HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Spiegle Willcox

Birth of Jazz: Spiegle Willcox

Spiegle Willcox

Born in New York on 2 May 1903, now obscure trombonist, Spiegle Willcox, made a major impression in the world of the dance band during a Roaring Twenties career of only four years. Willcox was a teenager when he joined a group called the Big Four in Syracuse, New York. Paul Whiteman took note, joined the band, then became its leader, whence the Big Four became the Collegians, recording 'That Red-Headed Gal' (Victor 19049) in March 1923 [Lord] for issue in June [Discogs]. Personnel rosters below may be approximate than exact.

'That Red Head Gal' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Collegians

Recorded 23 March 1923 in NYC Victor 19049 Speigle's first recording to issue

Trumpet: Roy Johnston Alto sax: Stub Washburn Tenor sax: Freddie Ballinger

Violin: Red Ewald Piano: Jimmy Lynch

Banjo: Charlie Dean Drums: Bob Causer

Composition: Gus Van / Henry Lodge / Joe Schenck

'I Cried For You' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Collegians

Recorded 5 June 1923 in NYC Victor 19093

Trumpet: Roy Johnston Alto sax: Stub Washburn Tenor sax: Freddie Ballinger

Violin: Red Ewald Piano: Jimmy Lynch

Banjo: Charlie Dean Drums: Bob Causer

Composition: Abe Lyman / Arthur Freed / Gus Arnheim

Tom Lord has Wilcox on several tracks in NYC with the California Ramblers in a couple sessions during September 1925 including 'You Gotta Know How' (Regal 9941), 'Fallin' Down' (Oriole 518), and a couple with Ernest Hare on vocals: 'Desdemona' (Pathe-Act 36318) and 'Show Me the Way to Go Home' (Pathe-Act 36307). Those shortly preceded Wilcox' brief tenure as a featured soloist in the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, his initial unissued tracks with Goldkette in NYC on 7 January for 'The Rose Brought Me You' and 'After I Say I'm Sorry'. The last was recorded again the next day with 'Dinah' for issue on Victor 19947 in April.

'Lonesome and Sorry' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Jean Goldkette Orchestra

Recorded 23 April 1926 in NYC Victor 20031 Charts: #14 Sep 1926

Trumpet: Fuzzy Farrar / Ray Lodwig Trombone: Bill Rank

Clarinet: Don Murray / Doc Ryker / Jimmy Dorsey

Alto sax: Doc Ryker / Jimmy Dorsey / Don Murray

Tenor sax / bass sax: Don Murray

Violin: Joe Venuti Piano: Itzy Riskin

Banjo: Howdy Quicksell String bass: Steve Brown

Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Vocals: Carl Mathieu (tenor) / James Stanley (bass)

Composition: Con Conrad / Benny Davis Arrangement: Russ Morgan

'Cover Me Up with Sunshine' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Jean Goldkette Orchestra

Recorded 15 Oct 1926 in NYC Victor 20588

Cornet: Bix Beiderbecke Trumpet: Fuzzy Farrar / Ray Lodwig Trombone: Bill Rank

Clarinet: Don Murray Alto sax: Doc Ryker / Don Murray

C melody sax: Frank Trumbauer Baritone sax: Don Murray

Violin: Joe Venuti Piano: Paul Mertz

Banjo: Howdy Quicksell Guitar: Eddie Lang String bass: Steve Brown

Drums: Chauncey Morehouse Vocal: Frank Bessinger

Composition: Mort Dixon / Ray Henderson

'Proud of a Baby Like You' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Jean Goldkette Orchestra

Recorded 28 Jan 1927 in NYC Matrix 37579-4 2nd of 2 takes Victor 20469

Cornet: Bix Beiderbecke Trumpet: Fuzzy Farrar / Ray Lodwig Trombone: Bill Rank

Clarinet: Danny Polo Alto sax: Doc Ryker / Don Murray?

C melody sax: Frank Trumbauer Baritone sax: Danny Polo

Violin: Joe Venuti Piano: Itzy Riskin

Banjo: Howdy Quicksell String bass: Steve Brown

Drums: Chauncey Morehouse Vocals: Al Lynch / The Keller Sisters

Composition: Paul Helmick / Chris Schoenberg / Leonard Stevens

'Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Jean Goldkette Orchestra

Recorded 31 Jan 1927 in NYC

This is either matrix 37583-2 on Victor 20675 or matrix 37583-3 on Victor 25354

Victor 20675 charted at #20 in 1927

Cornet: Bix Beiderbecke Trumpet: Fuzzy Farrar / Ray Lodwig Trombone: Bill Rank

Clarinet: Danny Polo Alto sax: Doc Ryker

C melody sax: Frank Trumbauer Baritone sax: Danny Polo

Violin: Joe Venuti Guitar: Eddie Lang Piano: Itzy Riskin

Banjo: Howdy Quicksell String bass: Steve Brown Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Composition: Jesse Greer

Wilcox retired from the music industry in 1927 to work in his father's coal business, although he continued to lead amateur groups on weekends for the next several decades. His final recordings before hanging up his hat as trombonist for the Goldkette Orchestra arrived in Camden, N.J., on May 23, 1927, toward 'Play It, Red' unissued and two takes of 'In My Merry Oldsmobile'.

'In My Merry Oldsmobile' Spiegle Willcox (trombone) w the Jean Goldkette Orchestra

Recorded 23 May 1927 in Camden NJ Final recording of Willcox' early career

Take 1 which is matrix 38268-14 was issued on a Victor Special Record

This is take 2 which is matrix 38268-2 to see issue in France on RCA 741093

Cornet: Bix Beiderbecke Trumpet: Fuzzy Farrar / Ray Lodwig Trombone: Bill Rank

C melody sax: Frank Trumbauer Alto sax: Doc Ryker Sax: Don Murray

Violin: Eddy Sheasby Piano: Irving Riskin

Banjo: Howdy Quicksell String bass: Steve Brown Drums: Chauncey Morehouse

Vocals: Ray Lodwig / Doc Ryker / Howdy Quicksell

Composition: Gus Edwards

Willcox came out of retirement above forty years later, traced by Lord to the Manassas Jazz Festival in Virginia on 5 December 1971 where 'Blues for Bix' went down with cornetist and trumpeter, Tony Newstead, toward Volume 2 of the album, '1971 Manassas Jazz Festival' on Fat Cat's Jazz FCJ138. Lord follows this track with a couple more with Newstead on the same date at the same venue toward the release of 'Tony Loves Bix' on Fat Cat's Jazz FCJ127. In 1975 Willcox performed at Carnegie Hall during a reunion of Goldkette's orchestra, then formed a partnership with Joe Venuti until the latter's death in 1978. It was December of 1978 that Willcox put away his first recordings with his Slidemen also called the Slide Masters at the Manassas Jazz Festival resulting in the album, 'Four Trombones and Rhythm' released on Fat Cat's Jazz FCJ 196. Come his album, 'Spiegle Willcox Rides Again' from a session in Milan in 1983 with Lino Patruno (banjo) and Oscar Klein (cornet). 'Vintage '89' was recorded in Monster, Holland, in July of 1992 with Menno Daams at cornet. They also worked together on 'Jazz Keeps You Young' recorded in Holland in 1994. Spiegle recorded his final album, 'A Perfect Life', with his Galvanized Jazz Band in Connecticut from August 1997 to August 1999. [See Recordings below.]