"Hawk" (Chicago wind) and DOWN BEAT stories

Bapopik at AOL.COM Bapopik at AOL.COM
Sun Feb 6 03:24:20 UTC 2005


DOWN BEAT was published in Chicago, so I thought it might be a good place to look for "the Hawk" or "Hawkins"--the name of Chicago's (the Windy City's) wind.

My search stopped at the end of 1941, and I did NOT see "the hawk." I just realized that NYU has DOWN BEAT, so I'll be able to check tomorrow...A book listing Erskine Hawkins' recordings did not mention "the hawk."

DARE has "hawk" from 1946, Mezzrow-Wolfe REALLY BLUES. There's a 1966 citation from black singer Lou Rawls. Four 1970s cites are given, all from "Black Jargon." From the 1981 DARE File: "The hawk--nickname for a cold wind. In the late 30's there was a great trumpet-player, Erskine Hawkins, with a big band; he was called the '20th Century Gabriel'--he was said to blow a 'cold blast.'"

First, Erskine Hawkins barely recorded by the late 30's. Early 40's is almost certainly correct.

Second, there were TWO "hawks." "The Hawk" was Coleman Hawkins, who played sax. Erskine Hawkins played trumpet. I'll try to go through DOWN BEAT (Chicago) 1942-1946 tomorrow and sort eagle-eye for "hawk."

If I find anything, I will beg the Chicago Tribune for the next eight years, and they'll publish it in 2013 without credit. It will probably make the Encyclopedia of Chicago's online edition, where I won't get credit, either.

Maybe there's someone in Chicago named Mike Salovesh who'll apreciate it.

-------------------------------------------------------------

1 October 1939, DOWN BEAT, pg. 4, cols. 1-2 headline:
_The Life and Death of Clarence_
_Smith, Creator of Boogie Woogie_
(Long "Pinetop" article--ed.)

1 November 1939, DOWN BEAT, pg. 6, col. 1:
_Illiterate Sign_
_Painter Coined_
_The Term "Jazz"_
(Too long to type. It involves Boisey James at The Schiller (Cafe), Thirty-first street amd Calumet avenue.
Pg. 6, col. 5:
_"Kelly Not the One"_
The late Henry O. Osgood, in his book _So This Is Jazz_, credits Bert Kelly of Chicago with having (Pg. 7, col. 1--ed.) introducced the term _Jazz band_ in 1915. Kelly himself assumes the honor, but it is significant that the site of Kelly's operations was but a matter of blocks to State Street and the Schiller.
(...)
(col. 4--ed.)
As this issue of the _Digest_ (Literary Digest jazz articles of August 25, 1917 and April 26, 1919--ed.) was distributed, it met the eye of Lucius C. Harper present editor of the Chicago _Defender_ and at that time a member of the city staff. Harper who has an uncommonly (Col. 5--ed.) accurate memory tells me that Jim Europe, recently returned from triumpha abroad, was playing the old Auditorium Hotel in Chicago at the time the article appeared. When Harper showed the bandmaster the _Digest_ article Europe denied having expressed himself as quoted. "My knowledge of it" he told Harper "is that it was started right here in Chicago by old Boisey James at the Schiller."

1 November 1939, DOWN BEAT, pg. 21, col. 4:
It's action like this that caused the term "out of this world" to be introduced into Americans' vocabularies.

15 February 1940, DOWN BEAT, pg. 12 headline:
_The Saxophone Was Invented by Accident!_
_And Will Marion Cook Was the_
_First ti Use it in Jazz Band_
(1840-1940 history of saxophone--ed.)

15 March 1940, DOWN BEAT, pg. 18, col. 3:
_Petrillo Now_
_At War With_
_"Pancake" Men_
Chicago--James C. Petrillo's latest stand in his battle to eliminate canned music is aimed at electrical transcription and record turntable ops in the Chicago area. He calls them "pancake turners."
("DJs"--ed.)

1 April 1940, DOWN BEAT, pg. 6, cols. 1-3:
_"Splinterbugs" Nude Feet Thrill Miami!_
_Name Bands Flop as "Raw Dog"_
_Dancing and Congas Catch on_

1 July 1940, DOWN BEAT, pg. 5, cols. 1-2:
_"Hog Mouth Was So_
_Powerful He Could_
_Play Your Name"_
By ONAH L. SPENCER

Chicago--Jasper Taylor is the man who first used a washboard in a jazz band.

And he was and still is a good drummer. Starting with W. C. Handy in Memphis in 1913, Taylor came to Chicago in 1916 and made records for Paramount and other labels with Jimmy O'Brien, Jelly Roll Morton and others. In France, during the war, Taylor played drums in the 365th Infantry band. Later, he played with WIll Marion Cook's now-famous combo at the Clef Club, New York.

Later, he played with Dave Peyton's Grand Theater irk here, and also at the Plantation with King Oliver, in 1923.

Here are some of Taylor's prize memories:

"In 1917," says he, "a clarinetist named William Phillips came to Chicago to play John Wreckliffe's orchestra. They called him 'Hog Mouth' because his lips measured an inch and a half in thickness. Because his lips were exception strong it was possible for him to execute unusual tones and sounds, both harsh and beautiful, from his clarinet. So remarkable was his control that he would, or could, call out person's names in an audience on his instrument. He is the originator of the expression _'That's All'_ that was used by bands in the twenties. This term was used to sign off or end a dance. All bands used this at that time. But the remarkable feature was that Phillips not only originated it but expressed these words on his instrument when other depended on verbal expression of the term.

"Phillips also originated the 'jackass bray' in such numbers as _Livery Stable Blues_, etc. It happened thus:

"One day when featured with 'A G. Allen's Minstrel Band,' he was doing a solo out front of the tent show when a farmer's jackass interrupted with a long and loud bray. Phillips replied to the donkey with a clarinet bray that brought laughs and applause. Result, he kept braying in his solo. He played New Orleans and later used his jackass bray in _Livery Stable Blues_."

1 September 1940, DOWN BEAT, pg. 21, cols. 1-4 headline:
_Eddie Chase, Wax Disc Maestro, Is a Very Busy Man These Days_
(No "disc jockey" for this story about WGN's "Make-Believe Ballroom"--ed.)

15 November 1940, DOWN BEAT, pg. 4, cols. 1-3 headline:
_"We'll Starve the Mickey Mouse Bands"_

15 February 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. (illegible), cols. 1-2 headline:
_Norvo Unappreciated Genius--Frazier_
_Cusses "Handlers who_
_Screw Things Royally_
(SCREWED + ROYALLY=51,700 Google hits. HDAS?--ed.)

15 March 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 13, cols. 1-2:
_Ask L.A. Radio Stations to_
_Use AFM "Pancake-Turners"_
(...)
The headache will arrive in the form of a contemplated drive by Local 47 to install union musicians as record turners or "pan cake flippers" in Los Angeles radio stations.

1 June 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 1, cols. 3-4 headline:
_Uncle Sam May_
_"Sock It" to Musicians_

1 July 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 6, cols. 4-5 headline:
_Artie Shaw Tales: the "Bingle,"_
_The "Snark," and the "Snorf"_

1 October 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 3, cols. 1-2 headline:
_Lionel Hampton Plans 4 Fiddles,_
_Cello to "Carve Dinner Sessions"_
(HDAS has 1943 for "carve--ed.)

1 October 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 14, col. 1:
ONE OF THE REALLY great records of the months appears under the Will Bradley-Ray McKinley billing, and peculiarly enough contains a generous portion of the orchestrated boogie-woogie figures which this corner on previous occasions has branded as synthetic and unsuitable. But Bradley's "Six Texas Hot Dogs" unquestionably hit the proper groove when they cut _Basin Street Boogie_ on Col. 36340.

1 October 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 17, col. 1:
If you can't get _mad_ and press them out you really are a ten o'clock performer.
("Doubling in Brass" by John O'Donnell: "Compare Chops to Sidewalk, Says John"--ed.)
15 October 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 13, cols. 1-3 headline:
_Andy Kirk Band Sends Me--Frazier_

15 November 1941, DOWN BEAT, pg. 10, cols. 3-4 cartoon:
JOE BLOW and His Orchestra
(Name on tour bus--ed.)



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