A First Day Cover For Bix.
According
to the American First Day Cover Society, http://www.afdcs.org/,
"A First Day Cover (FDC) is an envelope or card bearing a stamp which
is
cancelled on the day the stamp is initially placed on sale by the
postal
authorities." A First Day of Issue card or envelope has the stamp and
the
cancellation, e.g., the
date and location. A First Day Cover has, in addition, a cachet, an
image
related to the subject of the stamp. The U.S. Postal Service
designates
one or more cities as "official. " These are the locations where
the new stamp is first released. First Day Covers are prepared by stamp
dealers or by individuals.
"Celebrate the
Century" stamps were issued for every decade of the 20th century. The
1920s
decade, the roaring twenties, had fifteen stamps, some of which were
related
to jazz : a flapper, a radio, and the "Jazz Flourishes" stamp. These
stamps
were issued on May 28, 1998, in Chicago, Illinois. The
description of the stamp in the U.S.P.S. web site reads: “1920’s: Jazz.
Created in the United States, jazz was spread by radio and recordings
in
the 1920’s. Among the leading performers were Louis Armstrong, Jelly
Roll
Morton, Joe “King” Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, and Bix Beiderbecke.”
In connection
with the issue of the Jazz Flourishes stamp, Lloyd A. de Vries - a
staff
member of the Virtual Stamp Club and producer of the Dragon First Day
Cover
cards- prepared a card with a cachet of Bix Beiderbecke. It is
shown
below.
A Commemorative Stamp for Bix.
Previous Attempts.
On January 20,
1995, Margaret Baumann, Secretary/Director of the Bix Beiderbecke
Memorial
Society wrote a letter of inquiry to the Citizens Stamp Advisory
Committee
of United States Postal Service in which she stated "we wish to promote
a "Stamp for Bix in '96" (note that I am paraphrasing this nice motto
as
the title of the present web page) to further perpetuate the legend of
one of the great white jazz musicians". Margaret requested information
about application procedures. She received a rather non-informative
answer
in which she was appraised of the fact that "the subject you proposed
is
before the Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee and remains under
consideration."
Moreover, she was told that "Proponents are not advised if a subject
has
been approved for issuance. A public announcement is made approximately
six months prior to the year in which the stamp will be issued."
The Society
put a great effort in promoting "A Stamp for Bix in '96" at the 1995
Festival.
The theme of the Festival for 1995 was "Bix: The Chicago Years". However,
the poster featured the statement "A Stamp for Bix in '96" and a
facsimile
of a 32-cent stamp with a photo of Bix (see the image on the right).
Signatures
in support of the Bix commerative stamp were solicited at several
functions
(Bix Birthday Bash in Davenport, Tribute to Bix in Libertyville and the
Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival) between March 1995 and August
1995.
A total of 1,792 signatures were collected and sent to the Citizens
Stamp
Advisory Committee. Unfortunately, the effort was unsuccessful.
Evidently,
other
individuals have proposed Bix as the subject of a commemorative stamp.
The answer of the USPS to Margaret clearly shows that Bix was being
considered.
There is additional information. On May 10, 1994, James A. Leach,
member
of Congress for the first district of Iowa, wrote to the postmaster
General
a letter in which he stated "It was with great joy that I learned of
the
consideration of a stamp honoring Bix as part of the U.S.P.S.' musical
series. Please note my strong support of such action." In response to
his
letter, Congressman Leach received a letter from the USPS in which it
was
stated "A stamp honoring Bix Beiderbecke is now under consideration by
the committee." I understand that Phil Evans, himself a postal worker,
had sent in a nomination at some time.
I am grateful to Rich Johnson,
Bix Beiderbecke Festival Music Director, for sending me copies of the
material
in the Society's files about their effort to secure "A Stamp for Bix in
'96". I also thank him for his support of the current attempt.
A New Effort.
A few months
ago, Mike Heckman asked me what had been done about a commemorative
stamp
for Bix and suggested that a new attempt was in order. I heartily
agreed
with him and we started composing a letter of nomination. We consulted
the USPS web site to find out about guidelines. The USPS established a
set of criteria
for commemorative stamp subject selection.
The criteria are quite stringent and I understand that the members of
the
Citizen's Advisory Committee are a rather independent bunch. We believe
that our petition adheres closely to the criteria and we are
optimistic.
A copy of the nomination and supporting material mailed on November 24,
1999 follows. We need the help of all the Bixophiles from around the
world.
Please send your letters in support of our nomination to
Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Management
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 4474EB
Washington, DC 20260-6756
IT IS NOT TOO EARLY. ACCORDING TO THE USPS, NOMINATIONS FOR COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS MUST BE SUBMITTED THREE YEARS BEFORE THE DESIRED DATE OF ISSUE.
Please write to me at ahaim@hotmail.comif you are sending an endorsement to the USPS.
Copies of the Material
Submitted
to the USPS.
Michael B.
Heckman
Albert Haim
P. O Box
644
20 Three Village Lane
Pine Bush, NY
12566
Setauket, NY 11733
November 19, 1999
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Management,
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 4474EB,
Washington, DC 20260-6756
Dear Members of the Advisory Committee:
In May 1998, the U.S.P.S
issued
a commemorative stamp entitled “Jazz Flourishes”. The description of
the
stamp in the U.S.P.S. web site reads: “1920’s: Jazz. Created in the
United
States, jazz was spread by radio and recordings in the 1920’s. Among
the
leading performers were Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Joe “King”
Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, and Bix Beiderbecke.” The USPS
singled
out five musicians out of the hundreds who played in the 1920’s. Of
these
five musicians, two of them, Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton,
have
been the subjects of commemorative stamps. We suggest that Leon Bix
Beiderbecke,
one of the most important American jazz musicians of the century, be
honored
with a commemorative stamp to be issued on March 10, 2003, the 100th
anniversary of his birth.
Leon Bix Beiderbecke was a
jazz musician of world renown who made unparalleled, innovative, and
lasting
contributions to the jazz idiom, both as a performer (cornet and piano)
and as a composer. Bix is ordinarily categorized as a jazz musician.
That
would be an accurate but superficial description. What Bix created was
music of unique beauty. Jazz was the medium of his expression, but the
music that came from his cornet and piano was comparable to lyric
poetry.
He took the brash, extroverted art of jazz and showed that jazz can be
melodious and reflective. He is credited with being an originator of
the
jazz ballad. He took the polyphonic New Orleans jazz style and added
the
expressive and lyrical instrumental solo to it. These two innovations
are
among the most important components of Bix’s enduring musical legacy.
The
other components are represented by Bix’s highly original musical
compositions
and by his recordings. The recordings, although made when the quality
of
sound reproduction was somewhat limited, show that Bix’s cornet sound
was
beautiful and unique, that he was a musician of exquisite taste, and
that
he had a remarkable genius for extemporaneous and highly original
improvisation.
Leon Bix Beiderbecke was born
on March 10, 1903 in Davenport, Iowa and died in Queens, NY on August
6,
1931. He began his professional career in 1923 playing cornet
with
the Wolverine Orchestra. In 1926, he joined the Jean Goldkette Victor
Recording
Orchestra, the most successful jazz organization in the Midwest. In
1927,
he joined the orchestra of Paul Whiteman, the “King of Jazz”. During
Bix’s
brief recording career – it lasted only six years – he recorded with
such
jazz giants as Hoagy Carmichael, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman,
Gene Krupa, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti, and many others. Today, nearly 100
years after his birth and almost seventy years after his death, Bix
Beiderbecke
has a phenomenal popularity and influence that extends beyond any
geographical
boundaries.
Bix was an original. His
technique
and style of playing were unique and had a profound influence on his
fellow
musicians. Bix’s solo in “Singin’ the Blues” has been recorded note for
note by several musicians of renown such as Rex Stewart and Bobby
Hackett.
Following Bix’s recording of the tune, almost every jazz player in
America
tried to emulate his style and sound. Bix’s recording of “Singin’ the
Blues”
is considered by most jazz critics and historians to be one of the two
most important jazz recordings of all time. The other one is
Armstrong’s
“West End Blues”.
However, even more important than Bix’s influence
on his contemporaries, is the fact that he provided a different path
than
that developed by Louis Armstrong. A comparison with Armstrong,
considered
by many to be the most important jazz musician of the century, is
appropriate
because Bix’s musical creativity flourished at the same time as that of
the young Louis Armstrong. Whereas Armstrong’s strength was his
spectacular
technique, Bix’s genius was for extemporaneous improvisation. Bix’s
improvisational
style introduced into jazz music a greater measure of classical
structure
and sensibility. His piano compositions blend the idiom of jazz with
the
classical European tradition, in particular French impressionism.
Bix’s influence in jazz was
long lasting. Many jazz critics and historians consider that Bix’s
music
is at the origin of the movement known as cool jazz. Approximately one
third of the nearly fifty existing recordings of “In A Mist”, Bix’s
most
important composition, were made in the 1990’s. Two jazz festivals
totally
dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of Bix's musical legacy
take place every year.
Detailed information is
provided
in the attached documents entitled “Additional Information in Support
of
the Nomination of Leon Bix Beiderbecke as the Subject of a
Commemorative
Stamp”.
Sincerely,
Michael Heckman Albert Haim
Additional Information in Support of the
Nomination
of
Leon Bix Beiderbecke
as the Subject of a Commemorative Stamp
In what follows, we will
list
evidence of the recognition and honors bestowed upon Bix in recognition
of his seminal contributions and achievements.
Additional letter to the Committee
Albert Haim
20 Three Village Lane
Setauket, NY 11733
February 22, 2002
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
c/o Stamp Management,
U.S. Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW,
Room
4474EB,
Washington, DC 20260-6756
Dear Members of the Advisory
Committee:
On November 19, 1999, Michael
Heckman
and I submitted a latter of nomination of Leon Bix Beiderbecke as the
subject
of a commemorative stamp to be issued on March 6, 2003, the 100th
anniversary
of his birthday.
I recently became aware of two important pieces of information in support of our nomination. In our previous letter, we highlighted Bix’s cornet solo in the recording of “Singin’ the Blues” by Frank Trumbauer and his orchestra and Bix’s piano solo recording of his own composition “In A Mist.” We discovered strong supporting evidence for the seminal importance of the two recordings.
The Grammy organization has several types of awards. One of these is the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award." As described in the grammy.com website, "The GRAMMY Hall of Fame was established by the Recording Academy's National Trustees in 1973 to honor early recordings of lasting, qualitative or historical significance that were released more than 25 years ago. Winners are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of the recording arts." Two of the entries in the list of awards read as follows.
SINGIN' THE BLUES
Inducted 1977
Frankie Trumbauer And His
Orchestra
Featuring Bix Beiderbecke On Cornet
Okeh
Jazz
1927
IN A MIST (Piano Solo)
Inducted 1980
Bix Beiderbecke
Okeh
Jazz
1927
An additional piece of information must be brought up to recognize the significance of the two Grammy Hall of Fame Awards. Bix Beiderbecke’s recording career covered the years 1924-1930. During that period, six records in the jazz genre were honored. Two of these are Bix’s. Clearly, the induction of the recordings “Singin’ the Blues” and “In A Mist” to the Grammy Hall of Fame bolsters our contention of the seminal importance of the contributions of Bix Beiderbecke to our American musical legacy.
Sincerely,
Albert Haim
Added January 11, 2003.
The USPS decided not to issue a stamp to commemorate
Bix's musical genius. In response to this tremendous injustice, Brad
Kay
issued his own Bix stamp. It is very beautiful.
The Latest Effort. October 2014.
A petition, organized by Confetta Ann Ras.
Please visit and sign.
Albert Haim
Department of
Stony Brook NY 11794-3400
October 15, 2014
Citizens'
Stamp Advisory Committee
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Dear Members of the Advisory Committee:
In May 1998, the
U.S.P.S issued a
commemorative stamp entitled “Jazz Flourishes”. The description of the
stamp in
the U.S.P.S. web site reads: “1920’s: Jazz. Created in the
Leon
Bix Beiderbecke was
a cornetist, pianist, composer (Davenport, IA, 1903- Queens, NY, 1931)
whose
active musical career spanned the years 1921-1930 in the Midwest and
-
1977.
Received the
Grammy Hall of Fame award. The
Grammy Hall of Fame was established by The Recording Academy's
National
Trustees in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or
historical
significance that are at least 25 years old.
-
2002. Chosen
for
inclusion in the Library of Congress National
Recording Registry, a list of sound recordings that "are
culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or
reflect
life in the
Bix
Beiderbecke
began his professional career in 1923 playing cornet with the Wolverine
Orchestra. In 1926, he joined the Jean Goldkette Victor Recording
Orchestra,
the most successful jazz organization in the
-
Clarinetist
and band
leader Artie Shaw stated in a 2001
interview “My idol was Bix Beiderbecke
and he was doing things in jazz that had never been done before. He was
an
enormous influence on me.”
-
Trumpeter Louis Armstrong,
the most important musician in the history of jazz, stated in a 1972
interview:
“Every note he blew was so beautiful. I’ve heard a lot of cats try to
play like
Bix … But ain’t none of them play like him yet! You can tell the whole
world
there’ll never be another Bix Beiderbecke. Take that from Satchmo. He
was a
born genius.” The dedication in Louis Armstrong 1936 autobiographical
work
“Swing That Music” reads in part, “To the memory of Bix Beiderbecke,
now gone.”
-
Legendary
drummer and band leader Gene
Krupa stated in a 1969 interview: “One of the peaks of a party was
Bix
sitting at a piano, and of course absolute quiet and respect for what
he could
do; he was much ahead of his time, The greatest genius that I have ever
known
in the world of jazz is Bix Beiderbecke, and you can quote Gene Krupa.”
-
Distinguished
composer, pianist, singer, actor Hoagy Carmichael
began composing at the urging of Bix Beiderbecke. Hoagy
idolized Bix and named his younger son Hoagy Bix who stated in an
interview: “Bix
lit the fuse that shot Dad out of the musical cannon.” Some jazz
critics are of
the opinion that
In
addition to Bix
Beiderbecke’s introducing the solo and the jazz ballad, the other
components of
his musical legacy are represented by his about 250 recordings and by
his
musical compositions, mostly for piano. The recordings, although made
when the
quality of sound reproduction was somewhat limited, show that Bix’s
cornet
sound was beautiful and unique, that he was a musician of exquisite
taste, and
that he had a remarkable genius for extemporaneous and highly original
improvisation. Bix’s
improvisational style introduced into jazz music a greater measure of
classical
structure, sensibility and emotional complexity. His piano compositions
blend
the idiom of jazz with the classical European tradition, in particular
French
impressionism. Bix’s most important
piano
composition, “In A Mist,” was selected for a Grammy Hall
of Fame award in 1980. On
October 7, 1928, Bix Beiderbecke played his composition “In A Mist” in Carnegie
Hall. Between 1927 and 2010, there were over 100
recordings of
the composition.
Bix’s
influence
in jazz was long-lasting. Many jazz critics and historians consider
that Bix’s
music is at the origin of the movement known as cool jazz, a style
developed
after World War II by such jazz giants as Woody Herman and Miles Davis
(honored
with a commemorative stamp in 2012). Earlier this year, the
National
Portrait Gallery in
Bix’s
significant
impact in the world of jazz can be further appreciated by the honors
conferred
upon him. I list here two of the most prestigious.
-
On
September 30, 2004, Jazz
at
-
The
Gennett recording studios
in
The Bix
Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Society, founded in 1971, is dedicated to
the
preservation and perpetuation of Bix’s musical legacy. The most
important
activity of the Society is the annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz
Festival,
which has taken place without interruption since 1972 in
The
admiration
of Bix Beiderbecke’s aficionados throughout the world for his music
remains
unabated 83 years after his death. The complete set of Beiderbecke’s
recordings
has been re-issued in the
The
issue of a
Bix Beiderbecke commemorative stamp would represent a highly deserved
recognition of one of the most influential jazz pioneers.
Sincerely,
Albert
Haim
Professor Emeritus
albert.haim@stonybrook.edu
Through His Music, Bix
Is
Alive
BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS
Recordings
The
Original 78's
Analysis
of Some Recordings: Is It Bix or Not ?
Complete
Compilations of Bix's Recordings
Tributes
to Bix
Miscellaneous
Recordings Related to Bix
In
A Mist