Jim Europe, the man behind the first great dance craze.

     For anyone who studies the early blues, the names of Vernon and Irene Castle are important ones. Although there is speculation about it's origins, there is no doubting that the Castle's brought the foxtrot to international popularity. So...why is this important? Well, several things. First of all, ragtime had gotten young people on the dance floor in a way that their parents found very disapproving. Secondly, the Castle's used the early blues as the basis for demonstrating the foxtrot, which allows a form of music that wouldn't normally been listened to by whites as a whole into mainstream society.

     We will look much deeper into the habit of 1950's record execs to take R&B songs by black artists and farm them out to their white singer. Given that, and given the times, it's easy to assume that the Castle's were taking ideas from the black south and make money off of them. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, I could blog just about how far ahead of their times they actually were. Both of them were animal rights advocates long before it became popular. They had an openly lesbian manager, and, at least for our blog today, an all black orchestra.....and this is where the story gets even more interesting.

     James Reece Europe was an African-American conductor who had made a name for himself with the forming of the all black musicians union, "The Clef Club", and at in 1913 was leading the Society Orchestra, which played for the many of the elite of New York. (exclusively with African-American musicians and songwriters)  It was at one of these gatherings that Irene and Vernon met Europe. Both were hugely impressed with the orchestra's ability to find the perfect tempo to any dance they chose. So impressed that they offered to hire Europe and the entire orchestra.  So the sound of the early blues (especially W.C. Handy's, 'Memphis Blues') was brought to high society due to the influence of Europe.  So the couple that brought blues music to high society through their dancing, were in turned were backed by the finest African-American band in the country.

      Vernon died in a plane accident during World War I in 1917. Irene, who was hugely influential in the 20's "flapper look" (compete with bob haircut), continued to make a mark everywhere she went, although her professional career was all but over with the death of her husband. (She was responsible for the design of the  original Chicago Black Hawks sweater...second husband was the owner of the team.)

     You can hear W.C. Handy's 'Memphis Blues' along with other songs that deal with the early influences of Rock and Roll, on "A History of Rock and Pop" on the Omnibus on www.live365.com.