The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-12
MAMIE SMITH

As critic for The State Journal I
attended this show, If such may call
it, at the auditorium last night. I
would like to discuss the thing on its
merits but it hasn't any. These So
called Jazz Hounds were seven colored
men who can do some odd stunts on
their instruments Some effects
might be entertaining in the forests
of Central Africa but here in a civil
lied community with plenty of knowl-
edge of music and rather high aspira-
tons think that kind of stuff is mis-
placed.
The only thing that had merit was
dialog given by two. comedians. 1t
was clever and the audience seemed to
enjoy their Titticisms.
AS to Mamie Smith, I think she
was a frost" She has no singing
voice. Her gaudy dresses were so
loud that they were binding and there
isn't a stitch of art in them
am sorry that this thing was
brought here and especially so because
the performers were all colored peo-
who can legitimately lay claim to great
musicians, lnstrum entalists as well as
vocalists. Our colored community
especially are high class citizens who
the standards of living and learning
for themselves and children and they
are making good. If any one doubts
this, refer them to the results of the
Quoted in the public schools The
colored schools won the three highest
prizes<out of the five-a fact that will
always rebound to their credit. If the
troupe of last nights performers
were white people 1 would criticize
their work just as severely.
DANIEL MULLER.
The above criticism was written by
The State journals musical critic, Mr..
Daniel Muller. 1t is only natural that
a man of his ability and talent and
love of music should fail to appre-
ciate the jazz qualities that have
swept over this country in the last
few years.
For that reason 1t is reasonable to
assume that something should be writ
ten about the Mamie Smith Jazz
Hounds by a person who is in tune
with the times-with all due regards
and respect to Mr.. Muller.
So here goes:
The jazz hounds were great! 1t was
a wrangle, a tussle and a wrestling
match of noise. to be sure, but every
man in the company made his instru-
ment talk. The drummer, Curtis Mos
ley, was an acrobat and an entertainer
and he had a personal acquaintance
with the mass of tools before him.
The saxophOne soloist, Coleman Haw-
kins, could wiring the heart of any
modern music lover with his moan
ing-wOwie, how we anti-Mullers en-
joy the SaxOphOnef And George Null
len with his cornet could have kept
right on playing thruout the night
we would have been wide awake and
right on his trail George Bell, phe-
nOmenal viOlinist, is worthy of the
title. His cello number was worth
going ten miles of Kansas roads after
a rain to hear, and see. Boots Hope,
with his rattle of conversation and his
stories of womankind, would have
found us on one of those reinforced
with pins cement seats at the audi
torium at o'clock this morning if he
had kept right on talking-and if the
orchestra had accompanied him a. 1t
did last night Hamtree Harrington
and Johnny Bride were q scream
altho We believe we would have be-
come filled up, OH say at about a. m.
But the music-oh. that muSici
The writer of this once played a valve
trombone in a village band. He also
plays a mouth harp. He'll park his
at a time. He never attends a high
brow concert series-sends his wife
instead He abhors this kind of music
that jumps hither and thither with
out melody or tune He doesn't like
womens voices He hates what is
termed REAL violin music-it gets
on his nerves. It creates goose flesh
If he must hear singing he wants it
in the American language and he
wants to understand the words.
Last night we sat entranced-1augh
if you must, Every instrument was
a. joy and pleasure. Every instru-
ment talked and hummed and cooed.
Every instrument was a call from
somewhere call for the anguish
ing liStlessness of dreams. The writer
would like to spead a year in a hut
by the side of a trickling stream and
whistle and hum his days away with
the Jazz Hounds nearby-eXcepting
Mamie. of course, of course.
Mr.. Muller is a musician and a crit
ic. The writer is a lover of melody.
Each in his own tongue"
And that's that. -AJC.