Sidney Bechet American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist and composer

1. “Bechet to me was the very epitome of jazz… everything he played in his life was completely original. I honestly think he was the most unique man to ever be in this music.” –Duke Ellington. PowerPoint presentation by Sarah WarrenJuly 22, 2011 Music 1234

2. Sidney Bechet was born in May 14th 1897 in New Orleans Louisiana. He was born into middle class family of creole ancestry. He was raised in a very musical family. Omar Sidney’s father was a shoemaker who's hobby was to play the flute. His four brothers (of six siblings) also played instruments. Leonard (Victor) Bechet, Sidney’s brother played clarinet. Sidney showed great promise of being a successful musician when at the age of eight he picked up Victor’s clarinet and began playing it, (his first debut was at a family birthday party) he was self taught from that moment on. Victor eventually passed his clarinet down to Sidney and Victor began playing trombone, he later had a brief professional career as a trombonist; Sidney however, became an American jazz legend. The home Bechet grew up in New Orleans located in the 7th Ward of New Orleans.

3. Sidney had a highly developed inner-ear which allowed him to play without sheet music even though he was skilled enough to read music

4. A little Background New Orleans is a city located in southeastern Louisiana along side the Mississippi river. This great city was founded on May 7th 1718 by the French Mississippi Company, named after the French city of Orleans. In 1763 the Treaty of Paris transferred the land from the control of the French Colony to the Spanish Empire. New Orleans's port was a crucial asset to the Rebels during the American Revolutionary War: it was the way in which the French smuggled military supplies and equipment to them via Mississippi River. In 1801 the land was once again in French control until 1803 when it became United States territory in the Louisiana Purchase. After the Louisiana Purchase the city grew quickly: many French, Irish, Germans, Americans, and Creoles moved to New Orleans in hopes of becoming rich by cultivating the very lucrative sugar and cotton crops. African Americans were also brought in to tend to the sugar and cotton fields. Large plantations outside the city housed slave labor.

5. A Little Background Cont., During the Haitian Revolution of 1804 refugees of both; free people of color and whites brought slaves with them to settle in New Orleans. By 1809 migration had brought a total of 3,226 enslave refugees, 3,102 free African Americans, and 2,731 white people to New Orleans. By 1815 New Orleans had the largest slave market in the world. The port served as an excellent way to import slaves and export mass quantities of sugar, cotton, slaves (slaves especially, during the antebellum era in the Atlantic Slave Trade) and other goods including musical instruments to and from other countries. The Mississippi River also proved to be a useful tool in providing transportation of these goods to neighboring cities. According to Peirce Lewis, “By 1840 New Orleans had become the wealthiest and third-most populous city in the nation.”

6. A Little Background Cont., New Orleans was economically hit hard when the Union seized the city during the American Civil War. French instruction schools were abolished by the Union general in 1862. Reconstruction began in 1868 and marked the first successful operation of a racially-integrated public school system in Louisiana. In 1877 schools were resegregated and remained that way until 1960. In 1896 a supreme court case sparked the “separate but equal” revisement of the constitution; still economically things were far from equal. As it had been for many years: there were many African Americans who could not afford to attend school.

7. On The Music Front: Jazz In the1790s some of the very first Operas that were performed in America were performed in New Orleans. In the 1890s “the blues” music began to take shape. Much of blues originated from the singing of the slaves as they worked in Louisiana's “field hollers.” The creators of the blues were often people who suffered great losses or lacking in, such things as; education, political power, and or property: all being trademarks of poverty. Raspy singing style, call and Response technique, along with guitar and other instruments were all necessary for authentic blues music. By 1912 blues songs were being translated into sheet music and Printed. Blues became very popular, and from blues emerged JAZZ. Jazz emerged in the early 1900s this unique music style that allowed great improvision. The clarinet, trombone, and saxophone were key instruments in this music style: Sidney Bechet was a master all of them. Jazz was very rhythmic and brought with it new dance techniques even more elaborate than the two-step: the turkey trot. Jazz was a celebration of the blues.

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9. Although Sidney preferred to be self-taught, he received instruction from Lorenzo Tio Jr., George Baquet, “Big Eye” Louis Nelson, Paul Chaligny, and Alphonse Picou. George Baquet 1883 When Sidney was young and first introduced to George Baquet’s music by his brothers he became “overwhelmed” with his musical style of clarinet improvising; however, it wasn’t long before he along with Paul Chaligny and Alphonse Picou became his teachers. “Big Eye” Louis Nelson 1885 Clarinetist career began at age 15 Lorenzo Tio Jr. 1893 Sidney’s first encounter with “Big Eye” Louis Nelson was at a ball. Louis Nelson quickly became his inspiration, Sidney described Nelson’s music as being, “ratty or rough” he like it, and decided he wanted to make music that “makes me want to dance.” Papa Celestin (left) Alphonse Picou (right) 1950

10. Sidney Playing in the Eagle band in 1914 Bechet had three passions in life, fishing, cooking, and above all music. As a boy he liked watch street bands play and as an adolescent he especially enjoyed and favored the syncopated music he heard in the Storyville district’s bethels and dance halls. As an adolescent Sidney often played in local jazz bands including his family’s band “The silver Bells Band,” Buddie Petit’s Young Olympians in 1909, John Robichaux’s Orchestra—The Olympia in 1910, Henry Allen’s “Bass Band” in 1911 (in which he did some parade work) and performed with Willie “Bunk” Johnson the Eagle Band of New Orleans at dance halls, picnics, and parties (1911-1912). In 1914 accompanied by pianist Louis Wade and Clarence Williams Bechet left Orleans and began touring with a traveling show his first stop was Chicago. His career really got off the ground in 1919 when Sidney was asked to join the Southern Syncopated Orchestra by composer-conductor Will Marion Cook. Shortly after accepting he traveled with them to first to New York, then to London, where he performed at the Royal Philharmonic Hall. It was there that Bechet was truly recognized for his talent, He became very popular and was attracting attention from near and far.

11. While in Europe with the southern syncopated Orchestra Sidney Bechet purchase an old well used saxophone from a pawn shop and tried to teach himself to play it. The he became so frustrated with it because it was so difficult to play in tune that he returned it. About a year later he bought a brand new saxophone and was successful this time: thus eventually becoming a novice soprano saxophonist. In July of 1923 Bechet recoded “Wild Cat Blues,” and “Kansas City Man Blues” in studio. Music publisher, recorder, pianist, and song writer Clarence Williams led the recording session. In 1925 he performed in Claude Hopkins‘s band which included a revue (a type of multi-act theatrical entertainment that involves combining music, dance and sketches) with actress Josephine Baker. Sidney performed in London, Paris, and eventually again in the United States with bands led by Noble Sissle. Numbers they played included; Loveless love, Polka Dot Rag, and Dear old Southland.

12. One of Bechet’s downfalls was that he had a short fuse. It was said that he did not always get along with other artists. After Venturing back to Europe Sidney was jailed again In 1928 in Paris after wounding a women accidently in a shoot-out. According to Ken Burn’s documentary, “the initial shoot-out started when another musician/producer told Bechet that he was playing the wrong chord. Bechet challenged the man to a duel.” In 1922 Bechet was imprisoned in London for assaulting a woman. Ultimately he was deported back to the U.S and arrived in New York on November 13th 1922.

13. September 25, 1925 Bechet arrived back in Europe after his deportation to New York. While in Europe he toured with a variety of different bands he traveled as far as Russia. In 1928 Bechet led his very own band at Frances famous Bricktop’s Club in Montmartre Paris. September Song

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15. After release from jail in Paris (from being arrested after the shoot-out) He had arrived back in New York once again only this time it was right after the stock market had crashed. Sidney met up once again with Sissle’s orchestra together they toured as far as Berlin and Russia He was back in New York city once again by 1932 during this time he and a trumpeter by the name of Tommy Ladnier led a band consisting of six members that they named the “Feet warmers.” Their first recording was on September 15 1932. He later became friends with another trumpeter named Roy Eldridge and performed with Lorenzo Tio. lastic

16. Sidney Bechet became a very successful composer of jazz, pop-tune, and extended concert work forms. His ability to improvise was amazing his instrumental style was so intense and passionate. Click Here Mon Homme

17. With the economy in bad shape it became more and more difficult to find jobs. The music style (saxophone, piano, trombone, bass and drums) of the “Feetwarmers” just did not sell. Out of desperation Bechet and Ladnier established a tailor shop in Harlem. Various musicians came to their shop during the 1940s to play music in the back of the shop. Although Bechet performed with a number of musicians his financial status did not improve until the end of the 1940s. In 1948 Sidney felt defeated especially since a contract with a Chicago based record label: Jazz Limited, was limiting events in which he would otherwise be able to perform at. Therefore, he decided it was time to return to Europe Harlem Street Scene 1940s Dans Les Rues d’ Antibes

18. Si tous vois ma mere

19. Bechet performed at a Paris Jazz Fair as a soloist in 1950 when he relocated once again, toFrance. In 1951 he married Elisabeth Ziegler and life was once again on track. Sidney’s performance at the Jazz Fair had enhanced his popularity yet again and work was once again plentiful. In 1953 French Vogue offered him a recording contract which Sidney Bechet signed. The Vogue contract carried on throughout the rest of his life.

21. Rue des Champs Elysees

24. Blues in the Air

25. Bechet Fantasy

26. Quincy Street Stomp

27. Shag

28. Les Oignons

29. Promenade aux Champ

30. La Nuit est sorciere

31. Nouvelles Orleans

34. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans

35. http://www.lexhamarts.org/band/clarinetists/Clarinetists.html

36. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Baquet

37. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Nelson_Delisle

38. http://www.earlyjas.org/Personalities/2007/2007February.html

39. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_Picou

40. http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/576/Bechet-Sidney-Joseph.html

41. http://www.sidneybechet.org/

42. http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_bechet_sidney.htm

43. http://www.redhotjazz.com/bechet.html

44. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Bechet

45. An Introduction to American Music by Richard Crawford