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CHOCOLATE KIDDIES the Show That Brought Jazz to Europe and Russia in 1925

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CHOCOLATE KIDDIES the Show That Brought Jazz to Europe and Russia in 1925 CHOCOLATE KIDDIES The show that brought jazz to Europe and Russia in 1925 by Björn Englund Fifty years ago a Negro musical entitled be from this periods. Chocolate Kiddies created something of a Publisher Jack Robbins purchased the sensation in Europe and Russia. This musical rights to the score, but only brought out (which was never performed in the U.S.) is three tunes: Jig Walh, Jim Dandy and With important for a number of reasons: It You. They appeared in L925, but whether introduced Duke Ellington's music, although before or after the European tour is not his name meant nothing to Europeans at known to this writer. that time, of course; it gave Europe its first One might wonder why Chocolate glimpse of what a real jazz band sounded Kiddies was not produced on Broadway or like (as opposed to the "symphonic" sounds even at some Harlem theatre, but we must of the Will Marion Cook and Paul Whiteman bear in mind that by late 1924 the novelty orchestras, who had toured the Continent in of the Negro musical had worn thin and they 1919 and 1923 respectively); and finally it no longer drew the crowds.^(Marshall Stearns created a demand for Negro shows which led has discussed this declinel) Between 1921 directly to the arrival of the equally famous and L924 ten Negro musicals had been Reuue Negre in Paris later that same year presented on Broadway, but after the with Josephine Baker, Sidrrey Bechet and sensational run of Shuffle Along (premiere' others. 21 May L92l;504 performances), there was In his autobiogmphyl , Duke Ellington just a single one which reached more than tells how he came to write this show' 100 performances, this being .Llzq which Appar_ently he met lyricist Jo Tlent (L892- enjoyed 169 performances in the 1922-23 195q2 one day on Broadway, and that season. It is therefore understandable if the same night they wrote the show. Actually' producers thought twice before backing one might wonder how many songs Ellington Chocolate Kiddies by an almost unknown did write, for as we shall see later, the bulk composer. In fact the only Negro musical to of the show as it appeared was made up of open in 1925 was Freddy Johnson's Luchy tunes by other composers and Ellington Sambo, which had a dismal run of onlY may, in fact, have written only four songs. ser;en performances. At that time he was still only a "song-writet'' The decision to Present the show in rather than "composer", and the orchestrat- Europe was to be the turning point in the ion for the whole sho-w was by Arthur J' career of pianist-bandleader Sam Wooding Johnston (1898-1954)" and the book by (b. 1895). It is probably true to say that had Arthur S. Lyons, who also directed the show. his band not been chosen to accompany the Exactly when the work was written is the revue, his name would be little more impossible to determine, but it was some- than a footnote in the history ofjazz. time in the autumn of 1924. Around So deep was the impression the Wooding November Trent recorded one of the songs band made, that he continued to bill his with Ellington at the pianoa. Ellingion's band as the "Chocolate Kiddies Orchestra" piano/nickelodeon roll of Jig WaIk may also right up to the end of his European tours in CHOCOLATE KIDDIES 45 November, 1931. Wooding had brought his performances, the closing show being on the orchestra to the Club Alabam on 13 July' 20th July. The cast had worked seven nights L924, replacing Fletcher Henderson'. The a week, 8.30 to 11.30 plus a Sunday matinee personnel at this time was: Bobby Martin, between 3.30 and 6.30. Maceo White, tpts; TeRoy Williams, tbn; This seems an appropriate point at which Willie Lewis, Garvin Bushell, altos; Gene to give a run-down of what the show Sedric, ten; Sam Wooding, pno/ldr; John comprised as performed in Sweden, and it Mitchell. bio; John Warren, bbs; George will be seen that there are considerable Howe, dms8. When the orchestra was con' differences from that given in Hamburg, and tracted for the Chocolate Kiddies show, possibly from that as originally conceived' I mainly from the Wooding apparently felt he tacked a first- have taken my information programme be seen that class hot soloist, so he sent for Tommy Swedish and it will given and Ladnier (then with King Oliver in Chicago) several titles are only in Swedish, in April 1925. Ladnier arrived and was these I have had to translate back into have led to some errors. successfully auditioned, but apparently was English, which may not permitted to play with the Wooding Ii will also be seen that several titles have band in New York because of the usual not been identified and it is not always clear or union restrictions, so perhaps he worked on whether a particular number is sung non-union "gigs" until the show was ready danced. gives tune to leave for Europe' The brass section was The following list only the further strengthened by the replacement of tittes; for performers see the illustration of Maceo Whitö by Maceo Edwards and of the programme. Williams (who joined the Elmer Act I. Night life in a Negro cafe in Harfem in TeRoy (Ellington-Trent); Snowden orchestra) by Herb Flemming' New York: Deacon Jazz (d':. The troupe consisted of 32 of the best The Red Rose (no details); Street Singers HaPPY BoYs singers ancl dancers plus Wooding's 11-piece o); Apache Dance (d:o\; Two (d:o). orchestra. The headliners were the dancers (d: o); Mrssrss iPPi PeoPIe by the Rufus Greenlee and Thadeus Drayton, who Äct'II. A symphonic iazz concert Alabam have a whole chapter devoted to them in Sam Wooding orchestra at the Club Hits Stearns' booklo. Most of the other names in New Yorli: 1. Medley Of American Loue CalI (Rudolf will mean nothing to the present day record (no details); 2. Indinn (Gene Rodemich' collector, except Adelaide Hall. In an article Friml); 3. Shanghai Shuffle famous cabaret singer Mabel Mercer", Larry'Conley); 4. Some Other Day, S-ome on 5. St' Louis Blues there is a photo of her in a blonde wig Othör Girt (no details); purporting to be from this show, but is (Handy). doubtful. Alihough Herb Flemming""this and Act III. Scene 1: A plantation in the South, others say the show opened in Berlin, it is where the black people sing their songs and now known, thanks to Bernhard Behncke's dance their dances and joke in the sunset. article in Storyuille 64 that this is incorrect' Scene 2: Back in Harlem in New York: Old The and I wilt pass over this period and move on Blach Joe (Stephen Foster); Joshua Fit to Berlin where the show opened at the Battle Of Jericho (ttad-); Heauen, Heauen (d: '?ssence Admiralspalast on Monday, May 25th and o); Swanee Riuer (Stephen Foster); Plant' were a Eeat success. The opening had been bance" (no details); Farewell To The originally announced for the 26th," and ation (d:o\; Grab Your Grrl (d: o); Blach Dtto posters to this effect had been printed'", but (d:o); Jungle Nights In Dixie (d:o); Jim. actually moved back a day. I've banäy (Ellington-Trent); "Sfer Henrietta" it *ut (d:o)i checked with Berlin newspape$ of the time' (no details); Loue Is Just A Dream and a review appeared in the Berliner Tage' Unspecified Negro Spirituals; Chocolate posl dated May 26ih. Soon all Berlin was Kiddies Parade (d:o); (Loue Is Just A Wish) bharleston crazy and the show ran for 65 With You (Ellington-Trent\; If I Cannot Get Polyphoo Polyphoo "Husbondens Rosf" ntl nlrik Ji^^ts pt grly phon'.g,i"o. A65r' "!!5oo!oErs vARLDSMARKET! D]] ANTI RIK,\NSKA SCIILACERMELODII,ITNA SK ANDIN AVISKA 1i,""' i*r-l-1. "" J", l'-o^J, Lir';hi'öiiiöi AllFopul;rinrcrnitior.llmusik ItyJ, A KT I E AO LAGET N,* Y",1, J")^,Jt AI* t"sb.'åd av vårldtns fdrnänsta Op.r.hb!.t STOCKHOLM ork€sttår' NOFDISKA POLYPHON ÄKTIEBOL. :-: ALLECRITTA ANDERSON i Girkuå- vroL^ BRANCI{ .. .. Pevytcaterrr PF:ARI- AROVI{ .. .... MARIE AUSHETL , ..,.... PAOEDÄlll . ... THlt.rla GREEN .. Prcbl6.lå dansö*r !rr" N.* Yo.k3 D?r 3m.ritrnrl" NeE.. Trlpro Lin Nc{ Yo'L o'd rcqn aF:RNTCE MILES -,.. ... RITA VALKER ....., IIiELTIA VATKINS,, "Chocolate MAIItE SAVOY......... Kiddies" JT]SSIE CRAWFORD .. 4'rntr 5 /von\ i1"''[ Jo' /"n'o'\ D"l' hzr\,I'Lre,"-;1 I t &'.;''*' ROBBE VINCENT , ..... ;;;1.;"; -- ar'r . r.r"*' u-nic'nJ L to' rodlr DeLo /' SIiA(F]Y BEASLEY. .. ",''' "..;.- ,1'," r,, Poc"""' Dr renr s'- tvoodas EARI I] RAY ... ','. it"l"r SU'*"r & Sons Ii' Lu"dholnr Pirnotr'rl'sn'' AI{'IIIL]R ROBBINS cHtcK HoRsEl .. .. .. rd Slre.l Th.rtc, Ne\Y York. CRIE\I I:E A(D DR \Y1 ON 1r. 63 I nlw^lsrlR l' Al.lar'rlJ \r^ Yo'l I LDDIIS, r. ,PLrrirtlon' Th!rlr€. Ne!Y York 1III fHRL! York FlvtilYN DOVtI . t. 'Colonirt" T[edte. r"e1v Nroon l, ,. n5'IL i en!e.rL .D'lLel J e, nod dnJ'( l!' rlt ! { rå rrom ... ii. 63 rd Slkel lLeake, d"e* Yoik -'.".,,'|..,pU,"'n ;." 1,, L'r \p'Jr'' r tJlJ\ J! T' ir''vrm rlARC.iRal sllls Yor[ *.r . ... d ". tsOB8Y AND NANI: GOINS rr "A[b:d\ Club. lte]lr€ New [ . r"" ,,. i.r".",r,"n.llr " Ir Th.rke.
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