Guide to the Jess Stacy Collection 1937-1995 2.0 linear feet 1998.083 Abstract Photographs, sheet music, ephemera, publications, clippings, phonographic and tape records of Stacy, a jazz pianist with roots in Southeast Missouri Revised by Carla L. Jordan, 2001 Revised by Anna Powell, 2008 Special Collections and Archives Kent Library One University Plaza, MS 4600 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 Phone: (573) 651-2245; Fax: (573) 651-2666; Email: [email protected] Descriptive Overview Provenance: Raymond F. "Peg" Meyer, of Cape Girardeau, collected the Jess Stacy materials and donated them to the Kent Library Special Collections and Archives. Citation: Jess Stacy Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Southeast Missouri State University. Restrictions: Some of the music in this collection is subject to copyright law. Some of the media in this collection, such as the audio recordings in Series VII and Series VIII, require special equipment (i.e. cassette player, record player, etc.) to access. Please contact Special Collections and Archives prior to a visit so that we can make arrangements for your visit. Special Collections and Archives reserves the right to restrict access to fragile or damaged materials in the collection. The following items are damaged and unavailable for use: Box 1490/016 and Box 1036/008/Item J. Separated Materials: Two items (Jazz Club: Jazz at Pasadena Vol. I and Vol. II) were removed from the collection because they were poor quality photocopies of those album covers and those albums were not part of the collection. Biographical Note Jess Stacy was born Jesse Alexandria Stacy in Bird’s Point, Missouri, on August 11, 1904. Stacy moved to Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1918. In 1920, Stacy played in Peg Meyer’s jazz ensemble at Cape Central High School, the Bluebird Confectionary on Broadway and Fountain, and the Sweet Shop on Main Street. By 1921, the ensemble was known as "Peg Meyer’s Melody Kings" and toured the Mississippi River on riverboats. During his time in Cape Girardeau, Stacy received his only formal training in music, studying under Professor Clyde Brandt of Southeast Missouri State Teachers College. In the 1920s, Stacy moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he made a name for himself with Paul Mares, and later joined Floyd Towne’s Orchestra. Stacy’s big break came in 1935 when Benny Goodman asked Stacy to join his band. Stacy moved to New York City, New York, and played with the Benny Goodman Band from 1935-1938. In this era, he also played with Bob Crosby, Gene Krupa, and Horace Heidt. Stacy’s most famous solo was "Sing, Sing, Sing" at Carnegie Hall in 1938 . Following a Goodman/Krupa duet, Stacy received a nod from Goodman to take a solo, and he created a memorable, masterpiece. After several later band changes, Stacy moved to Los Angeles, California. The popularity of jazz/swing music was in decline and Stacy found himself working primarily in small jazz clubs. He eventually retired from public performance, he did however come out of retirement in 1974 and produced an album “Stacy Still Swings” in 1977. Stacy continued to do compilation albums and special performances until his death in 1995. Page 2 of 7 Descriptive Overview (cont.) Scope and Content One letter, photographs, sheet music, ephemera, periodicals, newspaper clippings, phonographic and tape recordings relating to the life of Jess Stacy. Materials are arranged into series by type. Archivists Note: 1036/008/Item K has been digitized. Page 3 of 7 Series Descriptions Series I: Correspondence One letter, from Stacy to Peg Meyer, and one small handwritten note. Series II: Photographs Twelve black and white photographs, consisting of autographed, promotional 8" x 10" works, some small snapshots and one large 11" x 14" photograph featuring Stacy’s hands on a piano by David Kovar. Includes two negatives. Series III: Sheet Music Consists of five original compositions and three "featured" compositions. Series IV: Ephemera Consists of a lobby bill and a postcard. Series V: Periodicals Consists of three feature articles of Stacy’s musical career. Series VI: Newspaper Clippings Consists of featured articles and retrospective articles of Stacy’s musical career. Series VII: Cassette Tape Recordings Consists of eleven cassette tapes. Nine of the tapes are recorded from the grooved phonographic recordings collection, and two of the tapes are a recorded Stacy interview on Radio Station KFI Los Angeles/Hollywood. Series VIII: Grooved Phonographic Recordings Consists of six early, grooved phonographic recordings and eleven vinyl recordings. There are nine original album jackets. Table of Contents Series I .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Series II ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Series III ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Series IV ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Series V ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Series VI ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Series VII .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Series VIII ............................................................................................................................................. 7 Page 4 of 7 Container List Series I Correspondence Box 1036 Folder 1 Holograph letter from Stacy to Peg Meyer. Stacy refers to the Esquire a circa 1968 June, 1968 article. The letter is undated. Also includes a small holograph note regarding the Esquire article, author and date unknown. Series II Photographs Box 1036 Folder 2 Item A Jess Stacy and Muggsy Spanier, b/w, 3" x 5", circa 1928 Item B Stacy with George Whettling and Frank Teschemacher—Chicago, b/w, 3" circa 1927 x 5" Item C Stacy’s Big Band, b/w, 3" x 5" 1945 Item D Jess Stacy, b/w, 8" x 10" (Autographed Publicity Photo) undated Item E Jess Stacy, b/w, 8" x 10", with negative. By the Jack Hampton Agency. undated (Publicity Photo) Item F Jess Stacy in an orchestra, b/w, 8" x 10", with negative. "GK" possibly undated Gene Krupa. Item G Jess Stacy, Dorothy Lamour and Bob Crosby, presenting Stacy with "Best undated Pianist of the Year" award, b/w, 8" x 10", Published in Downbeat. Item H Bob Crosby Orchestra, b/w, 8" x 10",. undated Item I Jess Stacy, b/w, 8" x 10", Autographed. (Promotional Photograph) undated Item J Jess Stacy, b/w, 8" x 10", (Autographed Promotional Photograph) undated Item K Jess Stacy, b/w, 8" x 10", (Autographed Promotional Photograph) undated Folder 3 Stacy’s hands by David Kovar, b/w, 11" x 14", 1967 Series III Sheet Music Box 1036 Folder 4 Item A "Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere," original composition 1939 Item B "Complainin’," original composition undated Item C "Ramblin’," original composition 1939 Item D "Ec-Stacy," original composition 1940 Item E "Burnin’ the Candle at Both Ends," original composition, 1944 Item F "Camel Hop," by M.S. William, featuring J. Stacy, 1938 Item G "Lullaby in Rhythm," by B. Goodman, featuring J. Stacy, 1938 Item H "Two O’Clock Jump," by James, Basie, and Goodman, featuring J. Stacy, 1941 Series IV Ephemera Box 1036 Folder 5 Item A Jess Stacy promotional postcard 1962 Item B Lobby Card: Jess Stacy at the piano with Judy Garland and Bob Crosby, 1943 promoting the MGM movie "Presenting Lily Mars," Series V Periodicals Box 1036 Folder 6 Item A "None Better," Downbeat, Photocopy. undated Page 5 of 7 Series V Periodicals Box 1036 Item B Listing of various recordings featuring Stacy. The Redmond Nostalgia 1979 Company, Various pages in the catalog. Summer Item C "I Play What I Like," Downbeat, , pp. 19. 1957 July Item D "Piano in the Band," The New Republic, pp. 68-70. 1937 Nov Item E "Profiles," The New Yorker, pp. 32-37. 1975 Aug Item F "Take Thirty Flashback: Swinging in King Goodman’s Court," Esquire, , 1968 June pp. 97-99. Item G "When Jazz Was Young," Life, , pp. 64-73 (partial edition). 1958 Dec Item H "The Mississippi," Holiday, pp. 34-56 (some photo sections have been 1949 Mar removed). Series VI Newspaper Clippings Box 1036 Folder 7 Item A "Swing Era Pianist Stacy Dies," Tulsa World 1995 Jan 4 Item B "The Return of Jess Stacy," unknown newspaper undated Item C "Jess Stacy—The Memory Lingers On," Los Angeles Times 1962 Feb 25 Item D "When We Got Over the Alto Pass Hill…," Southern Illinoisan 1975 Aug 20 Item E "Foundation Gets Musical Arrangement," unknown newspaper 1970 May 15 Item F "Stacy, Goodman Pianist, Hides Light of Ability Under Band’s Bushel of 1937 Apr 27 Swing," The Dartmouth Item G "He’s Come a Long Way from St. Louis…," The San Francisco Chronicle 1950 Nov 20 Item H Volume I, Jazz Club: Jazz at Pasadena 1969 Item I Volume II, Jazz Club: Jazz at Pasadena 1969 Item J "A Band Pianist Who Came in From the Hot," Los Angeles Times 1975 May 18 Item K "Ec-stacy," The Columbia Daily Tribune 1975 May 30 Item L "Lookout Mt. and All That Jazz…,"Canyon Crier 1975 Jun 2 Item M "Tempo: