Jazzology (1916? Texas?)

[George Thompson]

I have checked the New Handbook of Texas, 6 volumes, 6000+ pages, one
wouldn't suppose it would have to leave out much of significance due to
lack of space, but Oswin Kerrin King doesn't make it.  Neither
does "Red Sox", Texas, and since "Red Top" Texas does -- founded 100
years ago with a church and a school, and not consisting of a church
and a cemetery, evidently housing the early graduates of the school --
I suspect that Red Sox is a fictitious place.

I see also that the Dallas Evening Journal lasted from 1914 through
1919, then pupated as the Dallas Journal, which is not longer in
business.  The files of the Evening Journal, 1914-1919, are available
on microfilm.

As far as jazz in Texas goes: there is an entry of several pages in the
New Handbook under "Jazz".  The early years are not well documented
either by recordings or otherwise, but since the state is not that far
from New Orleans or from Kansas City, its likely enough that jazz was
played there.  Eddie Durham and Jack Teagarden were born in Texas in
the 190s.  There is generally a concept of "southwestern" style in jazz
playing of the 1930s that's associated with musicians from Kansas City
and the "territory" southwest of KC.

I note also that there is a very brief sketch of John Crosby, with a
list of his books and of a few articles about him,  in Contemporary
Authors, New Revised Series, vol. 4, and an obituary, with references
to several other obits, in Contemporary Authors, vol. 135.

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African
Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998.

----- Original Message -----
From: Bapopik at AOL.COM
Date: Sunday, October 14, 2001 4:30 am
Subject: Jazzology (1916?  Texas?)

> JAZZOLOGY (1916?)
>
>   I've been going through some Texas online library catalogs.  I
> gave Baylor University a try (it's the sometime home to famous ADS-
> Ler Lynne Murphy).
>   Try bearcat.baylor.edu and check this out:
>
> King, Oswin Kerrin
> Uncle Jake Sez: a book of sayings, poetry, philosophy and
> jazzology by the noted baseball expert of Red Sox, Texas
> c. 1916
>
>   The book is from his columns in the Dallas Evening Journal.
> "Jazz" was just becoming popular in Chicago in 1916.  "Jazz" was
> totally unknown in New York until 1917.  And a baseball
> connection, too?
>   I'm at home.  What does WorldCat have on this author and this
> book?  Could 1916 possibly be correct?  Is it an error?
>   Texas jazz????
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> "OK" SIGN (continued)
>
>   Forgot this.
>   From John Crosby's RADIO AND TELEVISION, NEW YORK HERALD
> TRIBUNE, 27 October 1952, pg. 21, col. 2:
>
>   I walked down the street at General Service with an actor.
> Every time he passed any one, he's smile, hold his fingers in an
> "O" sign and say: "Great!  Very funny!"
>