Home » History of Jazz Timeline: 1924
History of Jazz Timeline: 1924
Louis Armstrong marries piano player and composer Lil Hardin on February 5.
Armstrong, now big news, accompanies the now supreme Classic Blues singers Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith (notably "St Louis Blues") and others.
Armstrong reluctantly quits the Oliver band in June at Lil's request.
Armstrong attempts to get a job with Sammy Stewart but is turned down flat. Armstrong says that he "wasn't dicty enough" for Stewart.
Armstrong arrives in New York City on September 30.
Armstrong joins the Fletcher Henderson band in October at Lil's insistence. During Armstrong's year with Henderson, this band will become the most important early big band. This is the band that will be the model for the swing bands of the next decade.
Ellington writes first revue score for Chocolate Kiddies and records the novelty song "Choo Choo" for Blue Disc label. Ellington is still not doing Jazz at this time.
Sidney Bechet takes a summer job playing dances in New England with Ellington.
In October, Ellington and his Washingtonians are at the Hollywood Club on 49th street and Broadway.
Earl Hines forms a group in Chicago. His apartment is next to Armstrong's.
Bix Beiderbecke (cornet), Min Lelbrook (tuba), Jimmy Hartwell (clarinet), George Johnson (tenor sax), Bob Gilette (banjo), Vic Moore (drums), Dick Voynow(piano) and Al Gandee (trombone) form the Wolverines (named after Jelly Roll Morton's song "Wolverine Blues").
On February 18, Bix Beiderbecke and the Wolverines record at the Gennett studios in Richmond, Indiana. Their first record is "Fidgety Feet". Bix is still banging down heavily on the beat.
Jean Goldkette lures Bix Beiderbecke from the Wolverines only to fire him a few weeks later when he finds that he can't read music.
In October, Bix Beiderbecke and the Wolverines (now called the Personality Kids) are at the Cinderella Ballroom on 41st street and Broadway.
Hoagy Carmichael first hears Bix Beiderbecke with the Wolverines and is quite impressed. Says years later, "I could feel my hands trying to shake and getting cold when I saw Bix getting out his horn. Just four notes...But he didn't blow them -- he hit 'em like a mallet hits a chime..."
At twenty-one, Bix Beiderbecke has already become a recognizable figure among Jazz musicians. His playing represents one of the few styles which oppose rather than imitate Armstrong. He will be influential to Lester Young on tenor sax as well as the future Boppers via Young and directly.
Coleman Hawkins joins Fletcher Henderson's band.
Fletcher Henderson is invited to play the Roseland Ballroom on 51st street and Broadway in Manhattan during the summer of this year.
In October, the Fletcher Henderson band with Louis Armstrong is at the Roseland Ballroom on 51st street and Broadway in Manhattan.
Coleman Hawkins is inspired by Louis Armstrong to develop a distinctive saxophone style.
Kansas City bands are beginning to play a style with a four even beat ground beat (New Orleans Jazz had a distinct two beat ground beat behind a 4/4 melody). This paved the way for more modern forms of Jazz. Charlie Parker as a child growing up in K.C. heard this music. Count Basie is later quoted as saying "I can't dig that two-beat jive the New Orleans cats play; cause my boys and I got to have four heavy beats to a bar and no cheating."
Bessie Smith, most famous of the Classic Blues singers, begins her period of greatest fame. She will be recorded with Armstrong, trumpeter Joe Smith, Don Redman, James P. Johnson, Charlie Green, Fletcher Henderson and others over the next few years.
Fats Waller is now twenty and is playing rent parties in New York City.
Trumpeter Tommy Ladnier is playing in Joe Oliver's band in Chicago. Ladnier was brought to Chicago as a child.
Django Reinhardt switches to guitar and is now playing the clubs of Paris.
Art Tatum (only in his early teens) is already playing rent parties.
Benny Moten band is moving towards the New Orleans style. The song "South" has breaks which could have been played by Oliver or Armstrong.
Clarence Williams from New Orleans opens a record store in Chicago.
George Gershwin writes "Rhapsody in Blue".
Earl "Bud" Powell is born in New York City.
Future Bop trombone innovator J.J. Johnson is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Bop singer Sarah Vaughan is born in Newark, N.J.
Singer Dinah Washington is born.
Mahalia Jackson's idols are Bessie Smith and Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso.
Paul Whiteman makes Jazz "respectable" with his February 21 concert at Aeolian Hall in New York City. The first song is an authentic version of ODJB's "Livery Stable Blues" which is merely meant to show how crude the real thing is, but most fans like it better than the "Symphonic Jazz" which follows.
May 1924 - Bix Biederbecke's Wolverine's records college student,
Hoagy Carmichael's song "Riverboat Shuffle,' for Gennett.
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Disclaimer: Though we have checked our facts, this timeline may contain erroneous information. If you discover errors or omissions, please bring them to our attention.
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