James Reece Europe 1880-1919

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James Reese Europe
1880-1919

(Taken from the February, 1998 Euphony Review, which in turn was taken from the liner notes of Lt. Jim Europe's 369th U.S. Infantry "Hellfighters" Band: The Complete Recordings, by Tim Gracyk)

Jim Europe's tragedy is that he was killed on May 9, 1919 by a member of his own band. He had worked tirelessly since 1905 to popularize African-American music, and when he returned triumphantly in 1919 from the Western Front, Europe had fresh opportunities to play for wide audiences. Ambitious and creative as ever, Europe was writing new songs and making plans for an overseas tour. He might have reached new artistic heights in the 1920s. Yet he was slain by a crazed drummer just as the Pathé company had begun recording and promoting Europe's music.

James Reese Europe was bom on February 22, 1880, in Mobile, Alabama. As a boy, Europe had shown talent on piano and other instruments. When he was nine, his family moved to Washington D.C., where he continued private music lessons.

Around 1903, Europe moved to New York City, where in time he earned the respect of the city's finest African-American musicians and composers. By 1905 he worked with Ernest Hogan in performances of musical comedy and then with successful songwriting team of Cole and Johnson. Europe was soon directing orchestras and choruses for musical shows featuring all-black casts. He also served as musical director for S.H. Dudley's Smart Set, an important black touring ensemble.

In 1910, Europe helped found the Clef Club for friendly meetings of musicians but more importantly as a kind of union and booking office. To publicize the Clef Club, Europe organized a performance to be given on May 27, 1910, at Harlem's Manhattan Casino. Europe organized other events to advertise the talents of the black musical community. Within two years, Europe felt Clef Club musicians were ready for a Carnegie Hall performance, and on May 2, 1912, Clef Club acts performed for a sold out house. It was a triumph for Europe. He would later return to Carnegie Hall, leading musicians for annual concerts of the Negro Symphony Orchestra.

In 1913, Europe enjoyed even greater success through his work with husband and wife dancing team, Vernon and Irene Castle, known on vaudeville stages and in Broadway shows. The Castles and Europe's musicians were thrown together when hired for a private party, with Europe providing accompaniment for the dancing couple. The Castles found the music ideal for their routines and thereafter performed often with Europe's Exclusive Society Orchestra. The Castles opened a dance school called Castle House, where Europe's musician's regularly played and where his own compositions were featured. Europe also directed musicians at a nightclub operated by the Castles.

Association with the Castles made Europe's name well known in New York society. Wealthy patrons danced to this music endorsed by the Castles. Musicians who played in Europe's Orchestra were steadily employed. In late 1913 Europe had resigned from the Clef Club to form his own Tempo Club. Sheet music of waltzes and tangos composed by Europe with Ford Dabney enjoyed brisk sales. Various society bands organized by Europe were farmed out for events. The Evening Post on March 13, 1914, identified Europe as "the head of an organization which practically controls the furnishing of music for the new dances." Never before had black musicians enjoyed such respect in New York City.

The Victor Talking Machine Company invited Europe to make records. Europe's Society Orchestra recorded four titles on December 29, 1913 and four more on February 10, 1914. Europe's best selling Victor disc was "Castle House Rag" backed by "Congratulations Waltz" ( Victor 35372). It remained in the Victor catalog for five years. Victor discontinued its other Europe discs after one year. Few black artists recorded for Victor at this time. Europe was not the first black musician to make recordings, but he was the first African-American to lead his own band for a major company.

In 1914 Europe signed a contract with the Castles to tour England, France, and other countries, with forty black musicians to be led by Europe. But declaration of war changed those plans. Vernon Castle, who had been born in England, volunteered to serve in the British Aviation Corps (he was to die in a plane accident in Texas on February 15, 1918). Regular public performances of Europe and the Castles ended in 1915. Around this time, Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake became important to him. Sissle took a letter of introduction to the bandleader in the Spring of 1916 and was invited to work in Tempo Club orchestras. Sissle soon convinced Europe to send for pianist Blake, then working in Baltimore. The three remained close until Europe's death.

Jim Europe on September 18, 1916 enlisted in the 15th New York Infantry. Noble Sissle joined a week later. Eubie Blake did not join the national guard but instead proved invaluable by taking over administration Of Europe's music business.

Joining the national guard did not mean an end to Europe's work with society orchestras, at least at first . Enlisting had nothing to do with his musical ambitions. It was only after Europe joined that a commanding officer proposed that a band be formed. Europe was initially cool to the idea.

Europe passed an officer's exam and was about to take command of a machine gun company when Colonel William Haywood induced Europe to organize a brass band. Money was allocated for recruiting talented musicians. Within the year, Lieutenant Jim Europe and the 15th Infantry Regiment were in France. The band earned a superb reputation by entertaining countless soldiers, officers, and French civilians. Jim Europe, his band members, and the rest of the 15th Infantry Regiment then went bravely to Givry-en-Argonne for military training and then to the trenches. They were nicknamed "Hellfighters" after proving themselves in battle. Europe and his musicians were called away from the front in August of 1918 and performed for the benefit of thousands in camps and hospitals, which was an important Allied contribution .

After the Armistice, Europe and his men were among the first African-American soldiers to enter a disarmed Germany. They were members of the most famous black unit of the war, and Americans were eager to hear Europe's band in 1919 upon their return to the United States. Europe also had a contract with the Pathé Freres Phonograph Company. This New York outfit, enjoying a special arrangement with a French firm, was making inroads in the American disc market.

After four recording sessions - three in March of 1919, one in May - the Pathé company proudly issued a special flier announcing new titles: "Eleven records of the world's greatest exponent of syncopation just hot off the press."

People hearing this music today may be surprised that Pathé promoted it as jazz. Europe was a significant pre-jazz artist, a transitional figure. He was the most important African-American musical leader in the period when ragtime was on the wane but before the reign of King Oliver and Louis Armstrong.

Europe suffered a fatal stabbing two days after his band recorded six titles for Pathé on May 7. There was no clear motive for the backstage attack during a concert in Boston's Mechanics Hall. Accounts differ, but it seems that Europe reprimanded Herbert Wright for the drummer's unprofessional habit of walking on and off stage while other acts performed. Wright was already simmering from what he perceived as favoritism, feeling the bandleader never blamed Steven Wright (not related) for mistakes but only criticized Herbert. When Europe ordered Wright to leave a dressing room, the unstable drummer produced a pen knife and stabbed the bandleader in the neck. Others in the room, including Noble Sissle, were unable to stop Wright. Europe was rushed to City Hospital but soon died.

At the end of his carefully researched Europe biography, Reid Badger speculates on what might have happened had Europe lived into the 1920's. Europe probably would have contributed significantly to popular music in the 1920s and beyond. We simply cannot know the form of that contribution. He might have established himself as a leader in theater during the years black musical shows once again flourished. He might have gone on to make many more recordings. On the other hand, the major record companies in the 1920s might have ignored Europe as they did other talented blacks who led bands in the 'teens. Tim Brymn, Who had led the "70 Black Devils" Band, recorded 0nly briefly for Okeh, and the recording career of Ford Dabney, Europe's close musical associate during the heyday of the Castles, was basically over by 1919.

Speculating on what might have been is futile. The music that Europe left behind is reissued so we can savor what he actually accomplished in the recording studio with his band of excellent musicians.

James Reese Europe 1880-1919

James Reese Europe
1880-1919