Bix Beiderbecke's first steady engagement was with the Wolverine orchestra.
According to lore, Dudley Mecum, the first leader of the band, named it "Wolverine Orchestra" because they very often played the tune "Wolverine Blues," a jazz standard composed by Jelly Roll Morton and the brothers Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes and John Curry Spikes.
Copyright
According to the doctorjazz.co.uk website, "Wolverine Blues" was copyrighted as follows:
Wolverine
Blues (Cl E 560032)
Jelly
Roll Morton (with Ben Spikes & John
Spikes)
a.k.a.
The Wolverines
For
Piano and Voice — Lead Sheet
Feb
14, 1923
Wolverine
Blues (Cl E 562442)
Jelly
Roll Morton (with Benjamin Spikes & John Spikes)
a.k.a.
The Wolverines
For
Piano and Voice
May
17, 1923
Wolverine
Blues (Cl E pub 47573)
Jelly
Roll Morton (with Spikes Bros.)
a.k.a.
The Wolverines
Score
and Parts — For Small Orchestra [10]
Melrose
Music Corp.
Jun
26, 1950
According
to the ACE website:
WOLVERINE
BLUES Total Current ASCAP Share: 100%
ISWC:
T0702006027
Work
ID: 530102559
Writers
ASCAP
controls 50% PRO IPI
MORTON
FERDINAND JOSEPH
ASCAP
21585796
SPIKES
BENJAMIN F
ASCAP
29339962
SPIKES
JOHN C
ASCAP
29340002
Sheet Music
Recordings
Here are a few selected recordings.
-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MdqQviGtuM
- Jelly Roll Morton (p) solo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KGHmNTle2k
- Johnny Dodds (cl) Jelly Roll Morton (p) Baby Dodds (d)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1XtZntLFxs
- Bennie Goodman's Boys With Jim And Glenn : Jimmy McPartland (cnt) Glenn Miller (tb) Benny Goodman (cl) Vic Briedis (p) Dick Morgan (g) Harry Goodman (b) Bob Conselman (d,vib)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DPFJLMco2Y
Albert Haim
Stony Brook
Oct 5, 2017