Bix Beiderbecke was one of the great jazz musicians of the 1920's; he was also a child of the Jazz

Age who drank himself to an early grave with illegal Prohibition liquor. His hard drinking and beautiful tone on the cornet made him a legend among musicians during his life. The legend of Bix grew even larger after he died. Bix never learned to read music very well, but he had an amazing ear even as a child. His parents disapproved of his playing music and sent him to a military school outside of Chicago in 1921. He was soon expelled for skipping class and became a fulltime musician. In 1923 Beiderbecke joined the Wolverine Orchestra and recorded with them the following year. Bix was influenced a great deal by the Original Dixieland Jass Band, but soon surpassed their playing. In late 1924 Bix left the Wolverines to join Jean Goldkette's Orchestra, but his inability to read music eventually resulted in him losing the job. In 1926 he spent some time with Frankie Trumbauer's Orchestra where he recorded his solo piano masterpiece "In a Mist". He also recorded some of his best work with Trumbauer and guitarist, Eddie Lang, under the name of Tram, Bix, and Eddie. Bix was able to bone up on his sight-reading enough to re-join Jean Goldkette's Orchestra briefly, before signing up as a soloist with Paul Whiteman's Orchestra. Whiteman's Orchestra was the most popular band of the 1920's and Bix enjoyed the prestige and money of playing with such a successful outfit, but it didn't stop his drinking. In 1929 Bix's drinking began to catch up with him. He suffered from delirium tremens and he had a nervous breakdown while playing with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, and was eventually sent back to his parents in Davenport, Iowa to recover. It should be noted that Paul Whiteman was very good to Bix during his struggles. He kept Bix on full pay long after his breakdown, and promised him that his chair was always open in the Whiteman Orchestra, but, Bix was never the same again, and never rejoined the band. He returned to New York in 1930 and made a few more records with his friend Hoagy Carmichael and under the name of Bix Beiderbecke and his Orchestra. But mainly, he holed himself up in a rooming house in Queens, New York where he drank a lot and worked on his beautiful solo piano pieces "Candlelight", "Flashes", and "In The Dark" (played here by Ralph Sutton; Bix never recorded them). He died at age 28 in 1931 during an alcoholic check out

Beiderbecke first recorded with his band the Wolverine Orchestra in 1924. They were usually called the Wolverines, named for "Wolverine Blues" by Jelly Roll Morton because they played it so often. He became a sought-after musician in Chicago and New York City. He made innovative and influential recordings with Frankie Trumbauer ("Tram") and the Jean Goldkette Orchestra.

The Wolverine Orchestra in 1924. Standing: Dick Voynow. Seated: Vic Moore, George Johnson, Jimmy Hartwell, Bix Beiderbecke, Al Grande, Min Leibrook, Bob Gillette. When the Goldkette Orchestra disbanded after their last recording ("Clementine (From New Orleans)"), in September 1927, Bix and Trumbauer, a 'C' melody and alto saxophone player, briefly joined Adrian Rollini's band at the Club New Yorker, New York. Beiderbecke then moved on to the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, the most popular and highest paid band of the day. Beiderbecke also played piano, sometimes switching from cornet for a chorus or two during a song (e.g., "For No Reason at All in C", 1927). He wrote several compositions for the piano, and recorded one of them, "In a Mist" (after it was transcribed from his improvisations by the Goldkette/Whiteman arranger Bill Challis). His piano compositions include "In A Mist", "Flashes", "In The Dark" and "Candlelights." These were later recorded by (amongst others) Jess Stacy, Bunny Berigan, Jimmy and Marian McPartland, Dill Jones and Ralph Sutton Bix Beiderbecke wrote or co-wrote six instrumental compositions during his career:

"Davenport Blues" (1925) "In a Mist (Bixology)" (1927) "For No Reason at All in C" (1927) with Frankie Trumbauer "Candlelights" (1930) "Flashes" (1931) "In the Dark" (1931) "Betcha I Getcha," attributed to Bix Beiderbecke as a co-composer by Joe Venuti, the composer of the song "Cloudy," attributed to Bix Beiderbecke by composer Charlie Davis as a composition from circa 1924[116]

[edit] Major recordings

Bix Beiderbecke's first recordings we as a member of the Wolverine Orchestra:[115]

"Fidgety Feet" / "Jazz Me Blues," recorded on February 18, 1924, in Richmond, Indiana, and released as Gennett 5408 "Copenhagen," recorded on May 6, 1924, and released as Gennett 5453B and Claxtonola 40336B "Riverboat Shuffle" / "Susie (Of the Islands)," recorded on May 6, 1924, and released as Gennett 5454 As Bix Beiderbecke and his Rhythm Jugglers, Beiderbecke recorded: "Toddlin' Blues" / "Davenport Blues," recorded on January 26, 1925, in Richmond, Indiana, and released as Gennett 5654 With the Jean Goldkette Orchesra in 19261927, Beiderbecke recorded: "My Pretty Girl" / "Cover Me Up with Sunshine," recorded on February 1, 1927, in New York and released as Victor 20588 "Sunny Disposish" / "Fox Trot" from "Americana", recorded on February 3, 1927, in New York and released as Victor 20493B[117]

With Frankie Trumbauer and His Orchestra and guitarist Eddie Lang, Beiderbecke recorded:

"Clarinet Marmalade" / "Singin' the Blues," recorded on February 4, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 40772 "I'm Coming, Virginia" / "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," recorded on May 13, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 40843 "For No Reason at All in C" / "Trumbology," recorded on May 13, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 40871, Columbia 35667, and Parlophone R 3419 "In a Mist" / "Wringin' an' Twistin'," recorded on September 9, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 40916 and Vocalion 3150 "Borneo" / "My Pet," recorded on April 10, 1928, in New York and released as Okeh 41039 As Bix Beiderbecke and His Gang, he recorded:

"At The Jazz Band Ball" / "Jazz Me Blues," recorded on October 5, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 40923 "Royal Garden Blues" / "Goose Pimples," recorded on October 5, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 8544 "Sorry" / "Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down," recorded on October 25, 1927, in New York and released as Okeh 41001 "Wa-Da-Da (Everybody's Doin' It Now)" recorded on July 7, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois and released as Okeh 41088 "Rhythm King" was recorded on September 21, 1928 in New York and released as Okeh 41173

With the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, he recorded:

"Lonely Melody" [Take 3] / "Mississippi Mud" [Take 2], with Bing Crosby, the Rhythm Boys, and Izzy Friedman, recorded on January 4, 1928, in New York and released as Victor 25366 "Ramona" recorded on January 4, 1928 in New York and released as Victor 21214A. #1 for 3 weeks "Ol' Man River" (From "Show Boat") recorded on January 11, 1928 in New York and released as Victor 21218-A and Victor 25249 with Bing Crosby on vocals. #1 for 1 week "San" [Take 6] recorded on January 12, 1928 in New York and released as Victor 24078-A "Together" recorded on January 21, 1928 in New York and released as Victor 35883-A. #1 for 2 weeks "Mississippi Mud" [Take 3] / "From Monday On" [Take 6], with vocals by Bing Crosby, recorded on February 28, 1928, in New York and released as Victor 21274 "My Angel" recorded on April 21, 1928 in New York and released as Victor 21388A. #1 for 6 weeks "My Melancholy Baby", recorded on May 15, 1928, in New York and released as Columbia 50068-D[118] "Sweet Sue," recorded on September 18, 1928, in New York and released as Columbia 50103-D

As Bix Beiderbecke and His Orchestra, he recorded:

"I Don't Mind Walking in the Rain" / "I'll Be a Friend With Pleasure," recorded on September 8, 1930, in New York and released as Victor 23008

With Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra, he recorded:

"Barnacle Bill, the Sailor" / "Rockin' Chair," with vocals by Carson Robison, recorded on May 21, 1930, in New York and released as Victor V-38139 and Victor 25371 "Georgia on My Mind", with Hoagy Carmichael on vocals, recorded on September 15, 1930, in New York and released as Victor 23013

Chris Greene Mr. Joey Sellers Mon-Wed Class Leon Bix Beiderbecke 1903-1931 Leon Beiderbecke, Bix Beiderbecke, was single handedly one of the most influential Jazz musicians as well as composers of his time. He did not really start becoming the musician of his full potential because his parents did not approve of his playing. They sent him to military school when he was only 17. It was soon after this, when he became expelled for skipping class, that he became a fulltime musician. This is when his skills started to erupt. Although he was so good, Bix Beiderbecke did not read music very well. This is both interesting because of the fact that he was so good yet he could not read it and awesome because it gives people like me hope with instruments. Although I have no idea how to play the cornet, he knew how to play the piano, quite well as a matter of fact. Now aside from the fact that he composed and played to a level where almost no other was at, my favorite thing about him was that he could not read music! That is so amazing to me. As far as non-musical aspects go, his main other thing was drinking. Everybody drinks but if you die before the age of thirty, then you have definitely suffered from delirium tremes and broke down while he was playing with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Now Paul Whiteman was extremely generous and caring towards Bix, even after this mishap Bix was receiving full pay while he was sent back home to his parents. Bix was even told he would always have a chair open for him by Paul. Unfortuneately Bix just never felt good enough to return and after a few more recordings with a friend, he died in 1931.