Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Logo
Apply to SIUE
Music Listening


Music Listening
Institutional Header

Theodore Bibb

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


Theodore Bibb was encouraged to play drums by his father, who was an accomplished musician on saxophone, clarinet, and violin. Theodore began playing professionally at age thirteen. During his music career he performed with Dewey Jackson , "Peanuts" Whalum, Oliver Nelson, the George Hudson Orchestra, and Singleton Palmer. Mr. Bibb's wife Harriet was a vocalist who often performed with Tina Nelson LaCoste (sister of Oliver Nelson). Theodore Bibb has generously donated photographs to the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive that document his musical life in St. Louis.


This is the table of contents for the interview of Theodore Bibb. It is part of the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive which is located in Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

For a complete contents list of all musician interviews for the oral history project, please click on this link: Oral History and Research Materials.


If interested in reviewing these materials from the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive, please contact Therese Dickman, Fine Arts Librarian.

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


E-mail comments and inquiries about the National Ragtime and Jazz Archive to Therese Dickman at tdickma@siue.edu or call 618-650-2695.

facebookoff twitteroff vineoff linkedinoff instagramoff socialoff