"Glimmerings on Goldkette."
An Essay by
John Davis and Gray Clarke
Jazz Music Vol.4, No.4, 1950
A Critique by Albert Haim


An interesting but seriously flawed essay about Jean Goldkette's music by the legendary John R. T. Davis,

expert in the restoration of classic jazz records, and Gray Clarke.

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Introduction

The article begins with the question:  Who was the "directing spirit" who made the band what it was?” Historians, musicians and aficionados have stated throughout the decades that Goldkette’s was one of the best, if no the best dance band of the 1920s. It is, therefore, pertinent to inquire as to what made the Jean Goldkette band great. At first the authors use the singular -- “directing spirit” behind the band. Later on they write: “the guardian angel who might have been Challis, or a syndicate of several whom we can just call “X”." At the end the authors write: “But this gives a clue to the date of the departure of “X” (present in July 1928, for Forgetting You, but absent a year later, which might lead eventually to the establishment of his identity.”

I must point out, at the outset, that the article by Davis and Clarke was written in 1950. Today we have a lot more data and we can establish, in the light of our new knowledge, that some of what Davis and Clarke wrote is seriously flawed. For example, we know that when Goldkette disbanded his orchestra in September 1927, Challis joined the Whiteman organization and remained with him until 1930. Therefore, Challis could not have been the "directing spirit" of the band ("X") in 1928-1929.

In spite of their detailed analysis, Davis and Clarke end their article in a highly inconclusive (and disappointing) manner  “We are still without a real clue to the identity of the intelligence behind the band." However, in contrast with their acknowledged inability to identify "X", they assert, with absolute assurance, that "Certainly it [the musical intelligence behind the band] was not Goldkette’s own.”

I present here a critical examination of Davis and Clarke's analysis:
- I provide evidence that the 1928-1929 recordings were cut by Goldkette musicians, not, as suggested in the article in question, by members of McKinney's Cotton Pickers.
- I comment on the vicious, unwarranted denigration of Whiteman's music.
- I propose the simple explanation that the "musical intelligence" behind the outstanding quality of the Goldkette orchestra was Jean Goldkette himself.

The Jean Goldkette Victor Recording Orchestra and McKinney's Cotton Pickers.

The Jean Goldkette orchestra recorded for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor Company Inc. between 1924 and 1929. Three distinct stages can be recognized for the Goldkette orchestra, the first two  with residences in the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit, MI, the third with residences in Kansas City (late 1927) and Chicago (1928-1929):
- 1924-1926, the pre-Bix orchestra.
- 1926-1927, the orchestra with Bix.
- 1927-1929, the post-Bix orchestra.

McKinney's Cotton Pickers with Don Redman as music director were active from late 1927 to 1931 with residences in the Graystone Ballroom (late 1927- 1929) and several recording sessions for Victor in New York and New Jersey (1929-1931). Thus, the Goldkette orchestra and McKinney's Cotton Pickers  overlapped only in 1928-1929, the Goldkette orchestra residing in Chicago, McKinney's Cotton Pickers with residence in the Graystone Ballroom and travelling to Chicago for recording sessions at the Victor studios. In this context, it must be noted that Don Redman, being a member of the Goldkette organization, wrote arrangements that were recorded by the Jean Goldkette orchestra. Furthermore, I point out that the Goldkette orchestra and McKinney's Cotton Pickers overlapped in the Victor studios in Chicago only on one day, July 12, 1928.

Throughout all its stages, the Jean Goldkette orchestra produced outstanding recordings. I list two for each period:

- pre-Bix: It’s the Blues (1924), Dinah (1926).

- with Bix: My Pretty Girl (1927), Clementine (1927).

<>- post-Bix: That’s Just My Way of Forgetting You (1928), My Blackbirds are Bluebirds Now (1928).

 It is generally accepted by jazz historians and aficionados that the Jean Goldkette orchestra reached its pinnacle in 1927, when Bix was a member of the band. Therefore, it is surprising that Davis and Clarke, in their analysis of what made the Goldkette orchestra great, emphasize its 1928 recordings, in particular "That’s Just My Way of Forgetting You" from July 12, 1928.
 
It is important to point out that Davis and Clarke were probably unaware of what are at present two well-documented facts. First, the important role of Don Redman, the leader of McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, as arranger for several post-Bix Goldkette recordings. Second, Davis and Clarke refer repeatedly to the Chicago 1928-1929 Goldkette Band as a “pick-up” band. This is incorrect. The Chicago Goldkette band was a first class outfit, with Harold Stokes as leader and included, at various times,  excellent musicians such as  Harold Stokes, Nat Natoli, Sterling Bose, Pee Wee Hunt, Vernon Brown, Larry Tice,  Jack Cordaro,  Volly De Faut, Victor Young, Paul Mertz, Van Fleming, Bill Short, Herb Quigley and Steve Brown.

As already indicated, although the Goldkette orchestra made recordings between 1924 and 1929, Davis and Clarke focus their analysis almost exclusively on the July 12, 1928 recording of “That’s Just My Way of Forgetting You.” Since McKinney's Cotton Pickers were recording in Chicago on that date, Davis and Clarke suggest that McKinney's Cotton Pickers men could have been used in the Goldkette session. Davis and  Clark add that this is an attractive hypothesis because "If Goldkette was managing or booking them [McKinney's Cotton Pickers], it is feasible that he may have taken them to Chicago, and whilst there put in a  little recording of his own account." Moreover, Davis and Clarke write: "The McKinney group was a strong one at that time, whereas Goldkette's band was anything but." The logical flaw in this theory is that Davis and Clark neglect to recognize that the Goldkette orchestra produced excellent quality recordings in 1928 and 1929 in Chicago at times when McKinney's Cotton Pickers's musicians were in Detroit or other parts of the country. Moreover, the Victor recording sheets for July 12, 1928 clearly show that the bands were recorded in separate sessions, with no indication of collaboration. On July 12, the Goldkette session took place between 10.00 am and 1.30 pm, with McKinney’s allotted the afternoon slot, starting at 2.00 pm and finishing at 6.45 pm. As was usual for the time, all the recording sheets for McKinney’s Cotton Pickers state “Colored Orchestra,” but no such notation is made in any of the recording sheets for Goldkette sessions.

For additional, detailed information about the relationship between the Jean Goldkette orchestra and McKinney's Cotton Pickers, see the two-part article "Jean Goldkette’s Post-Bix Recordings: the Don Redman Arrangements"  by Nick Dellow and Albert Haim in http://www.vjm.biz/159_goldkette.pdf and http://www.vjm.biz/160_goldkette.pdf   We presented therein overwhelming evidence that Goldkette musicians, not McKinney's Cotton Pickers men, made all the 1928-1929 recordings listed in discographies and Victor ledgers for the Jean Goldkette orchestra.
Davis and Clarke About the Paul Whiteman Orchestra

In the Whiteman section of their article, Davis and Clarke mostly ignore their search for “X” and malign, viciously, Whiteman and his musicians; in the process, they provide erroneous data.

- “before going out to the west coast to rot in idleness for over a year” That is inaccurate. Whiteman and his musicians waited for two months (July=August 1929) for a script. And rot is denigrating and incorret. The band had weekly broadcasts of the Old Gold program and gave concerts in Santa Barbara (twice) and in the Hollywood Bowl.

- “Whiteman virtually fired his own band and took over Goldkette’s.” This is inaccurate. Whiteman kept most of his musicians and gradually added a few Goldkette men to his outfit: Brown in September 1927, Bix and Tram in October 1927, Rank in December 1927.

- “The difference between the Whiteman which made, say St. Louis Blues and that which recorded Magnolia onward, is almost comic.” This is written in the context of Whiteman having “taken over Goldkette’s band.” I point out that Magnolia was recorded on May 24, 1927, four months before the Goldkette orchestra was disbanded. I further note that the use of the word “comic” in making comparisons of recordings is disparaging and unwarranted.

- even Steve Brown “could do nothing about the turgid inefficiency of the (rhythm) section. The fault, presumably, was shared by Whiteman himself and Ferdy [sic] Grofe. Both appeared to have had a psychopathic horror of even a steady tempo, much less a real rhythmic impulse. Bix, Tram, Brown, Lang, Venuti, the rest of them, just sounded pompous and ordinary, except when playing solo.” This contradicts the widely accepted view that the musicianship of Whiteman men was at the highest level both when playing ensemble as well as solos. In my opinion, the use of the adjective psychopathic is well over the top. A psychopathic individual suffers from a serious antisocial personality disorder that is usually characterized by aggressive, criminal behavior.    

As already indicated, although the Goldkette band made recordings between 1924 and 1929, Davis and Clarke focus their analysis almost exclusively on the July 12, 1928 recording of “That’s Just My Way of Forgetting You.” Since the Paul Whiteman (with Bix) was in Chicago on that date, Davis and Clarke write: “So it could  have happened that Goldkette also used Whiteman elements in the hypothetical pick-up group.” Again, the logical flaw is that Goldkette produced excellent quality recordings in 1928 and 1929 in Chicago at times when Whiteman musicians were in other parts of the country.
Conclusion: The Musical Intelligence Behind the Jean Goldkette Orchestra.<>
After rambling through a series of invalid considerations about McKinneys’ Cotton Pickers and Paul Whiteman’s orchestra, Davis and Clarke admit that they utterly failed in their attempt to identify the individual(s) that made the Goldkette band one of the best hot dance outfits of the 1920s. They conclude their essay as follows: “In short, we still know really nothing whatever about Goldkette. And it is up to somebody to start again from the beginning.”

 I am going to take a crack at the challenge. First, I will reiterate that the Goldette orchestra had three periods: pre-Bix, with Bix , post-Bix. In all of these stages, the orchestra produced outstanding recordings.
When jazz and dance band aficionados think of the Jean Goldkette orchestra, the 1926-27 edition of the band with Bix and Tram comes to their minds. When Bix and Tram joined the Goldkette orchestra, there were already a number of highly talented musicians in the band—clarinetist Don Murray, trombonist Bill Rank, bassist Steve Brown, drummer Chauncey Morehouse and the inimitable duo of  Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti added for recordings. Earlier, the Goldkette orchestra included the gifted Dorsey Brothera. With the incorporation of Bix, Tram and the brilliant arranger Bill Challis, the Jean Goldkette Victor recording orchestra reached new heights. In addition, the Frank Trumbauer orchestra, a small, select number of musicians, a band within the band, was producing a number of ground-breaking  recordings—Singin’ the Blues, I’m Coming Virginia—highly admired by musicians, fans and critics. Although some of the recordings of the Goldkette band with Bix were superior to those of the pre- and post-Bix groups, these were also, as mentioned above, of extraordinary quality.  

Evidently, the unique common link in all the 1924-1929 recordings was Jean Goldkette himself. Nevertheless, Davis and Clarke assert with absolute certainty that  “We are still without a real clue to the identity of the musical intelligence behind the band. Certainly it was not Goldkette’s own.” In making this assertion, Davis and Clark ignore crucial facts. In the very early 1920s, Goldkette organized a dance band in the Detroit Athletic Club. Having received a rigorous musical education in Russia, Goldkette had the necessary skills to judge the musicianship of potential candidates for his dance orchestra. Goldkette carefully selected  first-class musicians for his dance band. By the end of March 1924, now in the Graystone Ballroom, the band consisted of:  Violin, Joe Venuti ; reeds,  Doc Ryker, Jimmy Dorsey, Don Murray; trumpets, Fuzzy Farrar, Ray Lodwig; trombones, Bill Rank, Tommy Dorsey; tuba, Irish Henry;  banjo, Howdy Quicksell; two pianos, Dewey Bergman, Paul Mertz; drums, Charles Horvath. As weeks and months went by, more first-class musicians were hired: drummer Chauncey Morehouse, bassist Steve Brown. Finally with the addition of Bix and Tram at the end of the summer of 1926, we have the legendary Jean Goldkette orchestra.

T The direct and close involvement of Goldkette in hiring musicians for his band is illustrated clearly in the following account (from Sudhalter and Evans, Bix, Man and Legend): “Goldkette came to New York, and unannounced  and unrecognized, visited the Cinderella. He made his decision on the spot, went backstage, introduced himself and made Bix an offer to come to Detroit and join the Jean Goldkette Victor Recording Orchestra.” 

Goldkette disbanded his Victor Recording Orchestra in September 1927 and discharged all the musicians. By the end of 1927, Goldkette had reconstituted an entirely new band in the Pla-Mor Ballroom located at 3124 Main Street in Kansas City. Built at a cost of over $500,000, the ballroom opened its doors on November 24, 1927and featured a 14,000 square foot wooden dance floor that flexed up to one quarter of an inch thanks to underfloor springing. The Goldkette band played to a crowd of 4,100 dancers on the opening night, with Jean Goldkette himself conducting.  In 1928 Goldkette moved the orchestra to Chicago, first to the Trianon Ballroom and then to the prestigious Drake Hotel as ‘house orchestra’ for WGN, the Chicago Tribune’s radio station. Many of the musicians who had been members of the Goldkette band at the Trianon  remained when it relocated to WGN, including Sterling Bose, Earl Baker, Larry Tice, Volly De Faut, Pee Wee Hunt and Vernon Brown. But there was one significant loss though - Steve Brown was replaced by Bill Short, playing a more conventional sousaphone. Other new additions included Jack Cordaro on alto sax and clarinet, and Van Fleming on guitar/banjo and vocals. Clearly, the Chicago Goldkette band was a first-class outfit.    

From the above, it will be seen that there was a continuity of outstanding quality from the pre-Bix to the post-Bix Goldkette orchestras, but the latter had no connections at all with the previous bands except for  Goldkette himself. Thus, it becomes evident that the remarkable and consistent quality of the Goldkette Victor Recording orchestra throughout its existence --1924 to 1929-- was associated, at least in part, with the leadership of Goldkette himself in making the important decisions. Additional contributing factors were, to be sure, the outstanding quality of musicians and arrangers hired by Goldkette for his legendary Victor Recording Orchestra.