Musicians Local 627

Photos

Music

Sources

Newspaper Clippings (Ads & Articles)

Introduction: Kansas City Jazz

Watkins Brothers Undertakers (with photos). Kansas City Sun; January 10, 1914.
Henry Perry's Barbecue (with photo). Kansas City Sun; December 8, 1917.
Smith's Drugstore (with photo). Kansas City Sun; July 18, 1914.
Williams Orchestra (with photo). Kansas City Sun; April 13, 1918.
Mrs. Josie Williams' Union Band (with photo). Kansas City Call; December 8, 1923.
Billy King stage show: Over The Top, Auditorium Theater. Kansas City Sun; January 3, 1920.
Billy King stage show: They're Off, Auditorium Theater. Kansas City Sun; January 10, 1920.
Fashion Show, Labor Temple Auditorium. Kansas City Sun; April 6, 1918.
Grand Easter Ball, Armory Hall. Kansas City Sun; March 14, 1914.
Hod Carriers' Benefit Dance, Lyric Hall. Kansas City Sun; March 14, 1914.
Jackson's Summer Music School, Allen Chapel. Kansas City Sun; June 23, 1916.
Ladies' Band Concert, St. James A.M.E. Church. Kansas City Sun; February 26, 1916.
Leisure Hour Dancing Club, summer garden opening, Lyric Hall. Kansas City Sun; June 23, 1916.
Leisure Hour Dancing Club, Soldiers Ball, Lyric Hall. Kansas City Sun; November 3, 1918.
Lincoln Electric Park, 1915 opening. Kansas City Sun; May 1, 1915.
"One More To The Fore" [Lincoln Electric Park, 1916 opening]. Kansas City Sun; April 29, 1916.
Morton's Dancing Academy, grand opening, Armory Hall. Kansas City Sun; January 10, 1914.
"The Owl's Easter Ball...Monday's Dance At Wright's Academy Went Big." Kansas City Sun; April 29, 1916.
Pleasure Seeker's Club, Tango Shirt Waist Party, Armory Hall. Kansas City Sun; July 18, 1914.
"The Smart Set" stage show: George Washington Bullion Abroad, Grand Theater. Kansas City Sun; January 22, 1916.
Smith-Bright Players & Abbie Mitchell stage show, Criterion Theater. Kansas City Sun; January 10, 1914.
Thanksgiving Ball, Lyric Hall. Kansas City Sun; November 21, 1914.
White-Wood Drugstore. Kansas City Sun; April 6, 1918.
Wright's Dancing Academy. Kansas City Sun; November 21, 1915.
"Kansas City's Record Making Orchestra." (with Bennie Moten band photo). Kansas City Sun; November 30, 1923.
Okeh Records: Ada Brown & Mary H. Bradford (with photos). Kansas City Call; November 23, 1923.
Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin ("The Blues"). [citation unavailable].
Knights Templar Annual Public Easter Family Party, Labor Temple. Kansas City Sun; April 5, 1919.
Charles T. Watts, music services (with photo). Kansas City Sun; January 10, 1914.
Winn School of Popular Music. Kansas City Sun; November 30, 1918.
Charles T. Watts School of Music, opening. Kansas City Sun; September 6, 1919.
Recital program, Lincoln High School Auditorium. Kansas City Sun; March 22, 1919.
"Capt. N. Clark [Smith], who is bringing a military training and discipline to Western University..." (with photo). Kansas City Sun; November 7, 1914.
"Capt. N. Clark Smith, the new Commandant at Western University..." (with photo). Kansas City Sun; January 9, 1915.
N. Clark Smith reunion concert, Elks Convention (with photo). Kansas City Sun; August 7, 1920.
The Seven Last Words Of Christ program, Allen Chapel. Kansas City Sun; March 13, 1915.
"Band Master [N. Clark Smith] Organizing Band Chorus" (with band photo) Kansas City Sun; June 17, 1916.
Coleridge-Taylor Music Settlement School (N. Clark Smith, director) (with photo). Kansas City Sun; May 20, 1916.
"Capt. N. Clark Smith And W.U. [Western University]." Kansas City Sun; January 9, 1915.
"Major N. Clark Smith is attending Kansas University..." Kansas City Sun; July 19, 1919.
"Major Smith Lauded." Kansas City Sun; March 13, 1920.
N. Clark Smith: Folk-Song Anthems, copies for sale. Kansas City Sun; January 3, 1920.
N. Clark Smith: Voice Training (University of Kansas Method). Kansas City Sun; October 11, 1919.
"Professor Of Voice Praises Major N. Clark Smith." Kansas City Sun; March 20, 1920.
"Thousands Pay Tribute To Late Lieut. Europe." Kansas City Call; June 10, 1922.

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1917-23: Local 627 & the Early Jazz Bands

Sunday Evening Promenade, Academy Hall. Kansas City Sun; April 28, 1917.
"The Negro Musicians' Union will furnish three bands for the Labor Day Parade." Kansas City Sun; August 30, 1919.
"Mr. Tilford Davis...re-elected..." Kansas City Sun; December 13, 1919.
B.B.&D. Orchestra, Labor Temple (2 clippings). Kansas City Sun; November 20, 1920 & July 12, 1919.
"Kansas City's Record Making Orchestra." (with Bennie Moten band photo). Kansas City Sun; November 30, 1923.
Okeh Records: Bennie Moten (with photo). Kansas City Call; November 23, 1923.
Lincoln Theater, grand opening. Kansas City Sun; February 14, 1920.
Lincoln Theater, William S. Hart film: John Petticoats (with photo). Kansas City Sun; October 9, 1920.
Lincoln Theater, grand opening & upcoming shows. Kansas City Sun; February 21, 1920.
Lincoln Theater, grand opening. Kansas City Sun; February 21, 1920.

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1924-28: President Shaw

"Geo. Wilkerson Heads Musicians Union." Kansas City Call; December 4, 1925.
"Shaw Is Well Known." Kansas City Call; September 14, 1928.
"300 Members Are In Union Of Musicians" (with William Shaw photo). Kansas City Call; September 14, 1928.
Eblon Theater, grand opening. Kansas City Call; November 3, 1923.
"Front Of New Eblon Theatre, 19th And Vine, Is Taking Form" (with photo). Kansas City Call; August 24, 1923.
"Theatre Is Only One In City Owned By Colored People." Kansas City Call; October 26, 1923.
Battle of the Bands, Paseo Hall: George E. Lee vs. Walter Page (with band photos). Kansas City Call; November 23, 1928.
Paseo Hall, grand opening. Kansas City Sun; March 22, 1924.
Musicians' Ball, Paseo Hall. Kansas City American; April 30, 1931.
"Plenty of Whoopee At Paseo Hall." Kansas City Call; May 10, 1929.
"Prizes Awarded At Cheerio Dance." Kansas City Call; May 10, 1929.
"Boy Violinist Grows Up: George E. Lee, A Musician Like His Father" (with photo). Kansas City Call; June 28, 1928.
"Moten's Band Draws Crowd At Paseo Hall." Kansas City Call; September 14, 1928.

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1929-35: Territorial Bands & A New Headquarters

"Six Bands To Stage The Year's Biggest Battle Next Monday Night" (with photos of the bandleaders). Kansas City Call; November 29, 1929.
First Annual Musicians Ball, Paseo Hall. Kansas City Call; November 29, 1929.
Battle of the Bands, Paseo Hall. Kansas City Call; May 2, 1930.
"First Annual Musicians Ball Draws Great Crowd." Kansas City Call, December 6, 1929.
"Musicians In First Ball Dec. 2." Kansas City Call; November 15, 1929.
"Musicians' Union...Home." Kansas City American; November 28, 1929.
"National Musician Week: Local Union Dedicates Hall." Kansas City American; May 8, 1930.
"[William Shaw] Re-elected" (with photo). Kansas City Call; December 26, 1930.
George Morrison Orchestra, Labor Temple (with photo). Kansas City Call; April 10, 1925.
Casey, Lee. "Coloradan [George Morrison] Is Praised As Musician." Kansas City Call; March 28, 1941.
"Hot Southern Orchestra At Paseo Hall...First Kansas City Appearance." Kansas City Call; May 10, 1929.
Julia Lee, Milton's Bar. Kansas City Journal-Post; October 26, 1935.
"Beats Bennie Moten." Kansas City Call; May 10, 1929.
Fourth Annual Musicians Ball, Roseland Ballroom. Kansas City Call; December 1, 1933.

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1936-41: 627 Stomp

Buster Smith & his Orchestra, Lucille's Paradise. Kansas City Call; February 18, 1938.
Vine Street Varieties, Lincoln Theater. Kansas City Call; March 17, 1939.
"Ten Niteries Closed In Kaycee Cleanup." [citation unavailable; possibly Downbeat, c. 1938].

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Books & Journal Articles

Buckner, Reginald T. "Rediscovering Major N. Clark Smith." Music Educators Journal; February 1985, pp. 36-42.
Balliett, Whitney. American Singers: Twenty-Seven Portraits in Song (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988).
Driggs, Frank and Chuck Haddix. Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005).
Fuell, Melissa. Blind Boone, His Early Life and his Achievements... (Kansas City, Mo.: Burton Publishing Co., 1915).
Govenar, Alan B. Deep Ellum and Central Track: Where the Black and White Worlds of Dallas Converged (Denton, Tex.: University of North Texas Press, 1998).
Hughes, Langston. The Big Sea, An Autobiography (New York: Hill and Wang, 1963).
Jasen, David A. and Trebor J. Tichenor. Rags and Ratime: A Musical History (New York: Seabury Press, 1978).
Lieb, Sandra R. Mother of the Blues: A Study of Ma Rainey (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1981).
Pearson, Nathan. Goin’ to Kansas City (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1987).
Reddig, William. Tom’s Town: Kansas City and the Pendergast Legend (Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1986).
Russell, Ross. Jazz Style in Kansas City and the Southwest (Berkley: University of California Press, 1971).
Sampson, Henry T. Blacks in Blackface: A Source Book on Early Black Musical Shows (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1980).

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Archival Collections

Board Minutes: 1949, Boxes 31–32. Kansas City Federation of Musicians Local 34-627 Records (KC 431). The State Historical Society of Missouri - Kansas City Research Center.
Board Minutes: 1949–1958, Boxes 31–32. Kansas City Federation of Musicians Local 34-627 Records (KC 431). The State Historical Society of Missouri - Kansas City Research Center.
Board Minutes: 1960–1970, Boxes 31–32. Kansas City 34-627 Records (KC 431) The State Historical Society of Missouri - Kansas City Research Center.
Dexter, Dave E., Jr. Liner notes for Kansas City Jazz (Decca Records 214, 78-rpm album, 1940). Marr Sound Archives, UMKC Miller Nichols Library.
"The Rhythm Beat," Musicians Protective Union – Local 627; February 1958, Vol. II, No. 1. Kansas City Federation of Musicians Local 34-627 Records (K0431). The State Historical Society of Missouri - Kansas City Research Center.
Williams, Raymond. "Music." The Lincolnian [Yearbook] (Kansas City, Missouri: Lincoln High School, 1919). Lincolnian Yearbook Collection, LaBudde Special Collections, UMKC Miller Nichols Library.

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Further Study

Driggs, Frank and Chuck Haddix. Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to Bebop (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005).
LaBudde Special Collections and its audio division, Marr Sound Archives, UMKC Miller Nichols Library.
Kansas City Museum Association. Goin' to Kansas City (Photo) Collection.
Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City (Missouri) Public Library.
Mutual Musicians Foundation.
The State Historical Society of Missouri - Kansas City Research Center. Kansas City Federation of Musicians Local 34-627 Records (K0431).

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