Back in the mid-late 1970's, it might have been circa 1976 0r 1977 there was a program entitled, "Men of Bronze", on my local PBS station which looked at the Black men who fought in WW1 and the 369th Harlem Hell Fighters Band. This was the first I'd ever heard of them but I enjoyed that program, especially the music and the interviews with eyewitnesses who were alive during that era. Their music permeated that program. I had purchased a Victor III Talking Machine around 1975 with a morning glory horn as I was into antiques at the time, and I'd wished that I had a large collection of the Hell Fighters Band recordings to play on that machine.
Europe was the man that took Black Musicians, dressed them in suits or uniforms, and made them respectable. He is the man most responsible for taking them out of the minstrel shows and putting them in Carnegie Hall. According to Eubie Blake, he was the father of jazz music; it all started with James Reese Europe. Sadly, he gets little credit or attention, even in books and specials about the history of jazz music
Thank you for sharing this. This is history, that must not be forgotten.
Back in the mid-late 1970's, it might have been circa 1976 0r 1977 there was a program entitled, "Men of Bronze", on my local PBS station which looked at the Black men who fought in WW1 and the 369th Harlem Hell Fighters Band. This was the first I'd ever heard of them but I enjoyed that program, especially the music and the interviews with eyewitnesses who were alive during that era. Their music permeated that program. I had purchased a Victor III Talking Machine around 1975 with a morning glory horn as I was into antiques at the time, and I'd wished that I had a large collection of the Hell Fighters Band recordings to play on that machine.
thanks for posting this sir
Imagine how they must have cheered up troops during WWI, wow.
Pretty good sound for a century old record.
Europe was the man that took Black Musicians, dressed them in suits or uniforms, and made them respectable. He is the man most responsible for taking them out of the minstrel shows and putting them in Carnegie Hall. According to Eubie Blake, he was the father of jazz music; it all started with James Reese Europe. Sadly, he gets little credit or attention, even in books and specials about the history of jazz music
c'est très émouvant
C'est trés cool!
Dig this brassy band......3 1/2 stars....