Having previously authored books on Gil Evans (Gil Evans: Out of the Cool) and Duke Ellington (Duke Ellington: His Life in Jazz) Stephanie Stein Crease presents us with the biography of drummer and bandleader, Chick Webb. To my knowledge, this is only the second book to be written about Chick Webb, the first being Chet Falzerano’s Chick Webb: Spinnin' the Webb: The Little Giant which considering his incredible achievements, is astounding. His ground-breaking, albeit short, career was truly influential.
Taking us on an energetic and thrilling journey from Chick’s beginnings in Baltimore to the Harlem Renaissance, the author explores the big band industry and gives us an insight into how Chick Webb defined the Swing Era. Delving into the world of the new dance bands, we are taken back to the opening days of The Savoy in 1926, where ‘the track’, the spring-loaded maple floor, was an essential feature to accommodate the thousands of dancers who poured in each night – and yes, this was a time when thousands of people would turn up to listen and dance to jazz! We are transported back to the time of Cab and Blanche Calloway, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and the many ‘battle of the bands’ events with truly astounding line ups including Gene Krupka, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, where the competition was strong and the audience danced their way to choosing the winner.
The Savoy was also the venue that introduced the world to Ella Fitzgerald, after winning a talent show at the Apollo as a teenager. Chick and Ella’s partnership is explored and it is in fact Chick that insisted on recording Ella’s hit ‘A-Tisket, A-Tasket’ which was the track that thrust Ella, Chick and Chicks band to stardom. Ella’s youth and inexperience was in safe hands with Chick and one of the last things he said to saxophonist and arranger, Teddy McRae was ‘Take care of the band, take care of Ella. Don't let the guys mess up, just take care of Ella’.
Despite the underlying feeling throughout the book, of a time of great music, the author also explores the impact of segregation and the many challenges of the working lives of black musicians, with Chick’s band being the first ‘coloured band’ to perform in many places. The author also explores Chick’s rarely discussed childhood health condition, contracting chronic spinal tuberculosis after a fall, which stunted his growth and left him with a hump on his back but never stopped him from inspired and hugely influential performances. His early death at the age of 34, was devastating and his funeral was attended by more than 20,00 people and it was reported that ‘No sadder funeral services have ever been conducted’.
A hugely informative and exhilarating exploration of the life and work of Chick Webb. Highly recommended.