Conflicting Strategies of Management and Memory at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in the Early 1930s C. Matthew Balensuela (balensue@depauw.edu) Figure 1. Top Left section of Jazz Door at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Photograph by Marilyn Culler.
2 Balensuela Jazz Door Figure 2. Diplomatic Transcription of Jazz Door at the the Indiana Roof Ballroom, 1933-34 section. Annotations by the editor are cited in double square brackets [[ ]] Beginning on Top Left Hand Side FAIR GOOD ABOVE AVERAGE EXTRADORINDAY Rated by Jhon + Tohm 1933-1934 1-FRANKIE TRUMBAUER (SEPT 15-27) 2- BERNIE YOUNG ------ (SEPT 29-30) 3-BUDDY ROGERS (OCT 1) 4-SLIM LAMAR (OCT 4-6) 5-TED MACK (OCT 7-22) 6-PERCY CARSON (OCT 24-27) 7-LOUIE PANICO (OCT 28-29) 8-PERCY CARSON (OCT 31-NOV 4) 9-HERBIE KAY (NOV 5) 10-PERCY CARSON (NOV 7-11) 11-PAUL SPECHT (NOV 12) 12-EARL NEWPORT (NOV 14-18) 13-RALPH BENNETT (NOV 19) 14-EARL NEWPORT (NOV 21-29) 15-CALIFORNIA (NOV 30) SYNCOPATORS 16-EARL NEWPORT (DEC 1-19) (STREETS OF PARIS DEC 1-8) 17-FLETCHER (DEC 20) HENDERSON 18-EARL NEWPORT (DEC 21-JAN 10) 19-BROWN BUDDIES (DEC 31) 20-M c KINNEY S COTTON (JAN 12-20) PICKERS 21-SAHARA GROTTO ------ (JAN 17) 22-JOE CAPPO (JAN 21-25) ------Hardware Convention (JAN 29-30-31-Feb 1) 23- SWING GATES JONES ------ (FEB 2-3) 24-NOBLE SISSLE (FEB 4)
Balensuela Jazz Door 3 (Figure 2 continued) 25-ZACK WHYTE [[WHITE]] (FEB 6-7) ------Flower Show (Feb 8-9) 26-MILLER WELCH (FEB 10-17) 27-ART KASSEL (FEB 11) 28-HENRY BUSSE (FEB 18) 29- JACK BERRY (Feb 20-24) ------40 & 8 (Feb 24) 30-JOE M c CARTNEY (Feb 25) 31-DENNY DUTTON (feb 27) 32-RED HUFFORD (Feb 28-Mar. 10) 33-JOE M c CARTNEY (MAR 4) 34-SLIM LAMAR (Mar. 11) 35-RED HUFFORD (Mar 13-14) 36-M c KINNEY S COTTON (Mar 16-24) PICKERS 37-JACK CRAWFORD (Mar 18) 38- CHARLIE AGNEW (Mar 25) 39-JACK CAPPO (Mar 27-Apr 8) 40-HOUSE OF DAVID plain chickenshit (Apr 1) 41-JOHNNY HAMP (Apr. 8) 42-CHIC MYERS (Apr. 10-May 8) 43-JAN GARBER (Apr. 14) 44-JOHNNY HAMP (Apr. 28) (VARIETY CLUB) 45-LOUIS LOWE (May 9-13) 45 [[46]]-- DENNY DUTTON (May 15-25) 46 [[47]]-BILL MOON (May 26) 47 [[48]]-CHIC MEYERS (May 27-29) 47 [[49]]-BILL MOON (May 30-June1) 48 [[50]]-NOBLE SISSLE (June 2) 49 [[51]]-BILL MOON (June 3-5) 50 [[52]] JACK TILSON (June 9) YOUNG REP CLUB John (1927-34) Tom (1928-34)
4 Balensuela Jazz Door Figure 3. Performers in 1933-34 by star ratings (with cross references to all performances listed on the Door and total performances for 1933-36). Name Ratings Dates # Perf. Jan Garber Apr 14, 1934 3 Dec 28, 1934 Feb 23, 1936 Art Kassel Feb 11, 1934 2 May 5, 1935 Herbie Kay Nov 5, 1933 2 Oct 14, 1934 Noble Sissle Feb 4, 1934 2 June 2, 1934 Charlie Agnew Mar 25, 1934 1 Ralph Bennett Nov 19, 1933 1 Buddy Rogers Oct 1, 1933 1 Henry Busse Feb 18, 1934 1 Joe Cappo Jan 21-25, 1934 32 Mar 27-Apr 8, 1934 Oct 9- Nov 4, 1934 Slim Lamar Oct 4-6, 1933 38 Mar 11, 1934 Jan 9-11, 1935 Feb 12-15, 1935 Mar 1, 1935 Mar 7, 1935 Sept 20-Oct 2, 1935 Dec 20-24, 1935 Jan 28-Feb 9, 1936 Mar 7, 1936 Louis Lowe May 9-13, 1934 24 Apr 17 21, 1935 Apr 28-May 1, 1935 May 14-15, 21-22, 1935 Oct 21, 1935 Dec 16, 1935 Apr 28-30, 1936 May 10-15, 1936 Jack Berry Feb 20-24, 1934 2 Percy Carson Oct 24-27, 1933 9 Oct 31-Nov 4, 1933 Nov 7-11, 1933 California Syncopators Nov 30, 1933 1 Jack Crawford Mar 18, 1934 1 Johnny Hamp Apr 8, 1934 2 Apr 28, 1934 Fletcher Henderson Dec 20, 1933 1 Ted Mack Oct 7-22, 1933 10
Balensuela Jazz Door 5 (Figure 3 continuted) Name Ratings Dates # Perf. Joe McCartney Feb 25, 1934 2 Mar 4, 1934 Pickers Jan 12-20, 1934 13 Mar 16-24, 1934 Bill Moon May 26, 1934 5 May 30-June1, 1934 June 3-5, 1934 Louie Panico Oct 28-29, 1933 2 Frankie Trumbauer Sept 15-27, 1933 8 Zack Whyte [White] Feb 6-7, 1934 1 Denny Dutton Feb 27, 1934 74 May 15-25, 1934 (as Dutton-Desautelle) Apr 23-26, 1935 May 3, 1935 May 8-10, 19, 1935 May 30-June 1, 7, 11, 1935 Mar 27-April 11, 14-26, 1936 May 1-6, 1936 Earl Newport Dec 1-19, 1933 33 Nov 14-18, 1933 Nov 21-29, 1933 Dec 21, 1933-Jan 10, 1934 Chic Meyers Apr 10-May 8, 1934 67 May 27-29, 1934 Feb 11-12, 1936 Feb 19-20, 22, 25-Mar 6, 8-25, 1936 May 11-30, 1936 June 3, 1936 Paul Specht Nov 12, 1933 2 Apr 22, 1935 Brown Buddies Dec 31, 1933 1 Red Hufford Feb 28-Mar 10, 1934 11 Mar 13-14, 1934 Jan 30, 1936 Jack Tilson June 9, 1934 1 Miller Welch Feb 10-17, 1934 5 Swing Gates Jones ------- Feb 2-3, 1934 1 Bernie Young ------- Sept 29-30, 1933 2 House of David plain chicken-shit Apr 1, 1934 1
6 Balensuela Jazz Door Figure 4. Ticket Prices at the Indiana Roof Ballroom 1933-1934? indicates price not cited in newspaper advertisements Lower Priced Bands Ticket Table/Couple Performer Dates.25 (?) Bernie Young Sept 29-30, 1933.25 (?) Slim Lamar Oct 4-6, 1933 Mar 11, 1934.25 Ted Mac Oct 7-22, 1933.25 Percy Carson Oct 24-27, 1933 Oct 31-Nov 4, 1933 Nov 7-11, 1933.25 Paul Specht Nov 12, 1933.25 Ralph Bennett Nov 19, 1933.25 Earl Newport Nov 1933-Jan 10 1934.25 Fletcher Henderson Dec 20, 1933.25 Joe Cappo Jan 21-25, 1934 Mar 27-Apr 8, 1934.25 Miller Welch Feb 10-17, 1934.25 Pickers Jan 12-20, 1934 Mar 16-24, 1934.25 Jack Berry Feb 20-24, 1934.25 Zach Whyte [White] ( Swing Gates Jones) Feb 6-7, 1934 (Feb 2-3, 1934).25 (?) Denny Dutton Feb 27, 1934 May 15-25, 1934.25 (?) Joe McCartney Feb 25, 1934 Mar 4, 1934.25 (?) Red Hufford Feb 28-Mar 10, 1934 Mar 13-14, 1934.25 (?) Chic Myers Apr 10-May 8, 1934 May 27-29, 1934.25 (?) Louie Lowe May 9-13, 1934.25 (?) Bill Moon May 26, 1934 May 30-June 1, 1934 June 3-5, 1934
Balensuela Jazz Door 7 Higher Priced Bands Ticket Table/Couple Performer Dates.40 Louis Panico Oct 28-29, 1933.40 House of David Apr 1, 1934.50 Frankie Trumbauer Sept 15-26, 1933.50 Adv.50 Herbie Kay Nov 5, 1933.75 Door.55.75 Noble Sissle Feb 4, 1934.55 Adv.75 Art Kassel Feb 11, 1934.80 Door.55 Johnny Hamp April 8, 1934.55 Adv.75 Henry Busse Feb 18, 1934.80 Door.55 Adv.75 Charlie Agnew Mar 25, 1934.80 Door.55 Adv.75 Jack Crawford Mar 18, 1934.80 Door.80 Adv 1.00 Jan Garber April 14, 1934 1.10 door.85 Adv 1.10 Door 1.00 Buddy Rogers Oct 1, 1933 Events and Holidays Ticket Table/Couple Performer Dates.40 Republican Candidates (Jack Tilson) June 9, 2934.55 Adv.50 Speedway Ball (Indy 500) May, 28, 1934.80 Door (Chic Meyers).80 adv Variety Club (Johnny Hamp) April 28, 1934 1.10 door.85 Adv 1.00 New Year s Eve (Harlem High Dec 31, 1933 1.10 Door Hatters/Brown Buddies) private event Thanksgiving (California Syncopators/Mildred Harris Chaplin) Nov 30, 1933 (Figure 4 continued)
8 Balensuela Jazz Door Figure 5. Indiana Roof Ballroom Schedule February to Early April, 1934 >>> indicates the continutation of performer s engagement Gray indicates Roof closed February 1934 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Hardware Convention 4 Noble Sissle 5 6 Zack Whyte [White]>>>>>>>>> Ladies Night 7 Zack Whyte [White]>>>>>> Waltz Night 8 Flower Show 2 Swing Gates Jones = Zack Whyte [White] >>>>>>>> 9 Flower Show 3 Swing Gates Jones = Zack Whyte [White](---) 10 Miller Welch >>>> 11 Art Kassel 12 13 Miller Welch >>>> Ladies Night 14 Miller Welch >>> Waltz Night 15 16 Miller Welch >>>> 17 Miller Welch 18 Henry Busse 19 20 Jack Berry >>>>>> (Ladies Night) 21 Jack Berry >>>>>> Waltz Night 22 23 Jack Berry >>>>>> 40 & 8 Society 24 Jack Berry 25 Joe McCartney 26 27 Denny Dutton >>>> Ladies Night 28 (Waltz Night)
Balensuela Jazz Door 9 March/April 1934 (Figure 5 continued) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Joe McCarntey 5 6 Ladies Night 7 Waltz Night 8 9 10 Red Hufford 11 Slim Lamar 12 13 Ladies Night 14 Red Hufford (Waltz Night) 15 16 Pickers >>>>>>>>> 17 Pickers >>>>>>>>> 18 Pickers vs Jack Crawford 25 Charlie Agnew 19 20 Pickers >>>>>>>> (Ladies Night) 26 27 Jack [Joe] Cappo >> (Ladies Night) 21 Pickers >>>>>>>>> (Waltz Night) 28 Jack [Joe]Cappo>> (Waltz Night) 22 23 Pickers >>>>>>>>> 29 30 Jack [Joe] Cappo >> 24 Pickers 31 Jack [Joe] Cappo >> 1 Easter Sunday Jack [Joe] Cappo vs House of David Plain Chicken-Shit 2 3 Jack [Joe] Cappo >> (Ladies Night) 4 Jack [Joe] Cappo >> (Waltz Night) 5 6 Jack [Joe] Cappo >> 7 Jack [Joe] Cappo
10 Balensuela Jazz Door Figure 6. Selected Print Advertisements 6.1 Indianapolis Star, September 26, 1933, p. 12. 6.2 Indianapolis Star, November 29, 1933, p. 9.
Balensuela Jazz Door 11 6.3 Indianapolis Star, February 2, 1934, p. 11. 6.4 Indianapolis Star, March 29, 1934, p. 13.
12 Balensuela Jazz Door Bibliography Archer, Russell W. If These Walls could Jump n Jive: A Study of Buildings and Sites Associated with Jazz Music in Indianapolis and Richmond, Indiana (c. 1910-1960). MS Thesis, Ball State University, 2003. Balensuela, C. Matthew. The Israelites, the Egyptians, and Plain Chicken-Shit : A Biblical Battle of the Bands at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, 1934. Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History. (Forthcoming). Berish, Andrew Seth. Swinging Transcontinental: Modernity, Race, and Place in American Dance Band Music, 1930 to 1946. PhD, Musicology, University of California at Los Angeles, 2005.. I Dream of Her and Avalon : 1930s Sweet Jazz, Race, and Nostalgia at the Casino Ballroom. Journal of the Society for American Music 2, no. 4 (2008): 531-67. Engelbrecht, Barbara. Swinging at the Savoy. Dance Research Journal 15, no. 2 (Spring, 1983): 3-10. Ganz, Cheryl R. The 1933 Chicago World s Fair: A Century of Progress. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2008. Hubbard, Karen and Terry Monaghan. Negotiating Compromise on a Burnished Wood Floor: Social Dancing at the Savoy. In Julie Malnig, ed. Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake: A Social and Popular Dance Reader, pp. 126-45. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2009. Mannweiler, David. Place of Honor for Door. The Indianapolis News, p. 34. August, 26, 1986. Monaghan, Terry. Why Study the Lindy Hop? Dance Research Journal 33, no. 2 (Winter, 2001): 124-27. Schiedt, Duncan. The Jazz State of Indiana. Pittsboro, IN: No publisher, 1977. Siriano, Christopher. The House of David. Chapter 7 Beautiful Music, pp. 79-94. Images of America Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2007. Ward-Steinman, Patrice Madura. Madura s Danceland. Images of America. Charleston SC: Arcadia, 2010. Web Resources The Indiana Roof Ballroom. http://www.indianaroof.com/. Howard, Keith and Tom Meldrim. Israelite House of David Musical Traditions. http://www.israelitehouseofdavid.com/music.html#ms53. Joe Cappo Collection. http://staff.lib.msu.edu/blackma/ms/cappo.htm.