*Continued biography from description:* Forming his “Society Orchestra” with the backing (and quite possibly highly enforced standards) of the club, Europe & his group had soon enough become the leading purveyors of dance music for New York's elite, as a band suited for any occasion could quickly be formed from its formidable membership. With the union’s membership growing in numbers, Europe had held every one of them to the highest standards of performance, demeanor, attitude, professionalism and overall appearance. While the club did not outwardly discourage ragtime performance, they did try to emphasize the member's skills in classical and popular song forms, particularly for society gatherings & more formal engagements. A particular focus that may have done them more good than originally thought, as It wouldn’t be long before his organization (bolstered by some extraordinary public concerts) were not only commanding the best jobs in New York and surrounding areas, but many white musicians petitioned to join the formidable union as well to find work.With well over 100 musicians by this point, the Clef Club officially debuted at the Manhattan Casino in Harlem on May 27, 1910, to great acclaim and encore. Within two years, on May 2, 1912, the Clef Club under Europe's baton brought their wide range of musical selections to Carnegie Hall, marking one of the first times Ragtime was played in that famous formal setting, making their return in 1913 and 1914. During this period Europe continued to compose and turn out a number of popular numbers in print through a variety of publishers. Among the best-known of these works were eight that were co-composed with Dabney, specifically for the famed husband and wife dance time of Vernon and Irene Castle. The Castles found Europe's Society Orchestra among the best they had worked with, and hired Europe late in 1913 as their preferred band leader with Dabney as their arranger. Europe himself was so intuitive and in tune with the duties of a dance conductor that Irene Castle later wrote, "[Europe's] was the only music that completely made me forget the effort of the dance." All of these were issued within a two month period in 1914, an extraordinary output for the quality of work the two invested into the project with Jim’s brisk “Castle House Rag” becoming the best known composition associated with both the composer and the Castles themselves. Shortly after this time, Europe would leave the Clef Club he had influenced over the years all together, owing to disputes with some of the other members. This left Dabney to take on many of his responsibilities until he eventually formed his own orchestra. By the end of 1915, Europe had eventually formed the Tempo Club with Dabney and Tyers, also leaving the Castles behind (now tended to by Dabney and Tyers alternately) to pursue other musical interests and composition. Yet with the recent outbreak of war overseas & already having formal training in drill operations, Europe enlisted in the US Army as a private and began training to become a officer on September 18, 1916. After successful completion of the courses he was asked by his regiment's white commander, Colonel William Hayward, about the possibility of forming a band for both performance and combat duties, presumably already aware of Jim’s musical background. Already intrigued by the proposition, Europe's formidable tenacity and reputation allowed him to convince a number of popular musicians to join him in the potential endeavor, amongst the most notable being vaudeville star William "Bojangles" Robinson, pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith, & lyricist Noble Sissle. All together with a number of stars, Europe’s company became the 369th U.S. Infantry "Hell Fighters" Band, and their reputation as both musicians and soldiers was second to none. Becoming a lieutenant by 1918, Europe had led the first all-black unit to enter France on April 23, where he stayed for the remainder of the war and even beyond, entertaining both troops and the local citizens. Despite the unit’s general success under Europe a directive would be passed down in August that all unit officers must be of the same race, which precluded Jim from continuing to lead the regiment. Despite the rather negative news, he was however allowed to take his band to Paris for the remainder of the war and provide morale in the form of concerts for the French people, leading Europe to largely introduce what was becoming known as "jazz" to France, where it took hold and has never left since. Finding popularity abroad in such great numbers, Europe and his band were allowed to rejoin the 369th and continued performing in an official capacity after the war had ended in November. In early February of 1919, with his stellar reputation preceding him, Europe and his group received a warm hero's welcome back to the U.S., where he would see fit to publish some of his songs about the travails of war. This would almost immediately be followed by time with the 369th Infantry band in the recording studio where they would cut several sides on four dates for the Pathé label, reaching great new heights for an all black group. Between the middle of their output, Europe had even taken the band on tour, where they ended up in Boston on May 9, just two days after their final recording session… and unfortunately enough, the famed date America & Europe had lost one of it’s most valued band leaders of the time. The legend goes that while giving a series of concerts at Mechanics' Hall with his band, Europe (who was standing in the wings while the band was playing a selection) called out to one of his drummers, Herbert Wright, as follows: “Hey, put more pep into the sticks.” Shortly after, Wright then left his drums and walked hastily over to Europe who had retreated to his dressing room. Following him and after a brief verbal altercation between the two, the police alleged he drew a pen knife and fatally stabbed Europe in the neck- as per witness accounts. The testimony by Wright, who had been arrested & charged for Jim’s murder, follows a different story, claiming that Europe had picked up a chair and advanced towards him during the altercation. In turn, Wright had claimed the stabbing to be a form of self defense, perhaps in order to spare him from facing a hefty amount of time behind bars. Yet according to Noble Sissle who had been present during the incident, Europe had reportedly been breaking up a fight and was accidentally nicked in his jugular, later on telling Sissle "..don't forget to have the band down before the State House at 9 in the morning. I am going to the hospital, and I will have my wound dressed and I will be at the Commons in the morning, in time to conduct the band. See that the rest of the program is gone through with." Swiftly taken to a local hospital, Europe would not survive the injury and die there several hours later due to exsanguination, leaving Herbert Wright to be sentenced to 15 years in prison, serving only eight due to good behavior. The outcry in the papers against his murder, along with the mass public mourning greatly emphasized his societal acceptance and his firm ability to bypass the racial barriers that were ever so prevalent at the time. Because of his loss so deeply felt all throughout New York, his funeral was to be a public one, the first one given to a Black American in the city. Thousands of people filed past his casket where it laid in state the morning of May 13, 1919, at Paris Undertakers at 131st Street. Just before 11:00 am, a funeral procession was led through the streets of Harlem with automobiles carrying flowers from the Clef Club, Irene Castle Treman, and others. The hearse was preceded by a company of veterans from the 15th Regiment, and then followed by a variety of soldiers and civilians, including the "famous 'Jimmy' Europe Jazz Band" with their instruments held silently by their sides. The funeral itself was held at St. Marks Episcopal Methodist Church, attended by both black and white mourners with all seats filled. Finding his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, it is clear to understand to what extent Europe had elevated black musicians & their music throughout New York, America, and beyond. Now more than a century later, his band of highly crafted black musicians & more can continue to be celebrated behind a name forevermore worth celebrating.
What a music! ❤❤❤And yes, thank you for such a lovely reading, his biography. Listening this, without adds by the way, I feel like I am there. And that I am watching Laurel and Hardy movies. 🎉Thank you!!!
Haha, well there ya go! I had actually found a printed version (digitalized) of Exhortation onilne, part of a small hymn type collection/book. Quite interesting to look through.
*Continued biography from description:*
Forming his “Society Orchestra” with the backing (and quite possibly highly enforced standards) of the club, Europe & his group had soon enough become the leading purveyors of dance music for New York's elite, as a band suited for any occasion could quickly be formed from its formidable membership. With the union’s membership growing in numbers, Europe had held every one of them to the highest standards of performance, demeanor, attitude, professionalism and overall appearance. While the club did not outwardly discourage ragtime performance, they did try to emphasize the member's skills in classical and popular song forms, particularly for society gatherings & more formal engagements. A particular focus that may have done them more good than originally thought, as It wouldn’t be long before his organization (bolstered by some extraordinary public concerts) were not only commanding the best jobs in New York and surrounding areas, but many white musicians petitioned to join the formidable union as well to find work.With well over 100 musicians by this point, the Clef Club officially debuted at the Manhattan Casino in Harlem on May 27, 1910, to great acclaim and encore.
Within two years, on May 2, 1912, the Clef Club under Europe's baton brought their wide range of musical selections to Carnegie Hall, marking one of the first times Ragtime was played in that famous formal setting, making their return in 1913 and 1914. During this period Europe continued to compose and turn out a number of popular numbers in print through a variety of publishers. Among the best-known of these works were eight that were co-composed with Dabney, specifically for the famed husband and wife dance time of Vernon and Irene Castle. The Castles found Europe's Society Orchestra among the best they had worked with, and hired Europe late in 1913 as their preferred band leader with Dabney as their arranger. Europe himself was so intuitive and in tune with the duties of a dance conductor that Irene Castle later wrote, "[Europe's] was the only music that completely made me forget the effort of the dance." All of these were issued within a two month period in 1914, an extraordinary output for the quality of work the two invested into the project with Jim’s brisk “Castle House Rag” becoming the best known composition associated with both the composer and the Castles themselves. Shortly after this time, Europe would leave the Clef Club he had influenced over the years all together, owing to disputes with some of the other members. This left Dabney to take on many of his responsibilities until he eventually formed his own orchestra.
By the end of 1915, Europe had eventually formed the Tempo Club with Dabney and Tyers, also leaving the Castles behind (now tended to by Dabney and Tyers alternately) to pursue other musical interests and composition. Yet with the recent outbreak of war overseas & already having formal training in drill operations, Europe enlisted in the US Army as a private and began training to become a officer on September 18, 1916. After successful completion of the courses he was asked by his regiment's white commander, Colonel William Hayward, about the possibility of forming a band for both performance and combat duties, presumably already aware of Jim’s musical background. Already intrigued by the proposition, Europe's formidable tenacity and reputation allowed him to convince a number of popular musicians to join him in the potential endeavor, amongst the most notable being vaudeville star William "Bojangles" Robinson, pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith, & lyricist Noble Sissle. All together with a number of stars, Europe’s company became the 369th U.S. Infantry "Hell Fighters" Band, and their reputation as both musicians and soldiers was second to none.
Becoming a lieutenant by 1918, Europe had led the first all-black unit to enter France on April 23, where he stayed for the remainder of the war and even beyond, entertaining both troops and the local citizens. Despite the unit’s general success under Europe a directive would be passed down in August that all unit officers must be of the same race, which precluded Jim from continuing to lead the regiment. Despite the rather negative news, he was however allowed to take his band to Paris for the remainder of the war and provide morale in the form of concerts for the French people, leading Europe to largely introduce what was becoming known as "jazz" to France, where it took hold and has never left since. Finding popularity abroad in such great numbers, Europe and his band were allowed to rejoin the 369th and continued performing in an official capacity after the war had ended in November.
In early February of 1919, with his stellar reputation preceding him, Europe and his group received a warm hero's welcome back to the U.S., where he would see fit to publish some of his songs about the travails of war. This would almost immediately be followed by time with the 369th Infantry band in the recording studio where they would cut several sides on four dates for the Pathé label, reaching great new heights for an all black group. Between the middle of their output, Europe had even taken the band on tour, where they ended up in Boston on May 9, just two days after their final recording session… and unfortunately enough, the famed date America & Europe had lost one of it’s most valued band leaders of the time. The legend goes that while giving a series of concerts at Mechanics' Hall with his band, Europe (who was standing in the wings while the band was playing a selection) called out to one of his drummers, Herbert Wright, as follows: “Hey, put more pep into the sticks.” Shortly after, Wright then left his drums and walked hastily over to Europe who had retreated to his dressing room. Following him and after a brief verbal altercation between the two, the police alleged he drew a pen knife and fatally stabbed Europe in the neck- as per witness accounts. The testimony by Wright, who had been arrested & charged for Jim’s murder, follows a different story, claiming that Europe had picked up a chair and advanced towards him during the altercation. In turn, Wright had claimed the stabbing to be a form of self defense, perhaps in order to spare him from facing a hefty amount of time behind bars.
Yet according to Noble Sissle who had been present during the incident, Europe had reportedly been breaking up a fight and was accidentally nicked in his jugular, later on telling Sissle "..don't forget to have the band down before the State House at 9 in the morning. I am going to the hospital, and I will have my wound dressed and I will be at the Commons in the morning, in time to conduct the band. See that the rest of the program is gone through with." Swiftly taken to a local hospital, Europe would not survive the injury and die there several hours later due to exsanguination, leaving Herbert Wright to be sentenced to 15 years in prison, serving only eight due to good behavior. The outcry in the papers against his murder, along with the mass public mourning greatly emphasized his societal acceptance and his firm ability to bypass the racial barriers that were ever so prevalent at the time.
Because of his loss so deeply felt all throughout New York, his funeral was to be a public one, the first one given to a Black American in the city. Thousands of people filed past his casket where it laid in state the morning of May 13, 1919, at Paris Undertakers at 131st Street. Just before 11:00 am, a funeral procession was led through the streets of Harlem with automobiles carrying flowers from the Clef Club, Irene Castle Treman, and others. The hearse was preceded by a company of veterans from the 15th Regiment, and then followed by a variety of soldiers and civilians, including the "famous 'Jimmy' Europe Jazz Band" with their instruments held silently by their sides. The funeral itself was held at St. Marks Episcopal Methodist Church, attended by both black and white mourners with all seats filled. Finding his final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors, it is clear to understand to what extent Europe had elevated black musicians & their music throughout New York, America, and beyond. Now more than a century later, his band of highly crafted black musicians & more can continue to be celebrated behind a name forevermore worth celebrating.
What a music! ❤❤❤And yes, thank you for such a lovely reading, his biography. Listening this, without adds by the way, I feel like I am there. And that I am watching Laurel and Hardy movies. 🎉Thank you!!!
Haha, it's my pleasure! 😁🌟 Nothing like a blast from the past, without interrupting ads that is! 🤣
Thanks for the detailed biography. Such an influential figure.
Why of course! Thank you for stopping by to take a listen & read a bit on Europe. ✌🏾🌟
Niceeeee
Oh yeah, real nice indeed. 😎
Incredible
Eubie Blake and Ivan Harold Browning recorded "Exhortation" in thr 1970s together. Always wondered the source of it.
Haha, well there ya go! I had actually found a printed version (digitalized) of Exhortation onilne, part of a small hymn type collection/book. Quite interesting to look through.