JEAN GOLDKETTE

Although he was a fine classically trained pianist who emigrated to the United States in 1911, Jean Goldkette's importance to jazz is as a bandleader in the 1920s. Goldkette actually had over 20 bands under his name by the mid-'20s, but it was his main unit (which recorded for Victor during 1924-1929) that is the only one remembered today. In 1924, the band included Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and Joe Venuti, with the legendary cornetist Bix Beiderbecke heard on just one selection ("I Didn't Know"); his inability to sight read at the time kept his first stint with Goldkette quite short. However, in 1926, Beiderbecke became the orchestra's top soloist and the jazz lineup was pretty impressive with such musicians as Spiegle Willcox, Bill Rank, Don Murray, Frankie "Tram" Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Steve Brown, and Chauncey Morehouse among the personnel. With Bill Challis working as chief arranger, the read more...