369th Infantry Regiment Big Band - Musicologist Dr. Salim Washington PhD. Part 1

Nana Kimati Dinizulu Interviews Musicologist Dr. Salim Washington PhD. about the Harlem Hellfighters / 369th Infantry Band during WWI. Dr. Washington also touches on the legendary James Reese Europe, February 22, 1881 -- May 9, 1919. Europe organized the Clef Club, a society for African Americans in the music industry.
During World War I Europe obtained a Commission in the New York Army National Guard, where he saw combat as a lieutenant with the 369th Infantry Regiment (the "Harlem Hellfighters"). He went on to direct the regimental band to great acclaim. In February and March 1918, James Reese Europe and his military band travelled over 2,000 miles in France, performing for British, French and American military audiences as well as French civilians. Europe's "Hellfighters" also made their first recordings in France for the Pathé brothers.[8] The first concert included a French march, and the Stars and Stripes Forever as well as syncopated numbers such as "The Memphis Blues", which, according to a later description of the concert by a band member "...started ragtimitis in France".
Filmed by my friend Dr. Kobinah Abdul Salim PhD.

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Music

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