffortstohavethem
retainedpermanentlyintheLeaveArea,buttheFrenchpeoplewerequiteaseagertohave
them,andshoweredpraisesandflowersonthemwhenatlasttheywereorderedbackto
theirregiment."89ItsextensivetoursthroughoutFrancemadethisbandoneofthemost
popularintheA.E.F.andallowedittoclaimthemantleof"thebestbandinFrance."90
Thebandofthe805thhadtohavebeenamongtheverylasttohavebeenformedin
thewartimeUSarmy,sinceitonlyreceivedinstrumentsonJanuary1,1919atChateaude
Chehery,ChatelChehery,wheretheregimentwasinresidencefromNovember25,1918to
May2,1919.The805thhadenrolledalargenumberofskilledmusiciansand
minstrel/vaudevilleactors,andtheynowwenttoworkimmediatelytoputtogethersome
concertrepertoireandavaudevilleshow.LieutenantLeonceR.Legendre(white)wasin
chargeoftheshowandtheband,withGeorgeL.PolkasAssistantBandLeaderand
conductor.Theregiment"becamefamousovernight"fortheBearCatEntertainersshow
andforasectionofthebandthatwasspunoffasaJazzOrchestra.TheirColonelHumphrey
laterboastedthathisBearCatshad"thebestJazzbandinFrance,""thebestvaudeville
showintheA.E.F.,"andthebestbaseballteamofanyoutfitinFrance.FromFebruaryto
May1919theyentertainedmanydistinguishedvisitorsatChatelCheheryandwentonthe
roadtomanyFrenchvillagesaroundtheArgonne-Meusearea,withfamousKansasCity
89HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.171,220-21,withaphotoofthebandtakenatChamberybetweenpp.222and223;anotherimagefromthatphoto-sessionatChambery,madeintoapostcard,wasformerlyvisibleontheinternetatwww.usmilitaryforum.com(accessed12/15/2010).Athirdoften-reproducedphotoofthebandshowstheminBrestonboardthetrooptransportU.S.S.PhilippinesjustpriortotheirreturntotheUnitedStates;see,forexample,theimageaspreservedintheLibraryofCongress,GladstoneCollection(www.loc.gov/exhibits/odyssey/archive/07/0705001r.jpg,accessed12/15/2010).90ChicagoDefender,June14,1919,p.9;ChicagoDefender,June21,1919,p.20.
29
professionalcomedian,actorandsingerBillyHiggins,promotedfromprivatetocolor
sergeant,astheirprincipalsoloist.91
ThebandoftheotherKansasCityareaPioneerInfantryregiment,the806th,gotoff
toastartthatwasalmostasslow.ItwasnotorganizeduntilaftertheArmisticein
November,andstartedwithborrowedinstrumentsuntilthemenoftheregimentcould
purchasesomefortheirband.TheyplayedmusiccomposedbytheirAssistantBand
Leader,thewell-knowntrombonistAshfordHardee,untilsheetmusiccouldbeordered
fromhome.Ofcourse,ittoo,was"nowthebestbandinFrance."92Stationedwiththe
regimentinearly1919atMontrichard,justeastofTours,thebandwassenttoParisin
MarchorAprilof1919andstayedthereuntiltheirreturntothestatesinAugust.An
ensembleof32pieces,itwasrememberedbyitsLawrenceDenton,theotherofits
conductors,asplayinglightclassicalselectionslikethetwofamousoverturesbyFranzvon
Suppé,"Morning,Noon,andNight"and"PoetandPeasant."InMayandJune,themenofthe
806thregimenthelpedtobuildPershingStadium,andthen“the806thPioneerInfantry
BandplayedattheColumbusStadiuminParis,givingdailyconcertsduringtheA.E.F.try-
outsfortheInter-AlliedMeet.”93
Baltimore's808thPioneerInfantrybandunderNativeAmerican“Chief”Wheelock
wasproclaimedforbringing”therealAmericaJazz,asitshouldbeplayed,overhere,”to
France.94Anditwascelebratedforstayingclosetothetroops:
"Thisbandofcoloredmusicianshasindeedupheldthetraditionofits
race,fortheirmusiccontributesmuchtomakethenameofthe808th
PioneerInfantrypopularatthefront.Tobeginwith,theyarerightatthe
91SeeBliss,Historyofthe805th,op.cit.;HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,p.223;EmporiaGazette,July11,1919,p.3;KansasCitySun,May3,1919,p.8.92KansasCityPlaindealer,April18,1919,p.4,inananonymousletterofMarch6,1919fromabandmember.93CharlesH.Williams,SidelightsonNegroSoldiers(Boston,1923),p.155;seealsoThisted,p.43.TheInter-AlliedGameswere22Juneto6July,1919,atPershingStadium,butoneofthesponsorswastheKnightsofColumbus,hencealso”Columbus”stadium.Unitsofthe806thhelpedconstruct/renovatethestadiumandsite.SeeWilliams,p.154,H&J,p.154,andTheInter-AlliedGames,Paris,22ndJuneto6thJuly,1919,ed.GeorgeWytheandJosephMillsHanson(Paris:publishedfortheGamesCommitteebySociétéanonymedepublicationspériodiques,1919).TheblackbandsdidnotdirectlyparticipateinthefestivitiesandceremoniesoftheInter-AlliedGamesthemselves.94BaltimoreAfro-AmericanLedger,November29,1918,p.4.
30
frontbeingonlyafewkilometersbehindtheline,andalthoughindanger
ofattractingtheattentionofhostileforces,theyrealizethatthespiritof
theboysmustbekeptcheerfulandrefreshed.So,oftentheyassembleina
wellprotectedspotandplayfortheconstantlineofkhakiasitmoves
alongtheroadtowardtheenemy."95
AftertheArmistice,whenthebandsoftheblackcombatregimentshadembarkedfor
home,Wheelock’sunitremainedincampandgarneredalltheprizes:thebandofthe808th
wasjudgedthebestinfantrybandintheA.E.F.,whiteorblack,inacontestheldatCamp
Pontanezen,Brest,France,onJune2,1919.Additionally,itwonthesignalhonorofplaying
forPresidentWilson'sdepartureforhomefromBrestonJune29,1919.96Lieutenant
WheelockreturnedtotheU.S.asanofficerinhisregiment'sHeadquartersCompany.
The814thPioneerInfantryregimentwasoneoftheverylastUSarmyregimentsto
gooverseasandoneofthefirsttoreturn,leavingthestatesinthefirstweekofOctober
1918andreturningjusttwomonthslater.97Whileabroad,theregimentwassplit,partly
goingtoEnglandtobuildarailroad,andpartlytoFrancetodostevedorework(NYT,
January25,1919,p.11:workingwiththeServiceofSuppliesinFrance).Thebandandthe
companiesthatwenttoEnglandwerehousedinWinchester.Fromthatbase,thefamous
forty-two-piecebandofthe814thBlackDevils"touredandestablishedalong-to-be
rememberedreputationinvariouscitiesandtownsinEngland."98Byonereport,during
theirtwomonthsinEngland"thebandvisitedLondonseveraltimes.Ononeoftheirtrips
theyplayedinthePalaceTheatreintheactofMissElsieJanis.Theyalsoplayedin
WinchesterCathedral,attherequestofthecaretaker,totheguestsatthattimeinthe
95HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.223-224.96HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.223;GenoaIndianNews,October1919,p.6.97ThereisafamousWesternUnionphotoofthebandofthe814thtakenuponitsreturn,immediatelyafterdisembarkingontothedocksonDecember18,1918.Incidentally,the“BlackDevils”soubriquet,giventoalltheU.S.blackcombattroupsbytheGermans,firstturnsupinJune1918inreferencetotheentire92ndDivision.WhilestillintrainingcampinKentuckyinlatesummerof1918,the814thwanttoclaimitastheirnickname,andtheyuseditassucheventhoughtheyneverreceivedformalauthorization.Boththe370thandthe350thappropriateditupontheirreturntotheUSinspring1919,aswillbementionedbelow.Time:TheWeeklyNewsmagazine,LettersSupplement(a.k.a.Letters:PublishedFortnightlybyTime,Inc.)I/17(September17,1934),p.2.98TopekaPlaindealer,February14,1919,p.1.
31
building."99AccordingtoTimemagazine,themostconspicuouswartimeserviceofthe
814thwasrenderedbyitsregimentalband,"acollectionofsuperbmusiciansand
entertainerswhotookLondonbystorm.ItsmostfamousmemberswereDrum-Major
Julius(“Slim”)WilliamsandCorporalCharles(“EggShell”)Fleming,bothexpertbuck-&-
wingdancers.ThehighpointoftheirvisitwasacommandperformanceatBuckingham
Palace,whichbroughtaletterofcommendationfromKingGeorge.”100Awidely
disseminatedAPwire-serviceanecdotedatedLondon,Saturday,November16andfirst
printedinmanyUSpapersonNovember18mustalsobeaboutthem:"whenanother
coloredbandfromTheStateswenttoLondontoheadaparadeofAmericanandEnglish
soldiers,andhaltedatBuckinghamPalace,itissaidthatKingGeorgeVandQueenMary
heardthelivelyairswithundisguisedenthusiasmandwereloathtohavetheplayers
departfortheparkwheretheywerescheduledforaconcert,withadanceengagement,
underBritishmilitarycontrol,tofollow."101
HuntonandJohnsonrememberedthebandsofthe815thand816thforplayingin
therestareasandatthededicationoftheMeuse-ArgonneAmericanCemeteryinRomagne,
FrancebyGeneralPershingonMemorialDay,May30,1919:"Thencamethe815thwith
theirfineWesternprideandspiritplayingtheirway,too,intotheheartoftheArea.Wemet
themagainatRomagnewhen,withthebandofthe816thPioneerRegiment,theywere
playingdailytocounteractthedepressinginfluencesoftheirsurroundings.Westoodnear
themandwatchedwithtear-filledeyesastheypaidtheirhumblehomageonthat
memorablethirtiethofMaywhenGeneralPershinghadcometodedicatethatlargest
99SouthernWorkman48/8(August1919),p.417.ElsieJanis(1889-1956)was"theSweetheartoftheAEF".100Writingsolongafterthefact,Time's1934account(seenote64above)possiblymayconfusetheperformanceofthebandofthe814thwiththeroyalcommandperformancesoftheSouthernSyncopatedOrchestraandtheOriginalDixielandJazzBandatBuckinghamPalaceinthesecondhalfof1919.101ChicagoTribune,Nov.18,p.5anddozensofotherpapersaroundthecountryoverthenextfourweeks;seealsoScott,OfficialHistory,p.303.TheClevelandGazette,November23,1918,p.1,printsaparaphraseofthisnewsitemwiththeadditionalclaimthatthebandwasinfactthatofJimEuropeandthe369thInfantryplayingfortheAmericanDaycelebrationofthesigningoftheArmistice,auniqueembellishmentforwhichthereisnofurthercorroboration.
32
militarycemetery.WewerewiththemagainatthePortofBrestwhere,withtheir
wonderfullystirringmusicthey,too,foughtinthatbattleformorale."102
*
BeforediscussingthereturnoftheblackregimentalbandstotheUnitedStatesafterthe
Armistice,twolooseendswillreceivesomeattentionhere.Thefirstconcernsadditional
blackmilitarybandsthatcametoEuropeaspartofthewareffort,andthesecondconcerns
issueshavingtodowiththerankandqualificationsofbandmasters.
ADDITIONALBANDS
Otherunitsinthearmyalsohadbands.Thisistrue,forexample,ofEngineer
regimentsandservicebattalions,andlaborbattalionsandcompanies,allofwhomworked
fortheArmy'sServiceofSupplyanditsQuartermasterCorps,asdidstevedoreregiments
andbattalions.Someofthesenon-combatantunits,includingtheirbands,werestaffedby
AfricanAmericans.103Forexample,therewereatleasteightArmyServiceCorpsbands,and
theArmyServiceCorps1stBandwasacoloredband.104The317thEngineersRegiment
(colored),attachedtothe92ndDivision,hadacelebratedbandunderThomasE.Green,
whocametoitfromtheregulararmy,wherehehadbeenleadingthebandofthe24th
Infantry.105ThebandwasreferredtointheNewYorkAge,whichreportedthatthe317th
LaborBattalion,QuartermasterCorps,wascoloredandhaditsownband,thoughtheir
102HuntonandJohnson,TwoColoredWomen,pp.221-22.Thebandofthe815thwastherebecause"membersoftheregimenthadchargeofburialoflargenumbersofAmericandeadinthecemeteryatRomagne-Sous-Montfaucon,France"(Pueblo(Col.)Chieftain,August7,1919,p.4).Abandmemberofthe816th,VernonL.PagealsomentionedplayingforthededicationofthecemeteryonMemorialDay1919(KansasCitySun,July5,1919,p.8).103AnthonyPendletonTaylor(1894-1957)isanAfricanAmericanABL,accordingtogenealogyandUSVeteransGravesitesdata.HisdatesofserviceareJuly3toDecember7,1918.AccordingtohisgravestoneandhisU.S.NationalCemeteryIntermentControlForm,hewasAsst.BandLDR49CO151DepotBrigade.104ChicagoTribune,July31,1919,p.9.105NewYorkAge,August3,1918,p.2;LosAngelesCaliforniaEagle,January2,1941,p.3-A.EmmetScott'slistofNegroorganizationsthatservedoverseasreferstothe317thasaLaborBattaliononp.316butasthe317thEngineersonp.482;thelaborbattalionisundoubtedlytheengineersunderadifferentname.
33
commentatorremarked,“IdonotbelievethereisanotherLaborBattalioninFrancewitha
band.”106TheEvansvilleCourierreportedittobeabandoftwenty-eight"whichhas
attractedwideattention,"andfurtherthat"thetalentofthe317thlaborbattalionfor
entertaininghaslongbeenrecognized"andthatthebattalionwouldbemountingashow
thatwouldappearatChambery.107
Regardingstevedores,anarticlefortheNewYorkAgementionsabandof50,allof
whomworkedonthedocksuntilthearmistice.108TheSeattleDailyTimes,inanarticle
withawonderfultitle("FrenchGoSupperlesstoHearYankeeBands"),alsomentionsthat
"oneofthemostpopularandbest-knownAmericanbandsinthe"ServiceofSupplies"in
Franceiscomposedofthenegrostevedores."109Thismaybethesamebandreferredtoin
theNewYorkAge,whichmayinturnbethebandthatHuntonandJohnsonsingleoutas
theSt.Nazaireband,“encouragedbytheYMCA,”thatplayedunderAssistantBandLeader
SergeantStevenson.StevensondiedatChamberyfromafallin1919.110St.Nazairewasa
principalportfortroopsandsupplies,andwashometomanyarmyunitsofwhiteand
blacklaborers,whileChamberywasafurloughspotforAfricanAmericansoldiersfrom
JanuarytoMay1919.Apparently,theSt.NazairebandwasvisitingtheLeaveAreawhen
Stevensonhadhisfatalaccident.
RANKANDQUALIFICATIONS
Issuesconcerningtherankandqualificationsofbandmastersareofsignificancein
thestoryoftheblackU.S.ArmybandsinWorldWarI.Afirstpointhastodowith
designatedrank.BeforeWWI,armybandmasterswereenlistedmen---effectively,
sergeants.In1916,thepositionofChiefMusicianwasofficiallyrenamedBandLeader,with
anAssistantBandLeaderservingimmediatelyunder.FollowingasuggestionofGeneral
Pershing,militaryordersissuedonJune1,1918requiredthattheU.S.Army’sBand
Leadersreceivetemporaryofficers’commissions.Thosewithoverfiveyearsofserviceas
106NewYorkAge,March29,1919,p.2.107EvansvilleCourierandPress,May31,1919,p.6.108NewYorkAge,June7,1919,p.1.109SeattleDailyTimes,December1,1918,p.27.110AddieW.HuntonandKathrynM.Johnson,TwoColoredWomenwiththeAmericanExpeditionaryForces,p.222,withaphotooftheSt.Nazairebandbetweenpp.222and223.
34
leaderweremadefirstlieutenants,andthosewithless,includingallnewappointments,
weremadesecondlieutenants.ThusalltheBandLeadersinthe92ndand93rdDivisions
becameLieutenants,asmallbutnoteworthyadditiontothenumberofblackofficers.111
DryeandEuropehadwonpreviousappointmentsaslineofficers,notasmusicians,soeach
oftheirbandsalsohadasergeant(laterLieutenant)BandLeader.TimBrymnwaslater
alwaysdescribedasthefirstofthebandmasterstoreceivehisappointmentas2nd
Lieutenant,andthatappointmentcameonJune22,1918.
RecallthatthePioneerInfantryregimentswereorganizedfromJunetoSeptember
1918,thusafterimplementationofPershing'sneworders.Theyallhadwhiteofficers,so
withthesoleexceptionofVoderyandWheelock(andremember,Wheelockwaswhitein
thearmy’seyes),theirconductorswereleftattherankofsergeantinthepositionof
AssistantBandLeader,answerabletoawhitelieutenantfromHeadquartersCompanywho
wasnotnecessarilyamusicianatall;nocommissionedblackBandLeaderwasever
appointed.112Moreover,inJuly1918theAmericanExpeditionaryForceadoptedapolicy
wherebysegregatedblackunitshadtohaveeitherallwhiteorallblackofficers;nounits
weretohaveamixofracesamongtheirofficers.113Thispolicywasrelaxedforblackband
leaderLieutenantsinunitswithotherwiseallwhiteofficers,asinthecaseforMikellinthe
369th,andforJimEuropeuponhisreturntothebandofthe369thinAugust1918,andfor
Voderywiththe807th.
AsecondpointabouttheU.S.Army'sbandmastersandarmybandsinEurope
concernsbandmasterqualificationsandeducation.GeneralPershing,despiteallthe
demandsonhisattention,foundtimetoreviewtheconditionofthemilitarybandsunder
111Afterthewar,allbandleaderswhodidnotmusteroutrevertedtoenlistedrank.ThepresentdayranksofWarrantOfficer(from1920)andChiefWarrantOfficer(from1941)werecreatedlater.WilliamC.White,AHistoryofMilitaryMusicinAmerica(NY:ExpositionPress,1944;repr.GreenwoodPress,1974),p.98-101.112ThesewhitelieutenantsapparentlydidnotholdformalBandLeaderappointments;theywereontheregimentalheadquartersstaffandoversawthebandbutdidnotgetcloselyinvolvedwiththemusicians.TodateIhavefoundthenamesofonlytwo(Legendrewiththe805thandMaxomwiththe814th).LawrenceDenton’scommentsabouthistimeinthe806thcapturethesituationclearly:“Imadeassistantbandleaderandthebandleaderwasawhitefella,lieutenant...Weonlysawhimaboutonceamonth.Helefteverythingtous”(Pearson,Goin’ToKansasCity,p.18).HuntonandJohnson(p.28)tellananecdoteaboutanotherwiseunidentifiedblackbandwithawhiteleader,andtheydescribetheSt.NazairebandasledbyitsblackAssistantBandLeader.113Badger,ALifeinRagtime,p.190.
35
hiscommandinthespringof1918andfoundmanyinneedofimprovement.Firststeps
weretakenbytheordersofJune1,1918,whichnotonlycalledforthepromotionofband
leaderstoofficerrankbutalsofortheenlargementofregimentalbandsfrom28to48men,
andtheadditionofadrumandbuglecorps.Thegenerallevelofmediocrityamongst
conductorswasnotsoeasilydealtwith.Whiteorblack,ablebandmasterswerein
desperatelyshortsupply,andtheknowledgeandabilitiesofthosebroughtintothearmy
variedconsiderably.Bycoincidence,itwaspreciselyatthisjuncturethatfamedAmerican
conductorWalterDamroschcametoFranceinJune1918toengageaFrenchorchestrafor
concertsatthesoldiers’restcamps.Pershing,learningofhispresenceonthecontinent,
summonedhimtohisheadquartersinChaumonttoconsult.Oneimmediateresultoftheir
discussionwasthedecisionthatbandsmenwouldnolongerhavetobepressedintoservice
asstretcher-bearers.114Moreconsequentiallyforbandmasters,Damroschagreedto
examineallofthemtoevaluatetheircompetency.
A.JackThomasandE.E.Thompsonwereamongthe200-oddbandmasters(byone
report240,ofwhom229werewhiteand11non-white)whotookWalterDamrosch’s
examinationforarmymusiciansinParisoverseveralweeksinJuly1918.115Onlyeight
whitesandThomasandThompsonpassed.116Damroschexplainedthechasteningresults
toPershingandsubsequentlytooktheleadingroleinestablishinganarmybandmasters
schoolinChaumontthatoperatedfromNovember1,1918toJune1,1919.Thecourseof
studylastedeightweeks.117ItwasattendedbyA.JackThomasandWillVoderyinlate1918
114AfterPershingandDamroschconsulted,bandswereofficiallyrelievedoflitterworkbyGeneralOrder139,A.E.F.,butbandsmencontinuedtoserveinthiscapacityanywayrightthroughthelastgreatoffensives.Seetheexperiencesofthebandsmenofthe368thcitedaboveandseealsotheGustafsondiaryon-line,andtheSavannah(GA)Tribune,March1,1919,p.1fortheexperiencesofthebandsmenofthe371stasfirstaidmenandstretcherbearers.115Citationneedstobeentered.Thenumberelevenforblackbandmastersaccountsforalloftheelevencombatregiments.116BaltimoreAfro-American,March10,1928,p.9(“Membersof368thInfantryBandBack9YearsFriday”),withdetailsprobablycontributedbyBaltimoreresidentA.JackThomas.Thenumberofelevennon-whitesfitstheelevenblackcombatregiments.AtthetimeofDamrosch’sexamination,thePioneerInfantryregimentsandtheirbandswerejustintheinitialstagesofformationinthestates.117Damrosch’sowndetailedaccountcanbereadinTheEtude38/3(March1920),pp.151-52:“TheMusicalAftermathoftheGreatWar:AninterviewsecuredespeciallyforTheEtudewiththedistinguishedconductorDr.WalterDamrosch.”
36
andearly1919,notbothatthesametime,beforetheyreturnedwiththeirunitstotheUS.
Mostprobably,ThomasattendedinNovemberandDecember;Voderyattendedfrom
FebruarythroughearlyApril.VoderyrecalledbeingtheonlyAfricanAmericanamongthe
40inhisclass,whoweredrawnbycompetitiveexaminationfromapoolof162applicants.
BothThomasandVoderydidoutstandingworkthere.118Vodery,inparticular,notonly
earnedhiscommissiontherebutwas"theHonourmanoftheA.E.F.Schoolfor
Bandmasters."119
*
POSTWARRETURNANDTHELUREOFTOURING
AftermusteringoutbackintheU.S.,mostofthedoughboys,includingbandsmen,
dispersedimmediatelybacktohomes,families,andjobs.Oftheregimentalbandmasters,
NormanScotthaddiedinFranceofpneumonia,andhisreplacement,BurnitMcReynolds,
returnedtothe10thCavalry.Alltheotherbandleadersmusteredoutofthearmy.Ofthem,
onlyDorcyRhodeslaterre-enteredactiveduty,in1926,asbandmasterofthe9thCavalry.
Aboutequalnumberstookupciviliancareersineducationandintheentertainment
industry.A.JackThomasretiredfromhislengthymilitarycareerandimmediatelyfounded
asymphonyorchestraandtheAeolianConservatoryinBaltimore.Dryereturnedto
TuskegeeandMikelltotheBordentownSchool,RhodestookovertheHowardUniversity
band,WheelockwentouttotheGenoa,NEIndianIndustrialSchool,Brownreturnedhome
toKentuckytoteachinacareerthateventuallytookhimtoHarlem’sfamousPS186,and
PolkacceptedapositionattheSt.JosephIndustrialSchool.WesleyI.Howardreturnedto
EuropeforayearofstudyandthenbeganacareeratHowardUniversity.LouiaVaughn
JonesopenedaprivatestudioinBostonfortwoyears,thenwenttoEurope;hecameback
totheUSin1930toteachatHoward.Thompson,Vodery,Cason,White,andStewartwere
amongthemanywhopickedupthethreadsoftheirindividualcareersinthefieldof
entertainment.
118VoderylettertoAlexRogersintheNewYorkAge,June7,1919,p.6("VoderyMakesHighestMarkoftheBandleaders");reprintedbyMarkTucker,"Vodery,"pp.181-82.119PhiladelphiaTribune,June14,1919,p.1.
37
Thegreatestoftheblackregimentalbandshopedforstatesideworkinearly1919
basedontheirwartimereputations.Expectationwasbuilding(atleastintheEastCoast
press,whichpaidlittleheedtoChicago)aboutthoseledbyEurope,Brymn,Thomas,and
Thompson.Anarticleentitled“ColoredMilitaryBandsToDelightAmericanAudiences”
proclaimedthat“WiththereturnofcoloredregimentsfromFrancewearesoontohavein
ourmidstracemilitarybandsgalore.Ofcourse,eachregimentwillclaimhonorsofhaving
thebestband.”120Withprideatstake,gettingoutaheadofthefieldwasgoingtobe
importantfromthemomentthetransportsdocked.Withoutaguaranteeofimmediate
work,though,bandsweresuretoevaporateafterdemobilization,especiallyifthe
bandsmenwereofgeographicallydiversebackgrounds.Ananecdoteistellinghere:inthe
caseofBrymn’sband,itwasreportedthatthemengotasignalfromshorebeforetheyeven
disembarkedthatconfirmedtheywouldhavework.121
Themostexcitingprospectforturningfameintofortunewasthroughtouring,
presentingblackmusicandmusicianstowhiteaudiencesinlargeconcerthallsand
theaterspatronizedbywhites,foramiddleclasswhowantedtohearwhathadgottenthe
foreignerssoworkedupoverseas.Theblackmilitarybandsnotonlybroughtjazzto
France,butinaveryrealsense,theyalsobroughtjazztoAmericanaswell.FromMarch
throughMayof1919,theyplayedforlargerandmorediverseaudiencesthanhadever
heardthismusicbefore.
Touringinthestateswasvirtuallyterraincognitaforthebands,though.Therewas
exactlyonemodelforsuchalargeenterpriseanditwasofremarkablyrecentvintage.
Hopingtobuilda"movementtoexploitNegromusic,"WillMarionCook122announcedin
September1918aproposedtourbysixtyinstrumentalistsandsingersoftheNewYorkClef
120NewYorkAge,February22,1919,p.6.Thearticleproposedthat"Thismootedquestion[ofwhoisthenumberoneblackmilitaryband]mightbedecidedbystagingabigbandcontestsomeSundayeveningattheHippodrome."121HarrisburgPatriot,April5,1919,p.7:"WhentheBlackDevilBandnearedthedockinNewYorkCitytheyespiedthefigureofCaptainCarlHelm,theirwhitefriendandmentor,standinguponthestringpieceofthewharf.Theyletoutayellwhichcouldbeheardamileormore,fortheyknewthathewasonthejob,andthattheirAmericantourwasassured."122OnWillMarionCook,seenow"ChronologyandItineraryoftheCareerofWillMarionCook:MaterialsforaBiograph,"on-lineathttp://digitalcommons.unl.edu/musicfacpub/66/
38
ClubinNovemberthatwouldtakethemtotenofthenation'slargestcities.123Thistour
nevergotofftheground.Inalllikelihood,thelogisticswerebeyondCook'sabilityand
experiencetomanageatthetime.Meanwhile,forthegrandbenefitforthe367thInfantry
attheCenturyTheatreonOctober27,1918,Cook,themusicaldirector,hadtoworkclosely
withGeorgeW.Lattimore,thegeneraldirectoroftheevent.Cookhadfoundhis
professionalmanager.BylaterNovemberorearlyDecember,thetwoofthemcontracted
togethertorunaneworganization,theNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra(NYSO),which
wentoutontheroadforninetydaysbetweenJanuary30andApril30,1919,completing
twocircuitsouttoChicagoandback.Ratherthanmoveatthepaceofavaudevilleshowor
Broadwayroadcompany,theNYSOtravelledtotherhythmandtempoofaSousaband-
styletour,thatis,onthemovedaily,withdailymatineeandeveningconcertsateachstop,
hittingmanysmalltownsaswellasthebiggesthallsinthelargestcities.EntertainerTom
Fletcher,whowasamemberofthecompany,recalledthattheNYSOtourwas“thefirst
timeanorchestraofthiskindhadevertouredthecountry,”andhereportedthatCook’s
ambitionwasforittobe“thegreatestthingeverdonebycoloredpeople.”124
Cook'sinitiallythwartednotionanditsrealizationunderLattimore'smanagement
showsushowimportantitwasthataninvestmentbemadeinprofessionalplanningfor
ambitiousandcomplicatedtours.Further,itshowsthattheplanningprocessneededto
havebegunwellbeforethebandslanded.AsfarasmajorUStours,onlythreebands---
thoseofDulfandEuropefromthe93rdDivisionandBrymnfromthe92ndDivision---were
abletoarrangetomakeextensive,immediatetoursforprofitasprivatecitizens,andaswe
willsee,onlyDulfandBrymnwereabletokeeptheirbandsmore-or-lessintactthereafter
foranextendedperiod.ThetourroutesofCookandtheNYSO,Brymnandthe350th"Black
Devils"Band,Europeandthe369th"HarlemHellfighters"Band,andDulfandthe370th
"BlackDevils"BandaregiveninAppendixIII.
Theothertwogreatbandsofthe92ndDivision---thoseofthe367thand368th---
cameupintheconversationabouttouringbutdidnottaketheplunge.AndthePioneer
123NewYorkAge,September21,1918,p.5;WashingtonBee,September21,1918,p.8;TheCrisis17/1(November1918),p.32(repr.inCaxton'sWeekly(Seattle),November23,1918,p.3).124TomFletcher,100YearsoftheNegroinShowBusiness(NewYork:Burdge,1954;repr.DaCapo.1984),pp.187,277.
39
Infantrybands,returningsomuchlaterin1919,neverbecameapartofthisenterprise---
notevenVodery's807th,thebandthatsomethoughtsurpassedanyotherbandthatever
wenttoFrance.125
AnticipatingthatE.E.Thompsonwouldtourwiththebandofthe367th,one
observerspeculatedthat“thereshouldbesomeinterestingmusicalmomentsthenextfew
dayswhenthe“Buffalo”musiciansreturnandfindtheorganizationsofthe368thand
369thalreadyonthefield.”The367th,however,runningafewweeksbehindtheothersin
theprocessofdemobilization,andapparentlywithoutstrongstatesidesponsorship,opted
outoftouring.Instead,Thompsonandhis“Buffaloes”playedattheManhattanCasinoon
April9andthenatCarnegieHallforabenefitonMay3undertheauspicesoftheY.M.C.A.,
butneveragainre-assembled.126Inthefall,ThompsonwenttoworkforWillMarionCook
andGeorgeLattimore.ArejuvenatedversionofCook’sNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra,re-
namedtheSouthernSyncopatedOrchestra,hadsailedforEnglandinMayandJune1919
andhadbeenplayinginLondonsinceJuly.ThompsonjoinedtheorchestrainEnglandas
conductorinplaceofCookinOctober1919,andheremainedwithitformostoftwo-and-a-
halfseasons,leadingit---ofteninuniform---intolate1921.127
A.JackThomasofthe368thwassaidtobe“planningtoorganizeaconcertband
fromthebestmusicaltalentinthe92ndDivision,”128butthatnotionalsonevercameto
fruition.Insteadofwrestlingtoholdhismentogetherandorganizeatourafterthey
musteredoutonMarch9,heoptedtosettledowninBaltimorebyearlyApril.Thomas
announcedtheopeningoftheAeolianConservatoryonApril23,andhealsoorganizeda
125ChicagoDefender,June21,1919,p.4.Attheleast,Vodery'sbandwasexpectedtomakeagrandparadeupLenoxAvenuewhenitgothome(ChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.4),buthomecoming,onceanticipatedforMay,endedupbeinginlateJuly,andtherewasnoparade,muchlessanytouring.126ThereisalongarticleontheBuffaloesandThompson,withaphotoofThompson,intheNewYorkAge,April5,p.6-7,inanticipationofconcertofApril9.TheMay3concertwasreviewedintheNewYorkAge,May10,1919,p.6,andseealsotheChicagoDefender,May10,1919,p.4.127OnthecomplicatedandsometimesdramatichistoryoftheSSOanditspersonnel,theessentialstartingpointisnowHowardRye,"TheSouthernSyncopatedOrchestra,"BlackMusicResearchJournal29(2009):153-228,withsubstantialadditionalinformationonitsroster,itinerary,andmoreaddendabythesameauthorinBlackMusicReserchJournal30(2010).128NewYorkAge,February22,1919,p.6;seealsoBadger,ALifeinRagtime,p.204andp.308,n.9.
40
symphonyorchestratherebyApril27.129DrumMajorLandinandtheJazzBandmadea
fewprominentappearances,however,culminatinginafarewellinBaltimoreonthenights
ofApril21,22,and23.130Further,“asectionoftheregimentalbandofthe368thInfantry”
playedinWashington,DC,atHowardUniversity’scommencementinJune,amajorevent
whichincorporatedacelebrationofthatinstitution’sfiftiethanniversary.131
Whatofthethreebandsthatdidtour?Theseseasonedensembleswereindeedout
ofthegateinahurry.Bycoincidence,Dulf’sandEurope’sregimentswerenotonly
celebratedinmonsterparadesledbytheirrespectivebandsinChicagoandNewYorkon
theverysameday,February17,butbothbandssetoutontouronemonthlater,againon
thesameday,March16.Further,aslateasMarch29,itwasreportedthattheregimental
bandsoftheOldEightandtheOldFifteenthwouldappearinNewYorkinajointrecital,
andthehyperbolicreportrhapsodizedthat"Neverinthehistoryofthecountryhassucha
giganticundertakingbeentriedasthetouroftheseMilitarybands."132Brymn,notfar
behindthesefirsttwo,begantouringonMarch19.DulfdidnotwrapupuntilatleastMay
22,whileJimEurope’stourwastoendatsomepointsoonaftertheMay9-11concertsin
Boston,andBrymn’sonMay18.AstheNewYorkClipperreportedit,"theendofthewar
hasbroughtintobookingofficesalargenumberofmusicalsoldiershows,vaudevilleacts
andjazzbandsthataremakingrecordsalmosteverywherewhenitcomestogetting
money."133AndtheNewYorkAgeboastedof"ColoredAttractionsWinningO.K.of
BroadwayAudiences."134
Takingupfirstthecontinuingstoryofthe“Old8thIllinois,”Dulftookhis“Black
Devils”ofthe370thontheroadforovertwomonthsfrommidMarchthroughlateMay
1919,expectingtohitasmanyas50majorcities.FromNewOrleanstheyheadednorth,
thenswungeastthroughColumbus,Toledo,andClevelandintoPennsylvania,andthen
downtheEastCoastfromBaltimoreandWilmingtonatleastasfarsouthasGreensboro
129BaltimoreAfro-AmericanLedger,April23,1919,p.2,BaltimoreAfro-AmericanLedger,May16,1919,p.10;TheCrisis18/2(June,1919),p.101.130BaltimoreSun,April20,1919,p.11.131WashingtonBee,June16,1919,p.4.132AnAssociatedNegroPressarticleoutofChicago;see,e.g.,DallasExpress,March29,1919,p.12andRichmondPlanet,April12,1919,p.9.133NewYorkClipper,March26,1919,p.5.134NewYorkAge,March22,1919,p.6.
41
andRichmond.ThebandwasassistedbyanotherChicagoan,thenationally-famedAfrican
AmericancoloraturasopranoAnitaPattiBrown(1881-1950),alongwithbandveterans
FrankA.Dennie,tenorsoloist,andCharlesA.Brady,cornetvirtuoso.Theirshowalso
featuredthedecoratedwarheroLieut.SamuelS.Gordon,himselfawardedtheCroixde
Guerre,whonarratedstoriesoftheexploitsoftheregimentanditsband.Ontheirstopin
Cleveland,“Selectionsfromgrandoperawereappreciatedbytheaudience....butwhen
theboysplayedthepopularjazzmusictheaudiencebecamesoexcitedthat,haditnotbeen
Sunday,theremighthavebeendancing.Manyencoresweredemanded.Theywerealways
answeredwithmorejazz.”135Stayingtogetherafterthetoureitherasthe“BlackDevils”or
asthe“FamousEighthIllinoisBand,”theycontinuedtotakeengagementsthatsummer,
playing,forexample,inSt.LouisonFriday,August15fortheannualmeetingofthe
NationalNegroBusinessLeague,andthenplayingattheLexington,KY,ColoredFairfora
weekbeginningAugust17.(TheyweretoreturntothisLexingtonvenueinAugust1920.)
Brymn'sbandwasalsothe"BlackDevils,"soanadvertisementintheChicagoDefender
duringthespringtourmakesclearthatDulf'sbandwastherealdeal:"Beware!Genuine
"BlackDevils"are370thInf.OldEighthIllinoisRegimentBand/Geo.Dulf,Conductor/With
AnitaPattiBrown,soloist/NowEnRoute--WatchforDate."136
MostimportanttothestoryofDulf’slong-standingband,though,isthatin
September1919asecondspinoffoftheformerNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestrawas
createdintheUnitedStatesbyWillMarionCook,whichhecalledtheAmericanSyncopated
Orchestra[ASO].137TheASOabsorbedDulfandsomeofDulf’smen,wasbasedinChicago,
andwasrepresentedinnewspaperstoriesasadirectcontinuationofthe370th.Itwasto
haveplayedprivatelyunderDulfforPresidentWilsoninWichitaonSeptember29,1919to
kickoffitsfirstextendedtour,butthatopportunitywaslostduetoWilson'sstrokeand
suddenreturntoWashingtonbytrainfromWichitaonthe27th.Cookreturnedfrom
EuropesothatheandDulfcouldshareconductingdutieswiththeASOfromlateNovember
135ClevelandGazette,April12,1919,p.3.136ChicagoDefender,May3,1919,p.14.137Confusingly,theNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra’sfirstoffshoot,theSouthernSyncopatedOrchestra,wasoccasionallycalledtheAmericanSyncopatedOrchestrabyBritishpapers(sometimesasatitle,andsometimesmeaningsimplytheSyncopatedOrchestrafromAmerica).
42
1919tomidJanuary1920,afterwhichhereturnedtoEurope.DulfkepttheASOgoingfora
secondwinterseasonover1920-1921,touringnationallyatleastintoFebruary1921.138In
bothseasonsitessentiallytracedthesamegeneralrouteastheWesternvaudevillecircuits
oftheOrpheumandPantagesorganizations,whichranfromChicagonorththroughthe
TwinCitiesintoCanada,thenwesttothePacificCoastandsouthfromVancouverand
SeattletoLosAngelesandSanDiego.OfalltheblackregimentalbandsbackfromEurope,
Dulf'stravelledthefarthestandenjoyedthemostgeographicallydiverseaudience.
TimBrymn,whohadledthebiggest,wealthiestbandoverseas,mountedamajor
publicitycampaignforhistourbackintheStates.Inthenewspaperads,Brymnwas“Mr.
JazzHimself,”hisbandwas“TheOverseasJazzSensation”or“Europe’sJazzSensation,”and
hisconcertswere“AMilitarySymphonyEngagedinaBattleofJazz.”Healsofavoredthe
“BlackDevils”moniker,butDulfandthe370thhavingclaimeditfirst,Brymndistinguished
hisensemblebycallingitthe“70BlackDevils.”Heandabandofseventymadeatwo-
montheasternandmidwesterntourfrommidMarchtomidMayfeaturingvocalsoloist
JosephineDeanandsaxophonesoloistsfromtheband.Theybeganwithahomecoming
debutonMarch19inPhiladelphiaandanappearanceshortlythereafterinTrenton,then
swungwestthroughPennsylvaniaintoOhioandeastagainforatriumphantgrandfinale
onMay18attheCasinoonBroadwayat39thStreetinNewYorkCity.Forthisevent,the
paperscalledthem“TheBandAllNewYorkHasBeenWaitingtoHear.”MadameErnestine
Schumann-HeinckherselfwasonhandthateveningattheCasinoTheatretowelcome
them.139
Afterthespringtour,Brymnkeptgoingforatleastthreeyearsanever-shrinking
“BlackDevils”bandoffirst70,then50,then20,orevenonlyahalfdozenmen,mostly
playingatclubsandhotelsintheNewYorkarea.Justthreedaysaftertheirtourended,on
Wednesday,May21,theywereaheadlineactinthehugenationalSalvationArmy
DoughnutDayDrive,playinganoontimeconcertatNewYork’sPennsylvaniaStation.Most
significantfortheirwallets,though,weretwothree-month,high-profileresidenciesto
138TheOgden(UT)Examiner,January11,1921,p.4;etc.,etc.,toSanJose,Cal.EveningNews,Feb.9,1921,p.7andFeb.17,1921,p.2;SanJoseMercuryNews,Feb.6,1921,p.14andFeb.17,1921,p.8.139NewYorkTribune,May13,1919,p.11;NewYorkTribune,May16,1919,p.11;NewYorkTribune,May17,1919,p.11.
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accompanystageshowsanddancingatafamednearbyresort,theHotelShelbourneat
BrightonBeachonConeyIslandinthesummersof1919and1920.(NobleSisslerecalls
thatthisbookingwasinitiallytohavebeenfilledbyJimEurope’sband).140Brymnclaimed
thatonlytheflatteringofferoftheBrightonBeachcontractkeptthebandfromembarking
onaworldtourinconcert.141BetweensummersattheShelbourne,thebandkeptbusy
withstintsoppositeSophieTuckeratReisenweber'sCafeatColumbusCircleinSeptember
andOctober1919,andatProctor’s125thStreetTheatreinFebruary1920.Brymn’sband
wasalsoaheadlineattractioninanextravaganzainMadisonSquareGardeninSeptember
1920asoneoftheliveactsonabillfeaturingtheworldpremiereofthesilentfilmbiopicof
BabeRuth,Headin’Home.TheSherbournethenrenewedtheircontractforanadditional
sixmonthsfromOctober1920intoApril1921.Inthespringof1921,Brymntookasmall
groupofBlackDevilsintoanOkehRecordsrecordingsession,marchedwithalargergroup
atPresidentHarding’sinauguralparade(March4,1921),andlaterservedascomposerand
musicaldirector,withapitorchestraof20BlackDevils,fortheBroadwaycoloredreview
PutandTake(August23-September23,1921).InJanuary1922,Brymnwasoneofagroup
ofsixBlackDevilswhoplayedtheBinghamton,NYautoshow.ByNovember1922,
however,hehadstoppedusingthenameBlackDevilsforhisbandsandorchestras,
althoughheheldonproudlytohisuniformandtothetitle"Lieutenant"fortherestofhis
career.
Lieut.JimEurope,the"JazzKing,"tookontheroadthemostfamousbandofthem
all,the“369thInfantryHellFighters’Band,”inwhatwasplannedtobeanine-weektourof
morethantwodozencities.AdvertisingcopyforthePathérecordingsthatthebandmade
inMarchsays"thisfamousoverseasbandisnowmakingatriumphaltourofthecountry
fromMainetoCalifornia,playingeverymatineeandeveningtopackedhouses."142Inthe
end,thattourlastedonlyeightweeks,fromMarch16toMay11,1919.(AfterEurope's
deathonMarch9,theconcertsonMarch10andMarch11wentonasscheduledunderthe
140Sissle,"Memoirs,"p.224.141NewYorkAge,October9,1920,p.5("LieutenantJ.TimBrymn'sInterestingMusicalCareer").142TheMusicTrades,May3,1919,p.34.
44
batonofFelixWeir.143)Ithadbeenexpectedthatthetourwouldbefollowedbytripstoall
themajorcitiesoftheUSandCanada,andthenacrosstheAtlantic.Andthen,afterthe
deathofJimEurope,"themembersoftheband,underdirectionofFelixWeir,expectto
makeanationaltour,theproceedstogofortheerectionofamonumenttothememoryof
thegreatmusicaldirector,"144atourthatdidnottakeplace.
JustwhoandhowmanyHellFightersbandsmentherewerethatspringisaquestion
withnoonefirmanswer.Immediatelybeforethetour,Europetookagroupofabout
twentymenintotherecordingstudioforPathé,whilefortheManhattanconcertsheledan
“augmentedregimentalband”ofeightyormore,almostdoublethesizeoftheoverseas
ensembleoffortyfive,andthetravellingensemblewasadvertisedasabandofsixtyfive.145
TheHellFightersBandtravelledwestfromBostonasfarasIndianapolis,St.Louis,and
ChicagobeforeretracingitspathbacktoBoston,withtheanticipationofagrandfinalein
NewYorkCity.
The369thband'sitineraryregularlycrisscrossedwiththepathsoftheDulfand
BrymnbandsandWillMarionCook’sNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra.Forexample,
Brymn'smenplayedPhiladelphiaonMarch19,andEurope'smenplayedthesamecityon
theverynextnight.Newspaperadsforbothensembleswereveryawareofthenearhead-
to-headmatch-up,andadswerejuxtaposednexttoeachotherinthepapers,withTim
Brymn'sadvertisedclaimtobe"Europe'sJazzSensation"beingcounteredbyJimEurope's
advertisedwarning:"DoNotConfusetheGreatestofJazzBandswithanyotherTradingon
thenameofEurope."146AndanAssociatedNegroPressstoryoutofChicagoonMay8
celebratedtheextraordinaryjuxtapositioninthatcityofconcertsintheloopdistrictonthe
samenight---Monday,April28---byCook'sorchestraatOrchestraHall,Europe'sbandat
143BostonHerald,May8,1919,p.8;BostonHerald,May10,1919,p.1;BostonHerald,May11,1919,p.6;ChicagoDefender,May17,1919,p.1.AccordingtoBillboard,inabriefarticledatedMay17,FelixWeirwasEurope'ssuccessor,"andtheremainingconcertswillbegivenasoriginallyscheduled"(Billboard,May24,1919,p.5),butthisisnotwhatthentranspired.144DallasExpress,May24,1919,p.1.145Onthenumbersofpersonnel,seeReidBadger,"PerformancePractice,"andseealsoTimBrooks,LostSounds:BlacksandtheBirthoftheRecordingIndustry,1890-1919(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,2004),pp.280-92.Inanyevent,moreover,neitherthetouringbandofJimEuropenorthoseofDulforBrymnweremannedexclusivelybytheirownveterans.146PhiladelphiaInquirer,March19,1919,p.3.
45
theAuditorium,andthebandofthe365thunderSergeantAlbertJonesattheGrantPark
VictoryArchjustoffMichiganBoulevard("ColoredMusiciansHaveChicagoCharmed").147
AfterEurope'sdeathandtheconclusionoftheBostonconcertseries,ratherthan
tourunderFelixWeir,thegroupwasimmediatelydisbandedanditsmusiciansthrownout
ofwork.148NobleSissleturneddownasuggestionthathetakeoverthebandandleada
reducedensembleoffifteenonavaudevilletourontheKeithcircuit.149Instead,Mikell
steppedinatthisjuncture.HeassumedformalleadershipinJune150andkepttheHell
FightersBandgoingonandoffforatotalofsixmoreyearsinconjunctionwithhisteaching
career.Mikellhadhopedtotourinthefallwiththeband,butthatplannevercameto
fruition.Rather,hebeganwithindividualconcertsinNewYorkCityonJune15,June27,
July11,July26-27,August14,andSeptember26,1919,151followedbyaconcertonJanuary
25,1920inProvidence,RhodeIsland,152andoneonMay11,1920inNewYork.153The
groupthenwentonhiatusfortwoyears,asMikellbecamemoreandmoreinvolvedwith
teaching.154
ComplicatingthehistoryandlegacyoftheHellFighters’Bandisasituationthatwas
partlynational,partlylocalinsignificance.Foratleastsixmonthsin1917-1918therewere
two15thN.Y.NationalGuardregimentsandtwobands,the“old”andthe“new.”Thenew
15thN.Y.wasre-establishedforlocalhomeserviceinthefallof1917beforetheold15th
hadevenleftthestates.Abandforitwasquicklyformedandbegantoconcertizeunder
FrederickWardSimpson,whoearnedaNationalGuardcommissionasLieutenant.Upon
thereturnofNewYorkareaveteransinearly1919,avigorouseffortwasmadetosign
themupforthenewguardregimentanditsnewband.Furthermore,withthe"old"
147DallasExpress,Saturday,May10,1919,p.1.148NewYorkTribune,May25,1919,p.7.149RobertKimballandWilliamBolcolm,ReminiscingwithSissleandBlake(NewYork:VikingPress,1973),p.80.SissleandBlakewentoutonthevaudevillecircuitasaduoinstead.150TheNewYorkAge,June21,1919,p.6(“MikellNowLeaderof“Hellfighters”Band”).151NewYorkAge,October,11,1919,p.5152ProvidenceNews,January26,1920,p.4153NewYorkAge,May3,1920,p.6;NewYorkAge,May8,1920,p.6.154Afterthe1920-1921schoolyear,Mikell,whohadbeencommutingoutfromManhattan,lefttheBordentownSchoolaltogetherandconcentratedonhisprofessionalschoolteachingandClefClubdutiesinNewYorkCity.HehadbeenmadeconductoroftheClefClubOrchestra,andheleditattheLt.EuropeMemorialonMay15,1921;inJanuary1922heleditinaconcertatCarnegieHall.
46
15th/369thregimentdemobilized,thenew15thN.Y.wasnowtheofficialservicebandfor
eventsmemorializingthatcombatunit.Simpson’sgroupsoonwasabletoadvertisethat
“amongthemusicianswereanumberofoverseasveterans.”Itrepresenteditselfas“The
ColoredBandofWarFame,”“TheFamousNewYorkFifteenthInfantryBandof45
Musicians‘FromHarlemtotheRhine’,”“thebandthatwonallthejazzprizesinEngland,
FranceandItaly,”and“thesuccessortothefamous15thInfantryBandwhichserved
overseas.”
OnJanuary5,1921,aveteranwhiteofficeroftheold15thand369th,Col.ArthurW.
Little,wasappointedcommanderofthenew15thandbeganvigorouslytoincreasethesize
andresourcesoftheregiment.Hisinitiativesincludedamajorcampaignforanew
armory,155therenamingofthenew15thasthe369th,andanewdirectionforitsband(for
whichhehadaspecialplaceinhisheart,becauseasregimentaladjutantwiththe369thin
FrancehehadaccompanieditonitsFebruary-March1918tour).Formostofhisfirstyear
hekeptFredSimpsonasbandmaster,sothat,forexample,Simpsonledtheregimental
bandinthenew15th'sfirstmajorparademarchafterthewar,ahugeeventup5thAvenue
inMay1921.InDecember1921,however,Lieut.SimpsonwassucceededbyLieut.Will
Voderyasbanddirector,withLieut.NobleSissleasbandmanager.Simpson’sensemble
thentookondifferentsponsorship,immediatelyaffiliatinginabodywithMonarchLodge
No.45oftheImprovedBenevolentandProtectiveOrderofElksoftheWorld(colored)and
becomingtheMonarchBand.156ForthegalaaffairofJanuary20,1922thatmarkedthe
155Thehistoricarmoryofthe369thRegimentstillstandsat142ndStreetandFifthAvenue.Thesiteforthearmory,andinitialfunding,wereannouncedinJuly(NewYorkAge,July16,1921,p.1);aparadeandcornerstone-layingceremonytookplaceonMay27,1923(NewYorkTimes,May28,1923,p.7;NewYorkAge,June2,1923,p.1).156Asthenation’spremiereblackElksband,alsoknownastheMonarchSymphonicBandortheMiteeMonarchBand,itwasfortwosubsequentdecadesalarge,popular,andactiveensemblethatcametogetherfairlyfrequentlyforconcerts,especiallyinthesummermonthsontheCentralParkMall,andinamonthlywinterconcertseries.NewYorkAge,February28,1939,p.7,etc.TheElksband'slong-timedrummajorwasGillardThompson,whopreviouslyhadsucceededNobleSissleinthispositionwiththebandofthe369thduringthewar.GillardThompsonlaterservedasPresidentoftheMonarchBand,ExaltedRuleroftheMonarchElksLodge,andCommanderoftheDorrenceBrooksPostoftheV.F.W.,whilealsobecomingthefirstten-yearveteranofthenew369thNationalGuardregiment.ModernsecondarysourcessometimesconfuseGillThompsonwithBill"Bojangles"Robinson,andattributeThompson'sservicerecordtothegreattapdancerwhobecameHarlem'shonorarymayor.(Thompsonbeganwiththe15thasasergeantinHeadquartersCompany,thentookademotiontoprivatesothathecouldserveincombatasariflemanfromMay
47
renamingoftheregimentasthe("new")369th,theregimentalbandwasledbyWill
Vodery.Justhowmanyoftheperformersthatnightwereveterans,orweresimultaneously
membersoftheElksband,isnotknown.
Memorieswerelongandloyaltieswerestrong,moreover.Itwasneverforgotten
thattheMonarchBandwasformerlythebandofthe15th,anditheldontosomeofJim
Europe'sveteranbandsmen.Overthebetterpartofthenexttwodecadesitconcertized
extensively,frequentlyparticipatedinVFWeventsinHarlem,andenjoyedanational
reputationasElkdom'sChampionBand.Inthesecondhalfof1940,whenNationalGuard
soldierswerecalledupacrossthenationandHarlem's369thregimentbecamethe369th
CoastalArtillery,theNewYorkHomeGuardwasformedforstatesideservicewithanew
African-American15thRegimentasoneofeightNewYorkCityregiments.Simpsonandthe
Monarchsimmediatelybecameitsofficialband.
Meanwhile,ColonelLittle,concernedforthewelfareoftheveteranbandsmen,
beganinthespringof1922topursuetheideathatasmallerensemble,consistingjustof
veterans,mightbeabletofindfull-timework.Thisevidentlydidnotmeshwiththe
professionalschedulesofVoderyandSissle,whosteppedoutofthepicture,anditwasto
MikellthatColonelLittleturnedtoseeifthebandcouldagainbeaprofessionaloperation
thatcouldprovidesignificant,steadyincometoitsplayers.TheHellFightersBandstarted
full-timeworkinlateJune1922withthreeweeksofdailyafternoonconcertsin
Manhattan'sParkAvenueHotel.InJulyitbeganavaudevilletry-outwiththeB.F.Keith
organization,playingfirstatatheatreintheBronx,thenatoneinHarlem,andthenontoa
BroadwaydebutatB.S.Moss’sBroadwayTheatre,playing“severalofthenewestjazz
songsaswellasastirringmarchandaclassicaloperaticselection.”ItfinishedoutAugustin
vaudevilleatProctor'sFifthAvenueTheatre.InSeptember,Mikellbroughtthirtymento
Chicagoforafour-weekengagementplayingwiththenewCreamerandLaytonshowStrut
MissLizzie.ThiswasfollowedbyastintontheregionalvaudevillecircuitfromOctober
toNovember1918,thenreturnedtotherankofsergeantinHeadquartersCompanytosucceedSissleasdrummajor.InMarch1919,itwasThompsonwholedtheentire369thregimentupFifthAvenueinthehomecomingparade.BillRobinsonneverjoinedthearmyorleftthestatesandcanbecontinuouslytracedonthevaudevillestageduringthewaryears.)The"identitytheft"maygobacktoChartersandKunstadt.
48
1922throughJanuary1923withtheKeithorganizationthattookthebandfromNewYork
toNewJerseyandPhiladelphia,andthennorthtoProctor'stheatresinAmsterdam,Albany
andSchenectady.157Full-timeworkcouldnotbesustainedbeyondthesesevenmonths,but
theunitcontinuedtoplayprominentindividualengagements,mostmemorablywhenit
providedthemusicforagrandceremonyinManhattanonAugust13,1923payingtribute
toFrenchgeneralHenriGouraud.In1923thebandalsoplayedataninternationalpolo
matchoutonLongIsland,andtookavaudevilleengagementforaweekattheLoew’s
Theatreat9thAvenueand110th.158
AfterMikell’sefforttosustaintheHellFightersBandasacommercialconcerncame
toanend,hecontinuedtoleaditasaNationalGuardbandfortwomoreyears,through
mostof1925,untilheretiredfromtheguardshortlyafterColonelLittle.Latethatfallthe
bandwasputintothehandsofMikell'scurrentsecondincommand,long-timeband
memberandnowWarrantOfficerJacobW.Porter,wholeditforeightyears,untillate
1933.ItwasthenconductedforashortwhilebyArthurW.Phillips.RussellWooding
(1891-1959),thewell-knownbandleaderandarranger,wasappointedtodirectitin1936,
andherevitalizedtheensemble.Afterthecalltoactivedutyin1940itboastedofbeing“the
greatestmilitaryswingunitorganizedinanyUnitedStatesArmycamp,”andlaidclaimto
“acolorfulandinterestinghistory....followingandupholding”thetraditionofJim
Europe.159
SUMMINGUP
MakingalongitudinalstudyacrossofallthenewblackUSArmyregimentalbandsin
WorldWarIhasnotdislodgedJamesReeseEuropeandtheHellFightersBandfromtheir
pre-eminentposition.Butitallowsustoseebetterhowallofthenewbandswere
essentiallytheprogenyofGeorgeEdmundDulfandthebandoftheOldEighthIllinois,and
howthoseensembleswhichtouredthestatesaftertheirreturnwerefollowingthevery
recentmodelofWillMarionCook'sNYSOtour,asscheduledandbookedbyGeorgeW.
Lattimore.Therewillsurelybeprofitindiggingdeeperintonewspapers,memoirs,and
157All1922references.NewYorkTimes,June22,1922,p.8;etc.158NewYorkAge,October13,1923,p.6.159BaltimoreAfroAmerican,October11,1941,p.13,andTimeMagazine,March17,1941.
49
archivesbothinAmericaandabroadtoestablishmoredetaileditinerariesforeveryband
thatwentabroad.Nonetheless,theextended,cumulativecontributionsofthePioneer
Infantryregimentalbandsespeciallyemergenowingreaterclaritythanheretofore,asdo
theindividualrolesofsomeofthelesswellknownbandmasters.
Thenewjazzwasthespecialthingthatmostdistinguishedthesebandsmusically,
andeveryoneclaimeditastheirown.ItwasnotjustJimEurope'sbandthatbroughtjazzto
thecontinent;rather,itwassomethingontheorderoftwodozenbands.Moreover,they
playedthejazzofKansasCity,Chicago,Philadelphia,Baltimore,andWashingtonaswellas
thatofNewYorkCity.Uponthereturnofthebandsfromthewar,touringbackintheStates
broughtthenewjazzmusictodozensofsmallercitiesandtowns,andtowhiteaudiences
whohadneverbeforeheardtheseexotic,livelysounds.160Theresponsewasstrongand
positive.Byonereport,“SincethereturnofcoloredmilitarybandsfromFrancetothese
shoresthecountrysimplyhasgonewildaboutjazzmusic.”161Byanotherreport,
'There’smusicintheair,'andithasbeenplacedtherebythemembersofthe
race:theirorchestrasandbands,military,civilian,andjazz.Therearethree
aggregations,however,thataremakinghistoryinthewayofhappyfeeling;they
are:theoldEighthRegimentband,Chicago;theold15thRegimentband,New
York;andtheNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra.Theseareunderthedirectionof
GeorgeDulf,JamesReeseEurope,andWillMarionCook,respectively.These
organizations,ofmorethanfiftymeneach,havebeentouringthecountryin
recentmonthsand'settingthepeoplewild'bytheirrareentertainmentand
music.Thewhitepeoplehavefalleninlineandarehurrahingeverywherefor
racemusic,instrumentalandvocal.162
160Animpromptuconcertbytheregimentaljazzbandofthe809thduringaone-hourlayoverinaHarrisburg,Pa.,railroadyard,forinstance,drewabigfrontpageheadlineandfavorablecommentinthelocalpaper.SeetheHarrisburgPatriot,July21,1919,p.1.161NewYorkAge,May3,1919,p.6(“JazzMusicisNowAlltheRageThroughoutUnitedStates”).162BaltimoreAfro-American,Friday,May2,1919,p.4;theby-lineonthearticlewassentoutbytheAssociatedNegroPressfromChicagoonMay1.
50
FarfromhavingexhaustedthemarketaftertheirinitialburstoftouringfromMarch
intoMay1919,theensemblesbuiltbyDulf,Brymn,Europe,andCookcontinuedto
perform,andtoholdontotheirreputationsandtheirmilitaryandracialidentities,for
severaladditionalyears.WillMarionCook'sAmericanSyncopatedOrchestra(a.k.a.the
EighthChicagoortheOldEighth)underLieut.GeorgeDulftourednationallyintoearly
1921,whileCook'sSouthernSyncopatedOrchestraunderLieut.E.E.Thompsontoured
internationallyuntillate1921.Lieut.J.TimBrymnledanaggregationofBlackDevilsinto
mid1922,andLieut.F.EugeneMikellledtheveteransoftheHellFighters'Bandontour
intoearly1923.OnlyaftertheseterminaldatesdidtheactivitiesoftheChicagoandNew
YorkNationalGuardregimentalbandsagainbecomeofexclusivelylocalsignificance.
SomethingontheorderofathousandAfricanAmericanbandsmenmusteredinand
outofthetwenty-sevennewblackregimentsoftheUSArmybetween1917and1919.
Proudoftheirservice,theyheldfasttorankandtitle,performedinNationalGuardand
VFWbandsinlaterlife,andarrangedtobeburied,togetherwiththeirwives,inUS
veteranscemeteries.Amongthebandmastersandbandsmen,asignificantfew,familiarized
duringwartimewithlifeamongforeigners,wentbackabroadascivilianstoenjoythe
enthusiasmfortheirmusicandtherelativelackofracismthattheyhadexperienced"over
there"assoldiers.Notundertakenforthisessay,butcertainlyworthwhiletocanvas,on
accountofhowtenaciouslythemilitaryholdsontoitstraditions,wouldbethestoryofthe
revivalofbandsinblackregimentswithimportantWorldWarImusicaltraditionsaspart
ofthearmy'smobilizationforparticipationinWorldWarII---astoryseeninmicrocosmin
thelaterhistoryofthebandofthe369th.Timeandcircumstancehaveconspiredto
canonizeJamesReeseEuropeandthe369th,butinhisdaythenation’sblackandwhite
communities,andtheU.S.Army,followedtheexploits,attendedtheconcerts,andhonored
thememoryofhispeersaswell.
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APPENDIX I: LEADERSHIP TEAMS in the BLACK REGIMENTAL BANDS 92nd Division Band Leaders (BL Lieuts.), Assistant Band Leader (ABL Sgts.) 349th Field Artillery Reg. BL Lieut. Norman Delafield Scott (1888-1918) BL/ABL Lieut. Burnit McReynolds (1887-1959) Bnd Sgt. & Sgt. Bugler Walter Ringo 350th Field Artillery Reg. BL Lieut. J. Tim Brymn (1879-1946) "Black Devils" ABL Sgt. William Blue Drum Major William H. Smith Bnd Sgt. Russell T. Smith Bnd Sgt. George W. Hyder Bnd Sgt. Ruppert A. Benjamin 351st Field Artillery Reg. BL Lieut. Dorcy Rhodes (1887-1951) ABL Sgt. Berry A. Claytor (1893-1967) Bnd Sgt. Horace B. Wallace (1889-1962) Bnd Sgt. Leon J. Carter (1891-1952) ABL/Sgt. Clifton M. Davis -------- 365th Infantry Reg. Lieut. Frank L. Drye (1889-1957)
“Black Hawks” BL Lieut. Arthur T. Steward (b. 1891) ABL Sgt. Albert H. Jones Bnd Sgt. Roy E. Barnett
366th Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. John L. Grinnell (c. 1885-1969)
(Was sgt. in camp in US; from 10thCav. Band) ABL Sgt. George Triggers (1890-1966)
Bnd Sgt. Earl C. Cason (1893-1970)
367th Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Egbert E. Thompson (1883-1927) "Buffaloes" ABL Sgt. Nelson L. Kincaid (1888-1956) 368th Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Alfred Jack Thomas (1884-1962) ABL Sgt. Prince A. Venable (1887-1961) Drum Major Edgar A. Landin (1891-1966) 93rd Division Band Leader, etc. 369th Infantry Reg. = 15th NY Lieut. James Reese Europe (1880-1919) "Harlem Hellfighters" BL Lieut. F. Eugene Mikell (1880-1932) ABL Sgt. Frank De Broite (b. 1874) Drum Major Sgt. Noble Sissle (1889-1975) Drum Major Gillard Thompson (1886-1939) Bnd Sgt. Rafael I. Duchesne 370th Infantry Reg. = 8th Illinois BL Lieut. George E. Dulf (1872-1943) “Black Devils” ABL Sgt. Charles Dorsey Drum Major Sgt. F. Blue (acc. EJ Scott) Bnd Sgt. Charles Alexander (in 1917) Bnd Sgt. Oliver E. Perry (in 1917) 371st Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Elbert B. Williams (1864-1929) “Black Tigers” ABL Sgt. Anderson Douglass, Jr. Bnd Sgt. Major James T. Baker Bnd Sgt. Major John D. Jones
52
372nd Infantry Reg. BL Lieut. Salmon P. White (1867/68/69-1943) ABL Sgt. Steward W. Goines (1894-1945) Bnd Sgt. Raymond Sheldon Bnd Sgt. Lawrence E. White Bnd Sgt. George Scott ********
53
Pioneer Infantry Regiments 801-816 Supervisors, Band Leaders, Assistant Band Leaders 801st Pioneer Infantry --- Bnd Sgt. Cyrus A. Evans Bnd Sgt. Elbridge H. Reed Sgt. Bugler Harry I. Long 802nd Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. Oliver Harrison Mead (1888-1978) 803rd Pioneer Infantry BL/ Bnd Sgt. Major Edward W. Bailey (1890-1983) ABL George E. Jefferson Bnd Sgt. Alfred J. Taylor (1892-1944) 804th Pioneer Infantry BL Sgt. Arnett Nelson (1892-1979) ABL Sgt. James L. Kirk (1893-1974) Bnd Sgt. Major Robert H. Craig (1895-1960) Bnd Sgt. Major Byron H. Williams (1895-1959) Bnd Sgt. Major Homer L. Johnson Bnd Sgt. Major George H. Young 805th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. Leonce R. Legendre (white; 1895-1951) “Bear Cats” ABL Sgt. George Lee Polk (1890-1951) Drum Major Middleton Brooks Polk (1891-1981) Bnd Sgt. Robert J. Hill ( - 1943) Bnd Sgt. Cesco H. Johnson (1889-1951) Bnd Sgt. John Pleasant Rathman (1893-1967) Bnd Sgt. Ulric L. Washington (1894-1978)
806th Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. Ashford Henry Hardee (1889-1956) Bnd Sgt. Maj. Leroy G. Moore Bnd Sgt. Lawrence Denton (1893-1986) Bnd Sgt. James Cox Bnd Sgt. Elmer J. Stirman 807th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. Will H. Vodery (1885-1951) “Pioneers” ABL Sgt. Charles L. Thorpe, Jr.
ABL Sgt. Ralph S. Redmond (1890-1960) ABL Sgt. Louia Vaughn Jones (1895-1965) Band Sgt./Drum Major Opal Dee Cooper (1889-1974) 808th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. James Riley Wheelock (1874-1941) BL Sgt. James B. Clark ABL Sgt. Leo H. Davis (1895-1981) 809th Pioneer Infantry BL Lieut. Charles W. Bushman (white; 1891-1950) ABL Sgt. Eugene V. Freels (1890-1956) ABL Bnd Sgt. Wesley I. Howard (1889-1962) Bnd Sgt. Lucion Ramseur (1886/88-1969) Bnd Sgt. Earl D. Washington (1892/93-1973) 810th Pioneer Infantry (no service in Europe) Bnd Sgt. Major Ira D. Oliver (1889-1969) 811th Pioneer Infantry BL Sgt. Albert J. Foster (black) ABL Sgt. John L. Davis
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Bnd Sgt. John W. Brown Bnd Sgt. Edwin Harold Hopper 812th Pioneer Infantry (no service in Europe) 813th Pioneer Infantry --- (BL not yet found) --- (ABL not yet found 814th Pioneer Infantry BL 2nd Lieut. Roy Maxon (white; 1894-1952) “Black Devils” ABL Sgt. Ralph E. Brown (1893-1989) [ or “W. E.”] Bnd Sgt. Julius C. Williams 815th Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. George W. C. Morgan (1895 - ) Bnd Sgt. Ulysses S. Everly (1889-1938) Bnd Sgt. Floyd Fitch Bnd Sgt. Ernest R. O’Reilly Bnd Sgt. Edward C. Morgan 816th Pioneer Infantry --- ABL Sgt. Amos M. White (1889-1980) Bnd Sgt. Charlie Hoops Bnd Sgt. Frank Hatton Bnd Sgt. Roy J. Monroe Chief Trumpeter Vernon L. Page (1897-1957) Commentary: The appendix provides a list of all the black combat and Pioneer Infantry regiments, with the names of as many of their identifiable Band Leaders, Assistant Band Leaders, and Band Sergeants as I have located to date. Some were singled out in publications by contemporaries such as Emmett Scott, Maud Cuney-Hare, or Hunton and Johnson as making an especially noteworthy contribution. Band Sergeant Major (BSM) is, I believe, essentially equivalent to Assistant Band Leader. I think the way it works is that the ABL is always some kind of sergeant, and the highest-ranking sergeant the ABL could be is BSM. I may mistakenly provide the name of a BN Sgt. (Battalion Sgt) above, thinking that Bnd Sgt was meant. -------- Mobility in the combat regiments: Wallace (351st) was a Musician First Class when outward bound and a Band Sgt. when homeward bound; U.S. Veterans Gravesites information calls him BAND SGT or SGT. Nelson Kincaid left for Europe as a private and returned as Assistant Band Leader in the 367th. Noble Sissle eventually left the 369th to return home as an officer (Second Lieutenant) with the 370th. Mobility in the Pioneer Infantry band ranks: Oliver Harrison Mead leaves NY on a troop transport in 1918 as a private in the 802nd Headquarters Company (presumably a musician) and returns from Brest in 1919 as Asst Band Leader.
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H&J give William Bailey for 803rd but the individual in question is actually Edward Walter Bailey; in at least one record he is ABL, but the Army Transport Service passenger lists name him as BL of the 803rd both outward and homeward bound. Arnett Nelson leaves as pvt and returns as Band Leader of the 804th.
Ashford Hardee leaves as pvt and returns as Band Leader of the 806th. Redmond is said to be the ABL with Vodery’s 807th (in the New York Age, etc.) when Louia V. Jones is simply a member on violin and saxophone. At some point, Redmond moves to another band or steps aside (he returns to the US early and demobilizes in May), and Jones gets late promotion. In the 807th, Opal Cooper sailed to Europe as a private and returned as a Band Sergeant. In the 808th, Wheelock moved into a Headquarters Company leadership role after his promotion to Lieutenant, and the BL position went to Clark, with Davis as ABL. In the 809th, I have seen a ref. to Wesley Howard as ABL but in transport records he is outward bound as a private and homeward bound as a Band Sgt. In the 809th, Eugene Freels is outward bound as a private and homeward bound as ABL. -------- It was announced that Charles Harris (b.1875), leader of the Commonwealth Band of Baltimore and a central figure in the African American musical community of that city, was "appointed assistant band leader and will soon go to France with one of the colored organizations. After six months, he will be made a second lieutenant" (Topeka Plaindealer, October 4, 1918, p. 1; New York Age, October 5, 1918, p. 2). I have seen no additional evidence that this was ever followed through, and in all likelihood, it is because of the Armistice and the return of troops.
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APPENDIXII:FULLBANDROSTERS
FullrostersformostoftheblackregimentalbandsarenowabletobeassembledfromU.S.ArmyTransportServicetroopshippassengerlists.Thereareusuallytwo:boundforEuropein1917or1918,andthenreturningtoAmericain1919.Givenbelowarerostersforfourofthemostimportantbands,namelythoseofTimBrymnandthe350th,JimEuropeandthe369th,EdmundDulfandthe370th,andWillVoderyandthe807th.Rostersareotherwisehardtocomeby.AnexceptionisPaulS.Bliss,Victory:Historyofthe805thPioneerInfantry,AmericanExpeditionaryForces(St.Paul,Minn.:theauthor,1919),pp.65-67,208,whichgivesafullrosterforthebandofthe805th,includingphotosandhometowns.
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350thFieldArtilleryRegimentHeadquartersCompanyBandSSPresidentGrantJune30,1918LeavingHobokenInall,Brymnplus37.Brymn,JamesT.BLBlue,WilliamAsst.BLMcCall,LeonardE.Sgt.Bugl.DeLeon,GeorgeA.BandSgt.Benjamin,RuppertA.BandSgt.Hyder,GeorgeW.BandSgt.Smith,RusselT.BandSgt.VanRensalier,JohnBandCpl.Howard,LionelH.BandCpl.Jackson,ArthurH.K.BandCpl.Martin,JohnD.BandCpl.Atkinson,WalterG.2ndClMus.Brooks,CiffoyaA.3ClMus.Brown,WilliamA.1ClMusColeman,HowardC.3rdClMusCrummal,EnglemarL.2ClMus.Dupre,LouisA.2ClMus.Fitzgerald,WesleyO.3ClMus.Hernandez,RamonM.2ClMus.Jackson,JamesA.3ClMus.Martin,NelsonC.2ClMus.Major,AddingtonD.1ClMus.Morrison,HenryE.3ClMus.Moore,JamesT.1ClMus.Parris,GilbertJ.1ClMus.Pinder,Arthur3Cl[Mus.]Purnell,GeorgeT.3ClMus.Revey,JamesR.1ClMus.Reynolds,StephenW.3ClMus.Scott,JosephT.3ClMus.Smith,Cecil2ClMus.Smith,Raymond3ClMus.Smith,SamuelS.3ClMus.Thompson,HenricoA.3ClMus.Williams,JamesC.,Jr.3ClMus.Wilson,AndrewC.3ClMus.
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Winder,JamesB.3ClMus.Young,JamesC.2ClMus.WilliamH.SmithofNewark,NewJersey(stridepianistWillie"theLion"Smith),withwifeBlancheSmith,wasaCorporalinBatteryAonthisvoyage.Bysecondaryaccounts,heactedasDrumMajorwhenthebandmarched,butwhiletheBrymnbandwasinhisdivision,hewasnotofficiallyapartofitoroftheHeadquartersCompany.
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350thFieldArtilleryRegimentHeadquartersCompanyBandUSSMauiFebruary16-28,1919BresttoHobokenInall,Brymnplus48.Brymn,JamesT.2ndLt.DeLeon,GeorgeA.Sgt.BuglerBlue,WilliamAsst.BLMcCall,LeonardE.Sgt.Benjamin,RuppertA.BandSgt.Hyder,GeorgeW.BandSgt.Smith,RusselT.BandSgt.VanRensalier,JohnBandCpl.Howard,LionelH.BandCpl.Jackson,ArthurH.K.BandCpl.Martin,JohnD.BandCpl.Atkinson,WalterG.2ndClMus.Brooks,CliffordA.3ClMus.Brown,WilliamA.1ClMusBrown,ClarenceB.3ClMus.Cannon,LeoL.3ClMus.Cole,HarryF.3ClMus.Coleman,HowardC.3rdClMusCook,GeorgeW.3ClMus.Crummal,EnglemarL.2ClMus.Dupre,LouisA.2ClMus.Fitzgerald,WesleyO.3ClMus.Harley,Chalmers3ClMus.Hernandez,RamonM.2ClMus.Jackson,JamesA.3ClMus.Jones,RobertC.3ClMus.King,Samuel3ClMus.Martin,NelsonC.2ClMus.Major,AddingtonD.3ClMus.Mickens,Cyril1ClMus.[Sickandwoundedlist]Moore,JamesT.1ClMus.[Sickandwoundedlist]Morrison,HenryE.3ClMus.Osgood,ArnettL.3ClMus.Parris,GilbertJ.1ClMus.
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Pinder,Arthur3ClMus.Purnell,GeorgeT.3ClMus.Ray,ElishaM.2ClMus.Reese,WilliamO.3ClMus.Revey,JamesR.1ClMus.Scott,JosephT.3ClMus.Smith,LukeM.2ClMus.Smith,Raymond3ClMus.Smith,SamuelS.3ClMus.Stewart,JamesE.3ClMus.Thompson,HenricoA.3ClMus.Williams,JamesC.,Jr.3ClMus.Wilson,AndrewC.3ClMus.Winder,JamesB.3ClMus.Young,JamesC.2ClMus.Onthereturnhome,WilliamH.SmithofNewark,NewJersey(stridepianistWillie"theLion"Smith),withwifeBlancheSmithasnextofkin,wasstillaCorporalinBatteryA.Bysomesecondaryaccounts,hefoughtinthetrenchesasafieldgunner,distinguishedhimself,andwaspromotedtosergeant,butthatisnotsupportedbytheU.S.ArmyTransportServicePassengerLists.WilliamandBlanche,musicians,areinNewarkintheUS1920Census.
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SomeRostersforthe15thNY/369thInfantryBandPassengerList1917fromSanJuan,PuertoRico,May5ontheCaracas,toNYCHerearemusiciansthatJamesReeseEuroperecruitedinPuertoRicoforthe15thNY.Therearethirteennames,forallofwhomtheaddressintheUnitedStatesisgivenasthe15thRegimentat131stand7thAvenue.Namesaregivenhereinthespellingofthepassengerlist.Thethirteen(13)comprisetwelve(12)PuertoRicanmusiciansandJimEurope.AllofthesenamesareinthelaterArmyTransportrostersforthe15th/369th.SexitoBenitzJoseFr.JimenezNicolasVasquezArturoAyalaGregorioFilexAntonioGonzalezPabloFuentesRafaelDuchesneEleuterioMelendezJoseRosaRiveraGenaroTorresSoliernoHernandezLt.JamesR.EuropeFouradditionalmusiciansfromPuertoRicowhobecomebandmembersare:LeonardoCruzJesusHernandezRafaelHernandezEligesRijosNB:DanielVernhetteshassharedwithmeaphotoofthirteenbandsmen,whichidentifiesthefollowingseveninacaption:“Losmúsicosportorriqueñosqueseencuentranenelfrentedebatallafrancés:EligioRijos,RafaelDuchesne,FroilánRamiz,PabloFuentes,AntonioGonzález,RafaelyJesúsHernandez.”Seealso:Martinez,Elena."RafaelHernandezandthePuertoRicanLegacyoftheofthe369th
Regiment'sHarlemHellfighters,"Voices:TheJournalofNewYorkFolklore40(Spring-Summer2014),on-lineathttp://www.nyfolklore.org/pubs/voic40-1-2/rafael.html(accessed03/26/2018).
Serrano,Basilio."PuertoRicanMusiciansoftheHarlemRenaissance,"CentroJournal19/2(2007),94-119.
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Rosterof369thmusiciansofthe15thNYonthePochahontas12December1917Inall,Mikellplus52.Inthepassengerlist,onlyMikellplus24areidentifiedasmusiciansoftheband.Theremainder(seebelow)hadnotyetbeentransferredtoHeadquartersCompany.Mikell,EugeneF.,BandLeaderSissle,Noble,1stSgt.DeBroite,Frank,Asst.BandLeader [cornet]Thompson,Gillard,ColorSgt.Duchesne,RafaelI.,BandSgt.(PR) [clarinet]Felix,Gregorio,Corp.(PR) [clarinet]Fuentes,Pablo,Corp.(PR) [bassoon]Hill,HaywardB.,Corp.Rosa,Jose,Corp.(PR) [tuba]Gonzales,Antonio,Mus.1Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Watkins,John,Mus.1Cl.Hernandez,Rafael,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [trombone]Hernandez,Severino,Mus.2Cl.(Cuba)Hubbard,William,Mus.2Cl.Booker,LeslieE.,Mus.3Cl.Brown,James,Mus.3Cl.Christmas,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.Cruz,Leonardo,Mus.3Cl.(PR)Green,Percy,Mus.3Cl.Hernandez,Jesus,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Jiminez,Freylan,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [baritone]Rijos,Elijes,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Melendez,Eleuterio,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [mellophone]Torres,Jenaro,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Vasquez,Nicolas,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [baritone]
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Thefollowing28arebandmusicians(asattestedintheFebruary1919StockholmpassengerlistonthereturntotheUSA)whowereonthePochahontasbutnotinthebandrosterontheDecember1917passengerlist:Adams,George,Corporal,Co.KAndrews,Ward,Private,MachineGunCo.Ayala,Arturo,Private,Co.LBenites,Sixto,Private,Co.LBrown,Edward,Private,Co.BCarter,John,Private,Co.KCarter,Joshua,Cook,Co.BClinton,Stansberry,Private,Co.HColeman,ErnestB.,Private,HdqrCompanyEwell,HenryS.,1stSgt.Co.BFarrington,HaroldA.,Corporal,Co.FFlemming,Herbert,Private,Co.CHall,ArchieC.,Private,Co.IJames,HaroldH.,Private,Co.EJohnson,WalterT.,Private,Co.BJones,Bert,Private,Co.ILee,AlfredD.,Corporal,Co.ALightfoot,William,Private,Co.DMiller,CharltonB.,Private,Co.LPorter,Jacob,Private,MachineGunCo.Richardson,Otto,Private,Co.FRobinson,Bernard,Bugler,Co.HSaltus,James,Bugler,Co.CSmith,David,Private,Co.FTaylor,WilliamT.,Private,Co.CThornton,Fred,Corporal,Co.HWright,Stephen,Private,Co.IWright,Herbert,Private,Co.I
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Rosterof369thmusiciansontheStockholm2February1919onthereturntotheUSAInall,Mikellplus50.Mikell,Eugene,BandLeaderDeBroite,JaconE.,Asst.BandLeader [cornet]Watkins,JohnH.,Sgt.BuglerEwell,HenryS.,ColorSgt.Farrington,HaroldA.,ColorSgt.Cruz,Leonardo,BandSgt.(PR)Duchesne,Rafael,Mus.1Cl.(PR)Felix,Gregorio,Mus.1Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Gonzales,Antonio,Mus.1Cl.(PR)Hill,HaywardB.,Mus.1Cl.Hernandez,Severino,Mus.1Cl.(Cuba)Porter,Jacob,Mus.2Cl. [cornet]Brown,JamesA.,Mus.2Cl.Brown,Edward,Mus.2Cl.Melendez,Eleuterio,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [mellophone]Rosa,Jose,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [tuba]Terres,Jenero,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Vasquez,Nicholas,Mus.2Cl.(PR) [baritone]Coleman,ErnestB.,Mus.2Cl.Adams,George,Mus.2Cl.Fuentes,Pablo—BandCorp.[evacuatedtohospital](PR)[bassoon]Hernandez,Rafael,BandSgt.(PR) [trombone]Hubbard,William,BandSgt.Ayala,Arturo,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]Benites,Sixto,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [tuba]Booker,Leslie,Mus.3Cl.Carter,John,Mus.3Cl.Carter,Joshua,Mus.3Cl.Christmas,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.Clinton,Stansberry,Mus.3Cl.Miller,CharltonB.,Mus.3Cl.Fleming,HerbertM.,Mus.3Cl.(seeship’shospitallist)[trombone]Froylan,Jiminez,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [baritone]Green,PercyG.Mus.3Cl.Hall,ArchieC.,Mus.3Cl.Hernandez,Jesus,Mus.3Cl.(PR) [clarinet]James,HaroldH.,Mus.3Cl.
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Johnson,WalterT.,Mus.3Cl.Jones,Bert,Mus.3Cl.Richardson,Otto,BandCorp.Lee,AlfredD.,Mus.3Cl.Lightfoot,William,Mus.3Cl.Robinson,Bernard,Mus.3Cl.Taylor,WilliamT.,Mus.3Cl.Thornton,Fred,Mus.3Cl.Saltus,James,Mus.3Cl.Andrews,Ward,BandSgt. [trombone]Wright,Stephen,Mus.3Cl. [percussion]Smith,David,BandCorp.Thompson,Gillard,BandSgt.Wright,Herbert,Mus.3Cl. [percussion]NOTES:EligioRijosisontherosterasaPvtintheHeadquartersCompany,butnotintheband.NobleSissleacceptedacommissionasaSecondLieutenantandtransferredouttobepartoftheleadershipteamofthe370th.
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ROSTERSOFTHE"OLDEIGHTH"(370th)Forthisband,therearea1916roster(underBerry)anda1917roster(underDulf)inthe"U.S.AdjutantGeneralMilitaryRecords,1631-1976."1916:BandoftheOldEighthunderWilliamE.Berry,atleastthese32:Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Armstrong,John,Mus.ThirdCl.Berry,WilliamE.,BandLeaderBias,Clinton,Mus.SecondCl.Blue,AlbertC.,DrumMajorBrown,Frank,Mus.ThirdCl.Dorsey,Charles,BandCorp.Graham,Gerald,Mus.ThirdCl.Knox,Henry,BandCorp.Lawrence,James,Mus.SecondCl.Lawson,Loid,Mus.FirstCl.Madison,Arthur,Mus.ThirdCl.Menns,Robert,Mus.ThirdCl.Mosely,George,Mus.ThirdCl.Nixon,James,Mus.ThirdCl.Perry,Oliver,Bandcorp.Pinkney,William,BandCorp.RandleWilliam,BandSgt.Ray,Joseph,Mus.ThirdCl.Smith,Halley,Mus.FirstCl.Smith,James,Mus.SecondCl.Smith,Walter,Mus.SecondCl.Spriggs,Richard,Mus.ThirdCl.Swift,Harry,Mus.FirstCl.Swift,Hugh,BandCorp.Troutman,Robert,BandCorp.Tucker,JamesB.,Asst.BandLeaderWalker,Charles,BuglerWalker,Palmer,Mus.SecondCl.Williams,George,Mus.Third.Cl.Williams,Scott,BandCorp.Woodfork,James,BandCorp.
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1917:bandoftheOldEighthunderDulfintheMusterRoll,these28:Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Bias,Clinton,BandCorp.Buckner,James,Mus.ThirdCl.Carroll,Donald,Mus.ThirdCl.Dennie,Frank,Mus.ThirdCl.Dorsey,Charles,Asst.BandLeaderDulf,GeorgeE.BandLeaderGraham,Elwood,Mus.ThirdCl.Graham,Gerald,Mus.SecondCl.Hilliard,William,Mus.ThirdCl.Hodge,Samuel,Mus.ThirdCl.Instant,Peter,Mus.ThirdCl.Lawrence,James,Mus.SecondCl.Lawson,Loid,Mus.FirstCl.Lowe,John,Mus.SecondCl.Miller,Thomas,Mus.ThirdCl.Mills,Lewis,Mus.ThirdCl.Mosely,George,BandCorp.Perry,Oliver,BandSgt.Porter,Lamont,Mus.ThirdCl.Ray,Joseph,BandCorp.Ross,Henry,Mus.ThirdCl.Sherman,Felix,BandCorp.Smith,WilliamB.,Mus.ThirdCl.Tucker,JamesB.,Mus.FirstCl.Walker,Charles,BuglerWashington,GeorgeW.,Mus.ThirdCl.Williams,George,Mus.SecondCl.
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1917:Aphotographofthe“OldEighth”Band(takenOctober11,1917)hasthese33namesinthephotocaption(ChicagoBroadAxe,February15,1919,p.5):Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.,tubaBias,Clinton,BandCpl.,trombone [USCensus1920Chicagolaborer]Brady,CharlesH.,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornet[soloist,USCensus1920Chicagomusician]Buckner,James,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornetCarroll,Donald,Mus.ThirdCl.,altoDennie,FrankA.,Mus.ScndCl.,saxophone[soloist;1919passportassinger]Dorsey,Charles,Asst.BandLeader,cornetDulf,GeorgeE.,BandLeaderEllis,CharlesD.,private,clarinetGlover,Swanie,private,piccoloGovern,James,private,piccoloGraham,Elwood,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornet[USCensus1930Chicagomusician]Graham,GeraldR.,Mus.ScndCl.,altoGreenlee,Harry,private,cymbalsGross,ManliusL.,Mus.ThirdCl.,tubaHarris,Frank,Private,drumsHilliard,William,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornetJackson,Rudolph,private,clarinetLawrence,JamesH.,Mus.ScndCl.,bassdrumLawson,LoidW.,musician,clarinet[N.ClarkSmith'sbrother-in-law]Mason,RichardH.,private,drumsMay,Lloyd,private,altoMiller,ThomasJ.,Mus.ThirdCl.,cornetMilner,Marshall,private,tromboneMosley,George,BandCpl.,altoPerry,OliverE.,BandSgt.,baritonePorter,Lamont,Mus.ThirdCl.,clarinetRay,Joseph,BandCpl.,cornetRoss,Henry,Mus.ThirdCl.,altoSherman,Felix,BandCpl.,tromboneSmith,WilliamB.,Mus.ThirdCl.,baritoneTucker,JamesB.,Mus.FirstCl.,tubaWilliams,George,Mus.ScndCl.,snaredrum
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370thBandRosteronUSPresidentGrant,sailingApril7,1918fromNewportNews:Inall,Dulfand25names.Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Bias,Clinton,BandCorporalBrady,CharlesH.,Mus.2Cl.Buckner,James,Mus.2Cl.Carroll,Donald,Mus.3Cl.Diemer,HoraceL.,Mus.3Cl.Dorsey,Charles,Asst.BandLeaderDulf,GeorgeE.,BandLeaderEllis,HarryD.,Mus.3ClGlover,SawnieW.,Mus.3Cl.Graham,Elwood,Mus.3Cl.Graham,GeraldR.,Mus.2Cl.Gross,ManliusL.,Mus.3Cl.Hutt,WilliamE.Musc.3Cl.Jackson,Rudolph,Mus.3Cl.Lawrence,JamesH.,BandCorporalLawson,LoidW.,Mus.1Cl.Mason,Richard,Mus.3Cl.Mills,Lewis,Mus.3Cl.Perry,Oliver,E.,BandSgt.Porter,Lamont,Mus.3Cl.Ray,Joseph,BandCorporalRoss,Henry,Mus.3Cl.Sherman,Felix,BandCorporalTucker,JamesB.,Mus.1Cl.Walker,CharlesE.,Sgt.Bugler[Freeman,MarkP.ColorSgt.][Scott,Joseph,ColorSgt.]ALSO:Thereare25meninawartimephototakeninthefield.NB:FrankA.Dennieisnotinthisroster,althoughhewaswiththeunitinEurope,andhereturnedwiththebandin1919(seeimmediatelybelow).
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370thBandRosteronLaFrance,sailingFebruary2,1919fromBrestforNYC,reflectingalargeinfluxofMusiciansThirdClass:Inall,Dulfplus48names.Alexander,Charles,BandSgt.Bias,Clinton,BandCorporalBlanchard,Dennis,Mus.3Cl.Blue,Albert,1stSgt.Brady,CharlesH.,BandSgt.Buckner,James,Mus.1Cl.Carroll,Donald,Mus.3Cl.Collins,George,Mus.3Cl.Crockett,Harold,Mus.3Cl.Dampeer,George,Mus.2Cl.Dennie,FrankA.,Mus.1Cl.Diemer,HoraceL.,Mus.2Cl.Dorsey,CharlesE.,Asst.BandLeaderDulf,GeorgeE.,BandLeaderEllis,HarryD.,Mus.1ClEstell,DonV.,Mus.3Cl.[Estill]Givens,Scott,Mus.3Cl.Glover,SawnieW.,Mus.3Cl.Govern,James,Mus.3Cl.Graham,Elwood,Mus.1Cl.Graham,GeraldR.,BandCorporalGreenlee,Harry,Mus.3Cl.Gross,ManliusL.,Mus.2Cl.Harris,Frank,Mus.3Cl.Hiller,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.Hilliard,William,Mus.3Cl.Humbert,Herbert,Mus.3Cl.Hutt,WilliamE.,Mus.2Cl.Jackson,Rudolph,Mus.2Cl.Jenkins,Alvin,Mus.3Cl.Lawrence,JamesH.,BandCorporalLawson,LoidW.,BandSgt.Mason,RichardH.,BandCorporalMay,Lloyd,Mus.3Cl.Mills,Lewis,Mus.2Cl.Perry,Oliver,E.,BandSgt.Porter,Lamont,Mus.2Cl.Radcliffe,Boyd,Mus.3Cl.Ray,Joseph,BandCorporalRobinson,Henry,Mus.3Cl.Robinson,Thomas,Mus.3Cl.
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Ross,Henry,Mus.2Cl.Sherman,Felix,BandCorporalStarks,Albert,Mus.3Cl.Traynham,JamesW.,Mus.3Cl.Tucker,JamesB.,Mus.1Cl.Walker,CharlesE.,Sgt.BuglerWilliams,George,Mus.2Cl.Woodard,William,Mus.3Cl.[Freeman,MarkP.,ColorSgt.][Edmonson,John,ColorSgt.]
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WorkingrosterforEurope-bound807thontheMaui,September4,1918:Inall,Voderyplus55namesBailey,JohnF.,Pvt.Baker,RichardT.,Pvt.Barnes,HaroldR.,Pvt.Barnes,RoyalH.,Pvt.Blackburn,Harrison,Pvt.Brown,Julian,Pvt.Chambers,DallasE.,Pvt.Cole,Edward,Pvt.Cooper,JamesC.,Pvt.Cooper,OpalDee,BandSgt.Davis,Verner,Pvt.Delis,Amado,Pvt.DeLoach,Nathan,Pvt.Edmead,ErnestS.,Pvt.Glover,ClarenceL.,Cpl.Granstaff,EarlB.,Pvt.Hairston,Dennis,Pvt.Harden,WilliamB.,PvtHoward,RalphA.,Pvt.Howe,George,Pvt.Johnson,DouglasF.,Pvt.Johnson,JamesE.,Pvt.Johnson,Lacy,Pvt.Jones,LouiaV.,Pvt.Lino,WilliamG.,PvtLofton,Willie,Pvt.Love,FloydP.,Pvt.Marshall,Allan,Pvt.Mayfield,Egbert,PvtMorgan,Frank,Pvt.McCormick,Louis,Pvt.McKinney,HenryT.(Pvt.,CompanyM,in1918)McMaster,WilliamL.,Pvt.Parker,BernardH.,Pvt.Pope,DuncanE.,Pvt.Redmond,RalphS.,Pvt.Richardson,SamuelA.,Pvt.Richardson,RyarsC.,Pvt.Saunders,SamuelL.,Pvt.Scott,JohnH.,Pvt.Smith,AlbertA.,Pvt.Smith,Eddie,Pvt.
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Stewart,CharlesE.,Pvt.Thomas,JuliusC.,Cpl.Thorpe,CharlesL.,jr.,ABLThurman,HenryL.,Pvt.Walkes,Aubrey,Pvt.Wall,CharlesS.PvtWhaley,ThomasL.,Pvt.Williams,Casco,Pvt.Wilson,ClarenceG.,Pvt.Williams,Walter,Pvt.Wooding,Samuel,Pvt.Venable,WilliamA.,Pvt.Vodery,WilliamH.,BLJohnReevesisontheUSSMauiandUSSOrizabawiththe807thregiment,butnotasamemberoftheband;nonetheless,itisreportedthathewaspartoftheensemble,asatrombonist,fortheminstrelshowbusiness.
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807TransportrosterontheUSSOrizaba,fromBrestonJune25,1919;someindividualstravelledseparately(e.g.,Redmond,Granstaff,DeLoach).Inall,Voderyplus48names.*=singledoutformentioninNewYorkAge,January4,1919,p.6("MakingMusicfortheArmy")*Vodery,WilliamH.,2ndLt.Infantry*Jones,LouiaV.,ABLGlover,ClarenceL.BandSgt.MajorThomas,JuliusC.,BandSgt.MajorHairston,Dennis,BandSgt.Major*Thorpe,CharlesL.,jr.,BandSgt.*Cooper,OpalDee,BandSgt.*Thurman,HenryL.,BandSgt.*Lofton,Willie,BandSgt.*Smith,Albert,BandCorp.*Wall,CharlesF.BandCorp.Venable,WilliamA.,BandCorp.*Richardson,SamuelA.,BandCorp.Brown,Julian,BandCorp.*Blackburn,Harrison,BandCorp.*Johnson,DouglasF.Mus.1Cl.*Parker,BernardH.,Mus.1ClDelis,Amado,Mus.1Cl.*Chambers,DallasE.,Mus.1Cl.Cooper,JamesC.,Mus.1ClHowe,George,Mus.2Cl.Baker,RichardT.,jr.,Mus.2Cl.Lino,WilliamG.,Mus.2Cl.Johnson,Lacy,Mus.2Cl.Davis,Verner,Mus.2Cl.*Wilson,ClarenceG.,Mus.2Cl.Barnes,HaroldR.,Mus.2Cl.Saunders,SamuelL.,Mus.2Cl.McKinney,HenryT.,Mus.2Cl.Stewart,CharlesE.,Mus.2Cl.*Williams,Casco,Mus.3Cl.*Edmead,ErnestS.,Mus.3Cl.
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Love,FloydP.,Mus.3Cl.Walkes,Aubrey,Mus.3Cl.Smith,Eddie,Mus.3Cl.Mayfield,Egbert,Mus.3Cl.Morgan,Frank,Mus.3Cl.Barnes,RoyalH.,Mus.3Cl.Williams,Walter,Mus.3Cl.*Wooding,Samuel,Mus.3Cl.*McCormick,Louis,Mus.3Cl.Marshall,Allan,Mus.3Cl.*Pope,DuncanE.,Mus.3Cl.*Howard,RalphA.,Mus.3Cl.*Whaley,ThomasL.,Mus.3Cl.*Scott,JohnH.,Mus.3Cl.*McMaster,WilliamL.,Mus.3Cl.Bailey,JohnF.,Mus.3Cl.Johnson,JamesE.,jr.,Mus.3Cl.Notes:HunterC.GoodecameoverontheMauiwiththe807thBandandreturnedontheOrizabawiththe807thRegimentasCorporal,butnotwiththeband.ONMAUIIN1918ANDMENTIONEDINNYAGE1919ARTICLEBUTNOTONTHE1919USSORIZABATRANSPORTROSTER*DeLoach,Nathan(leftforUS3March1919)*Redmond,Ralph,BandSgt.(leftforUSon21April1919)*Granstaff,EarlB.,BandSgt.Major(leftforUS8June1919)JohnReevesisontheUSSMauiandUSSOrizabawiththe807thregiment,butnotasamemberoftheband;nonetheless,itisreportedthathewaspartoftheensemble,asatrombonist,fortheminstrelshowbusiness.
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APPENDIXIII:THEBANDSONTOURINTHEUNITEDSTATESINSPRING1919
WillMarionCookandhisNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra1919touroftheEastandMidwest,intworound-tripswingsWillTyers,Asst.ConductorBilledasnotjazzorragtime(thoughtheydidplaythat),butsomethingmore,representingtheNegro.Jan.30Lancaster,Pa.Jan.31Baltimore,Md.Feb.1Washington,DCFeb.2Washington,DCFeb.3Hagerstown,Md.Feb.4Johnstown,Pa.Feb.5Altoona,Pa.Feb.6Pittsburgh,Pa.Feb.7Pittsburgh,Pa.Feb.8Cleveland,Oh.Feb.9Akron,Oh.Feb.10Columbus,Oh.Feb.12Chicago,Il.Feb.14Chicago,Il.Feb.15SouthBend,Ind.Feb.17Sandusky,Oh.Feb.18Canton,Oh.(matineeandevening)Feb.19WilberforceUniversity(Springfield)Feb.19Springfield,Oh.Feb.20Youngstown,Oh.Feb.21Marietta,Oh.Feb.22Clarksburg,Oh.Feb.23NYCattheManhattanOperaHouse,abenefitfortheUrbanLeagueFeb.24Harrisburg,Pa.
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Feb.25Philadelphia,Pa.Feb.26Williamsport,Pa.Feb.27Allentown,Pa.Feb.28LongBranch,NJMarch4Bridgeport,CTMarch5Bridgeport,CTMarch9NYCatthe44thStreetTheatre
Variety,March7,1919,p.8reportsthisappearanceasavaudevilleact.Variety,March14,1919,p.13,reportedthattheyhadbeensosuccessfulatthedownstairstheatrethatitisexpectedthattheywillmovetotheroofgardenandstayaweekorso,butthispossibilityistrumpedbytourplans.NYAge,March8,1919:SpeakingofNYSOat44thStreetTheateronSunday,March9,"AftertheperformancethecompanywillleaveonitssecondWesterntour."Andsotheydo.
March10SyracuseMarch11SyracuseMarch12AuburnMarch14WatertownMarch15Amsterdam,NYMarch16NYCWinterGardenwithothersonahugebillMarch17-23NYCaweekattheNoraBayesTheatreMarch23[NYClipper,March26,1919,p.23saysWMCandNYSOplayedinthe
ReisenweberStarCarnivallastSundaythe23rdformenofthe27thDivision,attheParkTheater]
March24ElmiraMarch25ElmiraMarch26WilkesBarre,Pa.Apr.1Olean,NYApr.4Titusville,Pa.Apr.5OilCity,Pa.Apr.6Akron,Oh.Apr.7Canton,Oh.Apr.8Canton,Oh.Apr.9Alliance,Oh.Apr.10Youngstown,Oh.
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Apr.11Sandusky,Oh.Apr.12Elyria,Oh.Apr.13Columbus,Oh.Apr.14Marion,Oh.Apr.15Lima,Oh.Apr.16Toledo,Oh.Apr.17Toledo,Oh.Apr.18FortWayne,Ind.Apr.20Chicago,Il.Apr.27Milwaukee,Wis.Apr.28Chicago,Il.thirdappearanceApr.29Cincinnati,Oh.Apr.30Pittsburgh,Pa.
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Brymnand70BlackDevilsSpring1919Tour---the350thFieldArtilleryBand---inpartforVictoryLibertyLoansSoloistsonthistourincluded:"Jazbo"Giles,comedyconductorandjazzdancerJosephineDean,sopranoandsaxophoneSergeantNikolsandCorporalHousley,saxophonesSergeantKincaidonsaxophone(presumablyNelsonKincaid;seeWilkes-BarreTimes,April
9,1919,p.20;BuffaloEveningNews,May10,1919,p.16)March19Philadelphia(USdebut;twoconcertsatAcademyofMusic)March23Trenton(twoconcertsatTrenttheater)April1AtlanticCity,NJApril2Camden,NJApril8Wilkes-Barre,PAApril9Harrisburg,PAApril10CampDixwelcome(NYAge,Saturday,April12,1919,p.2)April10Newark,NJeventthesameeveningApril11Scranton,PAApril12Wilkes-Barre,PA(return)April16Lebanon,PAApril17York,PAApril21Cumberland,MDApril28Wheeling,WVApril30Newark,OHMay1EastLiverpool,OHMay4Mansfield,OHMay5Sandusky,OH(matinee)May5Jamestown,NY(evening)May6NewCastle,PAMay7OilCity,PAMay8Jamestown,NYMay10BuffaloMay11Buffalo
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May12BuffaloMay13Utica,NYMay14Amsterdam,NYMay15AmsterdamMay16PoughkeepsieMay18(Sun)NYCattheCasinoTheatre(39thandBroadway)
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Dulfandthe370th"BlackDevils"BandonTourinSpring1919Soloistsonthe370th'sspringtour:Mme.AnitaPattiBrown,accompaniedbyMissNathaliaDoxoy[NatalieDoxey]FrankA.Dennie,tenor(andbandmember)Sergt.CharlesE.Brady,cornetvirtuoso(sometimesChas.H.orChas.A.orChas.S.)1stLieut.SamuelS.(S.S.)Gordon,narratorThebandisreportedasanensembleof56,40,and32,andappearstohavebeensheddingperformersoverthecourseofthetour.--------March14,16NewOrleans(invaudevilleasanextrafeature,sohardtotrack)March24Chicago"HomeConcert" [possiblyagapbeforetheygooutagainontheroad,althoughonenewspaper saystheywillimmediatelyboardaspecialtrainforatourofmorethanfifty Americancities]Louisville("lastweek,"inYoungstown(OH)Vindicator,April4,1919,p.23)March29ColumbusMarch30ToledoMarch31DetroitApril2ClevelandApril3Cleveland,morningparadeApril3YoungstownApril6Cleveland,returnengagementatGray'sArmoryonSundayApril8Cleveland,atDreamlandHallonTuesdayApril7PittsburghApril9Washington,PAApril12Reading,PAApril13PhiladelphiaApril14PhiladelphiaAfterPhiladelphiatheywereheadedSouth,boundforBaltimore,Washington,NewportNews,hostedbytheWarCampCommunityServiceineachcity(DulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9)Baltimore(aroundhere?)April15Wilmington,Del.(WilmingtonMorningNews,April14,1919,p.9)
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April26-May3ReturntoPhiladelphia:theywerebookedbythePhiladelphiaVictoryLoanCommitteeforeightdaysbeginningApril26andrunningthroughMay3;theywerefetedatScott'shotelonTuesday,April29;MmeAnitaPattiBrownsangintheorganloftatWanamaker's;theGreensboro(NC)Record,May20,1919,p.3says"RecentlythisfineorganizationwastakenoffitsconcerttourbythegovernmentandsenttoPhiladelphiawhereitplayedduringtheVictoryLoancampaigninthatcity."
April28:Theband'smanagerwasinWashingtonintheweekofApril28-May2
(guesstimatefromref.inNYAge)toarrangebookings,andwasheadedbackthroughNYCwithbandsoloiststoChicago
May8backinChicagoplayingataparadeThenoutontheroadagain:May11Washington,D.C.,attheHoward,onSundayafternoonMay11Washington,D.C.,Sundayevening,attheWarCampCommunityServiceClubNo.3May12/13NorfolkMay13/14NewportNewsMay15or16Suffolk,Va.(andparadewithex-Confederates)May17Petersburg(withconcert?)May19Richmond,Va.(acc.Richmondnewspapers; alsohereonMay20,acc.aDulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9)May21Raleigh(DulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9)May21Durham,attheAcademyofMusic(DurhamMorningHerald,May18,1919,p.8;
DurhamMorningHerald,May20,1919,p.7;whileDulflettertoChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.9,anticipatedthisconcertonMay22)
May22Greensboro,NCatMunicipalTheater(evening) (aconcertinDurhamattheColonialTheater,ratherthaninGreensboro, wasanearlierplanforthisdate,accordingtoaremarkinaDulfletter)ByMay21,AnitaPattiBrownwasbeingadvertisedasthesoloistatanupcoming
SpringfieldconcertonJune3,andsheisdescribedashaving"justcompletedatourwiththeEighthRegimentI.N.G.Band"(SpringfieldIllinoisStateRegister,May21,1919,p.3).
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JamesReeseEuropeandthe"HarlemHellfightersBand"ofthe369thTwo-MonthSpring1919TourMarch16ManhattanOperaHouse(matineeandevening)March17Easton,PAMarch18HarrisburgMarch20PhiladelphiaMarch21PhiladelphiaMarch22BrooklynMarch23NYCreturnengagementatManhattanOperaHouseMarch24NewHavenMarch26HartfordMarch28BostonMarch29BostonMarch30WorcesterMarch31SpringfieldApril2AlbanyApril3AlbanyApril4BinghamtonApril5AuburnApril6SyracuseApril7ElmiraApril8RochesterApril9RochesterApril10BuffaloApril11BuffaloApril12ClevelandApril13ClevelandApril15IndianapolisApril16IndianapolisApril17Evansville,INApril21TerreHauteApril22FortWayne
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April23KalamazooApril24FlintApril25BattleCreekApril27toMay3ChicagoMay4ToledoMay5PittsburghMay6ReadingMay7HarrisburgMay8PhiladelphiaMay9,10,11Boston
JamesReeseEuropewasmurderedinBostoninMay9,1919.Hewasstabbedbyabandsman---drummerHerbertWright---duringtheintermissionofthefirstday'seveningconcert.ThenexttwodaysofconcertswentonasadvertisedunderthebatonofFelixWeir.
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APPENDIXIV:PROGRAMSOFTHEBANDSONTOURINSPRING1919ProgramsfromtheSpring1919UStoursofCook'sNewYorkSyncopatedOrchestra,andthebandsofBrymnandEurope,areprintedbelow,togetherwithaprogramofthe369thinFrance.Theseprograms,andwhatwecangleanofDulf'sspring1919repertoire,giveusourclosestviewtothematerialperformedbythesebandsduringtheiroverseasserviceasrecentlyasjustthreemonthsbefore.Afewcomments:Eachofthebandstouredwithasinglestandardprogram,andnewspaperadvertisementsandreviewsconfirmthattherewaslittledeviation,evenifthebandplayedmatineeandeveningconcertsinthesamevenue,orifthebandstayedfortwoorthreedaysandthusplayedfourtosixconcertsbeforemovingon.Thathavingbeensaid,thereviewsoccasionallymentionanon-standarditemthatwasanadditionorsubstitution.ForBrymn'sband,theseinclude"theDieulouardGlide,"afoxtrotdescriptiveofanartillerybombardment,163"TheLiveryStableBlues"andselectionsfromLucia,164andRossini'sWilliamTellOvertureandselectionsfromthePeerGyntsuite,Dvorak'sNewWorldSymphony,andWagner'sLohengrin.165ForJimEurope'sband,theadditionalorsubstituteitemsincludearagtimeversionof"Madelon"("LaMadelon"or"QuantMadelon,"aFrenchpopularsongofWWI),166CreightonThompsonsinging"RockedintheCradleoftheDeep,"plusabandversionoftheRachmaninoffpreludeinCsharpminor,whichwas"acleverbitofJazzation,"167"Ja-Da"bythebandandArthurPaynesingingabasssolo,168andfinally,ArthurPayneasbassosoloist,theRachmaninoff,Rossini'sInflammatusfromtheStabatMater,andthePeerGyntSuiteofGrieg.169Equallytothepointintryingtoestablishwhatwasbeingplayed,onereportercommentedaboutthe369thbandthat"Likemostofthegoodthingsinlife,thewonderfuljazznumbersforwhichthisbandhasaninternationalreputationwillbegivenasextras,"170and"theboysaregenerouswithencoresandwhiletheirprogramscallfornineteennumbersthey
163Scott'sOfficialHistory,p.310.164TrentonEveningTimes,March22,1919,p.16165Buffalo(NY)EveningNews,May12,1919,p.2.166NYHerald,March17,1919,p.9.167Buffalo(NY)Express,April11,1919,n.p.(illeg.),andfortheRachmaninoff,alsoKalamazooGazette,April24,1919,p.13.168Harrisburg(PA)Patriot,May8,1919,p.4.169KalamazooGazette,April24,1919,p.13.170Harrisburg(PA)Telegraph,March17,1919,p.10;Harrisburg(PA)Patriot,March18,1919,p.11.
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usuallyplayaroundfifty,"andalso,they"jazzedclassicalnumbersaswellasplayingthemstraight".171
171Firstquote,Evansville(IN)CourierandPress,April17,1919,p.12;secondquote,Evansville(IN)CourierandPress,April18,1919,p.23.
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Bridgeport(CT)TimesandEveningFarmer,March4,1919,p.9NEWYORKSYNCOPATEDORCHESTRAPartI1.ORCHESTRA--"SwingAlong"...Cook2.ORCHESTRA--"SallyTrombone"...(Characteristic)3.QUARTETTE...Spirituals
Geo.Jones,Jr.,J.B.Brown,M.P.Abbott,P.C.Colston4.ORCHESTRA--"CalloftheWoods"...Tyers5.BARITONESOLO--"SinceYouWentAway"...J.R.Johnson
GeorgeJones,Jr.6.ORCHESTRA--
(a)APlantationMelody...Lannen(b)HungarianRhapsodyNo.5...Brahms
7.FOLKSONG--"IGotaRobe"...CarrollMorgan8.ORCHESTRA--""MidthePyramids"...ClarenceJones9.SAXAPHONE[sic]SOLO--MaizieMullins
(a)"SingMetoSleep"(b)"KentuckyHome"
10.SOLO,WITHORCHESTRA--"ListentotheLambs"...NathanielDettPartII1.DRUMSOLO--BuddieGilmore2.ORCHESTRA--"Exhortation"...Cook3.CONTRALTOSOLO--Mme.ConstantiaBrownReckling;H.T.Burleigh,Accompanist4.ORCHESTRA--
(a)Humoresque...Dvorak(b)"ArabianNights"...David
5.TENORSOLO--"Mammy"...Cook MiltonAbbott6.TROMBONESOLO--"AhLib"...FrankWithers7.QUARTETTE--ModernPartSongs E.O.Harris,J.C.Payne,E.C.McKinney,C.Rosamond8.INSTRUMENTALDUET--ViolinandCello FelixWeirandLeonardJeter9.SOPRANOSOLO--Mme.FlorenceColeTalbert10.ORCHESTRA--
(a)Characteristic...JoeJordan(b)"Admiration"...Tyers
11.ORCHESTRA--"RainSong"...Cook
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Amsterdam(NY)EveningRecorder,Thursday,May15,1919,n.p.350thFieldArtillery"BlackDevils"BandProgramFIRSTEPISODE1."America."2.March."GeneralAustin"(dedicatedtofounderofband)...Brymn3."Sparklets"...Brymn4."CocoanutGroveJazz"...Brymn5."AlpineSunset"...King6.SopranoSolo--Selected MissJosephineDean7."BealStreetBlues"...Handy8.Overture--"IlGuarany"...Gomez9.Saxaphone[sic]Trio MissDean,SergeantNikols,CorporalHousley10."CavalryCharge"...Luders11."LaRhumba"...Brymn12."StarsandStripesForever"...SousaSECONDEPISODE1.SecondRegimentMarch...Hall2.InflammatusfromStabatMater...Rossini3."SallieTrombone"...Lake4.Saxaphone[sic]Solo...SergeantNikols5."Admiration"...Tyers6."EvolutionofDixie"...Lake7."ThePhiladelphiaSundayBlues"...Brymn8.SopranoSolo--Selected...MissDean9.SelectionfromFaust...Gounod10."BarnyardBlues"...LaRocco11.March--"DunlapCommandery"...Hall12.Finale...EntireCompany
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Programofaconcertgivenbythe369thinearly1918inAix-les-Bains,France(derivedfromDanVernettes,CommemorationoftheCentenaryofthearrivaloftheAfrican-AmericanmilitarybandsinFranceduringWorkWarI:Ahistoricalandmusicalapproach[Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray:Iropa,1917],p.18):FirstPart1.AmericanExpeditionaryForce,March...Mikell2.Zampa,Overture...Herold3.IndianSummer4.ArbucklenianPolka...Hartman FrankDeBroite,cornet5.Song:BabyBoy6.CampMeetingDay...MikellandSissle SergeantSissleandCompanyK'sQuartet7.Semiramis,Overture...RossiniSecondPart1.TheOldFlagNeverTouchedtheGround...J.R.Johnson2.GuillaumeTell,Overture...Rossini3.MaggieDay...Snow WardAndrews,trombone4.OurDrummerBoys...Hill StevenandHerbertWright,percussion5.StarsandStripesForever,March...Sousa6.StarSpangledBanner7.LaMarseillaise
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VarietyreviewbySimeoftheMarch16concert,publishedintheweekbeforetheMarch23returnengagementattheManhattan(Variety,n.d.[betweenMarch16-March23),p.32).
LIEUT.JAMESREESEEUROPEAndtheWorldFamous
369THU.S.INFANTRY"HELLFIGHTERS'"BANDProgram
1.FrenchNationalDefileMarch--"SambreetMeuse"...Turlet2."PlantationEchoes"...Coates3.Suite-"DwellersoftheWesternWorld"...Sousa
(a)RedMan.(b)WhiteMan.(c)BlackMan.
4.AMusicalMelange--(a)ViolinSolo--FelixWeir(b)CelloSolo--H.LeonardJeter.(c)"NegroSpirituals"--Messrs.WeirandJeter.
5.APotpourriofPopularJazzTunes...Remick6.AHighbrowDiversion--Selection--"MillontheCliff"...Reissiger7.TheMelodyMan--CreightonThompson,inaSongBarrage.
(a)"RockaByeYourBaby"...Schwartz(b)"I'llSaySheDoes"...Jolson
8.Waltz--"DjerKiss"...Ager9.TheSingingSerenaders--"Southland"...Burleigh
CreightonThompson,L.LloydGibbs,EarlBumpforn,PeteZabriskie,CloydEarl,WhitneyViney,ThomasLeeandArthurPayne.
10.Characteristic--"Panama"...Tyers11.ABiffBangBombardmentbythe"PercussionTwins" SteveandHerbertWright,withEurope'sBandIntermission12."LosBanterilles"...Sabata13.AlJonesinaPianologuewithOriginalSongs.14.Caprice--"Trocha"...Tyers15.Saxaphone[sic]Sextette[sic]--"EchoesfromBroadway."
AntoninoGonzales,VesWilliams,PercyGreen,ArturoAyala,ClarenceJones,JoshuaCarterandSeverinoHernandez[NB:sevenmen]
16.Overture--"IlGuarany"...Gomez17.Lieut.JimEuropeandLieut.NobleSissle(formerDrumMajorofBand) inOriginalSongSwabbles.18.Jazz--"ThatMoaningTrombone"...Bethel19.SelectedSongsbytheSingingSerenadersandEurope'sBand.
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Dulfandthe"BlackDevils"BandoftheOldEighth(370thInfantry):Nocompleteprogramshavebeenfound.InCleveland,programnumbersincludedanariafrom"LaTraviata"andanencore,"Ifyouneverhadabeau,"byAnitaPattiBrown.InVirginia,towardstheendofthetour,theyperformedLuders'descriptive"CavalryCharge"andpopularitemssuchas"Havanola,""LiveryStableBlues,""JaDa,"andanencoreof"MemphisBlues"(ChicagoDefender,May24,1919,p.1).InYoungstown,Ohio,"IfanycriticismistobemadeitwouldbethattheprogramdidnotcontainanynegromelodiesormusicbyAmericannegrocomposers.Itispartoftheorganization'smissiontoshowwhatcoloredpeoplecando,anddistinctlynegromusicoughttobeoneofitsspecialties"(Youngstown(OH)Vindicator,April4,1919,p.23).However,inCleveland,"Jazzreignedsupreme....Selectionsfromgrandoperawereappreciatedbytheaudience,whichnearlyfilledthearmory,butwhentheboysplayedthepopularjazzmusictheaudiencebecamesoexcitedthat,haditnotbeenSunday,theremighthavebeendancing.Manyencoresweredemanded.Theywerealwaysansweredwithmorejazz"(PlainDealer,April7,1919,p.6;ClevelandGazette,April12,1919,p.3).