Bucktown Five - Steady Roll Blues (1924)

Francis Joseph Julian "Muggsy" Spanier (Nov.9,1906 - Feb.12,1967) was a prominent white cornet player based in Chicago. He was renowned as the best trumpet/cornet in Chicago until Bix Beiderbecke entered the scene.

Perfectly at home in Dixieland ensembles, Spanier was also an emotional soloist (equally influenced by King Oliver and Louis Armstrong) who was an expert at using the plunger mute.

He started on cornet when he was 13, played with Elmer Schoebel's band in 1921, and first recorded in 1924 with the Bucktown Five.

Spanier was a fixture in Chicago throughout the decade (appearing on several important early records) before joining Ted Lewis in 1929. Although Lewis was essentially a corny showman, Spanier's solos gave his band some validity during the next seven years.

After a stint with Ben Pollack's orchestra (1936-1938), Spanier became seriously ill and was hospitalized for three months. After he recovered, the cornetist formed his famous eight-piece "Ragtime Band" and recorded 16 Dixieland performances for Bluebird (later dubbed The Great Sixteen) that virtually defined the music of the Dixieland revival movement. But because his group actually preceded the revival by a couple years, it soon had to break up due to lack of work.

Muggsy joined Bob Crosby for a time, had his own short-lived big band, freelanced with Dixieland bands in New York, and starting in 1950 he gradually relocated to the West Coast. During 1957-1959 Spanier worked with Earl Hines' band and he continued playing up until his retirement in 1964, touring Europe in 1960 and always retaining his popularity in the Dixieland world.


Bucktown Five - Steady Roll Blues (1924)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Bucktown
• Five
• Muggsy
• Spanier
• 1924
• 20s
• 30s
• 40s
• 50s
• 60s

[orson15]

Muggsy actually dropped 5 years off his birthday. He was born

on November 9, 1901.

[davidglow3]

Spanier was to me a better cornet player than the slightly overrated Beiderbecke.Bix was technically better but lacked soul in his playing.Spanier sounds like a black musician playing with his heart and soul

[idasynco]

I love the 2;28 bended note and cool ending. 16 bars, repeat with variations.....it just keep a rollin and swingin til the end. I love it!