Theodore Bibb

Jazz drummer

Birth:

Birthplace:

Date of Interview:

Place of Interview:

Interviewer:

January 26, 1918

St. Louis, Missouri

April 19, 1982

Narrator's Home

Dan Havens

Tape # Side

Time

Subject

1 a

003-015

Introduction

1 a

016-076

Biographical; Birth, Family

1 a

077-138

First drums; music school, encouragement by father

1 a

139-169

First public appearance- Sunshine Sammy

1 a

170-241

Father's work with Simms Band; conflict between parents; roadhouses

1 a

242-285

Other Bands

1 a

286-309

Simms Band-instrumentation

1 a

310-343

Father's theater bands

1 a

344-389

Lodge bands, parades, street bands; rehearsals

1 a

390-424

Pay of musicians

1 a

425-501

Playing at a tavern, trio, enlarging band

1 a

502-553

U.S. Army; St. Louis musicians sent to Fort Warren, Wyo.

1 a

554-582

Bandleader- S. Sgt. Smith, dance band, cowboy outfits

1 a

583-619

Military band - 50 men; small dance band - 8men

1 a

620-657

Andrew Chaplain, drummer; drum styles and methods

1 a

658-678

Club in Cheyenne; Jack McVey - Calif. drummer

1 a

679-717

Music writers in Army; Geo. Duvivier; learning from army band

1 a

718-736

Discharge U.S. Army; "gigging" jobs in St. Louis

1 b

003-082

Army Band - 353rd different places played

1 b

083-202

Stars appearing with Army band

1 b

203-260

After Army- bands played with; Clay Lock

1 b

261-285

Tina Nelson; Chuck Robinson

1 b

286-314

George Hudson Band 1950-53; Club Riveria; Showboat Club

1 b

315-365

Personnel of Hudson Band

1 b

366-408

Hudson - IRS trouble

1 b

409-467

Hours, arrangements, shows; Armstrong All-Stars personnel

1 b

468-539

Harriet Bibb talking; Band - Hotel job, Alton, other jobs

1 b

540-621

Cyrus Stoner Trio, jobs played; piano players with trio

1 b

622-689

Dewey Jackson; E. St. Louis & Collinsville jobs; personnel, types of numbers, Jackson as leader

1 b

690-724

Jackson as ladies' man

1 b

725-739

Bibbs' father playing with Charles Creath and other early bands

2 a

004-105

Break-up of Jackson band; other groups; Jackson's double life

2 a

106-153

First marriage 1938

2 a

154-188

1946 - after army; jam sessions; "Tiger Joe" Smith

2 a

189-200

Noise on tape

2 a

201-224

great drummers

2 a

225-258

Bibb's favorite drummers and where he heard them

2 a

259-293

Max Roach Band - Personnel

2 a

294-348

Local drummers - Shaw; Thigpen, Oldham; Chick Booth

2 a

349-404

St. Louis Bands - Randle Band; George Border; Oliver
Cobb

2 a

405-430

Listening to music on Riverboats - Capitol and J.S., late 20's

2 a

431-475

Bibb's father - playing on boat; Sunday band concerts

2 a

476-497

Black schools in St. Louis; father's musical ability

2 a

498-557

Archie Bell; 25th Infantry Band; traveling with band; Washington State, Hawaii; father's death; father as a musician

2 a

558-579

Not transcribed

2 a

580-600

Peanuts Whalen; syncopation; drum style in father's time

2 a

601-616

Playing drums with records as a child; types of tunes

2 a

617-628

drum styles

2 a

629-683

Tina (La Coste) Nelson piano player

2 a

684-737

Drum solos; timing; fitting solo to time

2 b

003-110

Drum solos cont'd., change of tempo

2 b

111-224

Function of drums in a band

2 b

225-270

Roll of drummer in modern band

2 b

271-340

Harriet Bibb Not transcribed

2 b

341-365

Drums - importance in a band

2 b

366-375

Clubs on Delmar - The Barrel, the Windemere

2 b

376-402

Drumming in hotel bands - Different style

2 b

403-508

The drummer in jazz bands; support of soloists

2 b

509-572

Bibb's hobby as fire buff; interference with drumming

2 b

573-604

Hearing Count Basie Band in New York

2 b

605-618

Improving himself as a musician

2 b

619-628

Harriet

2 b

629-650

Bibb's favorite drummer Shadow Wilson

2 b

651-661

Function of drummer

2 b

662-715

Harriet

2 b

716-736

Harriet talks about Harvey Langford & other musicians

3 a

004-054

Harriet singing - "Do Nothing 'Till You Hear from Me"

3 a

055-087

Harriet sings "Woke up This Mornin"

3 a

088-158

Harriet's early life, birth, father, Pittsburg

3 a

159-249

Harriet in show business; Lyric Theater, New Orleans

3 a

250-290

First touring job - Susie Sutton Bon Ton Review; Ethel Watters

3 a

291-320

Harriet Bibb sings "Am I Blue"

3 a

321-408

Road show - traveling; Kansas City; Plantation Club; learning to play drums