The late Lieut. "Jimmie" Europe end hie famoua "16" Jazz Bend anapped on their triumphant
return to New York.
Scott to complete the composition that Chauvin began.
O f all J o p lin ’ s "s tu d e n ts ,” he indicated the most
promise, but liv in g the fast life - his early demise
eliminated a possible real competitor to Joplin.
Most o f Joplin’ s life, after he settled in New York in
1910, was spent in decline a fte r he published
Treemonisha in 1911. His obsession w ith the opera
culminated in a one night performance in Harlem. It
would not be until decades after his death in 1917 that
the work would be given proper treatment. Its survival
would be due to the popularity that The Entertainer
received in a first-run movie. The Sting.
Ragtime never did gain the respectability that other
forms o f “ Black” music had; it would basically remain
in the urban areas with its coteria o f admirers forming a
select fraternity well-known to each other. Some claim
that it died with Joplin, another claim (more valid, most
musicologists think) that it would evolve with one o f the
nascent schools o f jazz. The advent o f the pianola with
its roles o f prefabricated ragtime certainly helped to
bring on the demise o f “ pure” ragtime.
Abbie Mitchell
When World War I began, once more Blacks were in­
volved with their music and Jim Europe was called upon
to form a group to take to the European Theater. They
performed throughout France to tumultuous ovations,
yet there was extreme puzzlement as to how their “ new
sounds” were formed. So convinced where the French
that Europe’ s men used different instruments that the
top bandsmen in France, the French Garde
Républicaine, insisted that Europe’ s group use French
instruments. O f course, Europe’ s group continued to
produce their sound! Jim explained: “ With the brass in­
struments we put in mutes and make a whirling motion
with the tongue” something that the Frenchmen had not
learned to do.
Europe returned to the States after the war, but died
when a crazed assassin kn ifed him in 1919 over an
imagined slight.
5ome musicologist claim that jazz is an outgrowth o f
the blues: and, as such, did not become a distinct form
until the twenties. However, Jelly Roll M orton, accord­
ing to some, is regarded as the first true jazz composer.
1884-1960
B rilliant d 'jm jt ir actress and musical star o f tw o continents
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