Europe, James Reece "Jim". (1881–1919). Flyer by Pathé Records. Folded flyer by the U.S. branch of Pathé Records, advertising recordings of the pioneering African-American bandleader and his 369th Infantry Regiment Military Band. Bifolium. No date, but the flyer commemorates Europe as a deceased person, which allows to date the publication after May 9, 1919. The gruesome circumstances of his death—he was stabbed by his drummer Herbert Wright during an intermission—are not mentioned. Two illustrations of Jim Europe and of three of the musicians "with their battle-scarred instruments." Handstamp of Jno. F. Weyand, Pennsburg, Pa. (probably, a dealer) in blank field to final page. 3.5 x 6 inches (8.9 x 15.2 cm). Somewhat foxed and creased; in very good condition overall. Rare.
Jim Europe and his band accompanied the 369th Infantry Regiment (also known as the "Harlem Hellfighters"), one of the two Black infantry regiments the U.S. Army deployed to Europe in the First World War (the other being the 370th regiment). They widely performed in Europe, also to civilian audiences, introducing jazz and Black music to them, a profound experience that would change the course of European music history.
Pathé Records was a French company using proprietary technology that involved phonographs with vertically recorded grooves (to avoid copyright issues). The company provided adapters for playback on regular phonographs by other makers (note on this flyer, "You can play Pathé records on any Phonograph. Let us show you how."), but this was cumbersome, and in 1920 they finally introduced standard records, first for export only.
Europe, James Reece "Jim". (1881–1919). Flyer by Pathé Records. Folded flyer by the U.S. branch of Pathé Records, advertising recordings of the pioneering African-American bandleader and his 369th Infantry Regiment Military Band. Bifolium. No date, but the flyer commemorates Europe as a deceased person, which allows to date the publication after May 9, 1919. The gruesome circumstances of his death—he was stabbed by his drummer Herbert Wright during an intermission—are not mentioned. Two illustrations of Jim Europe and of three of the musicians "with their battle-scarred instruments." Handstamp of Jno. F. Weyand, Pennsburg, Pa. (probably, a dealer) in blank field to final page. 3.5 x 6 inches (8.9 x 15.2 cm). Somewhat foxed and creased; in very good condition overall. Rare.
Jim Europe and his band accompanied the 369th Infantry Regiment (also known as the "Harlem Hellfighters"), one of the two Black infantry regiments the U.S. Army deployed to Europe in the First World War (the other being the 370th regiment). They widely performed in Europe, also to civilian audiences, introducing jazz and Black music to them, a profound experience that would change the course of European music history.
Pathé Records was a French company using proprietary technology that involved phonographs with vertically recorded grooves (to avoid copyright issues). The company provided adapters for playback on regular phonographs by other makers (note on this flyer, "You can play Pathé records on any Phonograph. Let us show you how."), but this was cumbersome, and in 1920 they finally introduced standard records, first for export only.