Meisha Rosenberg
Meisha Rosenberg
CDs from the author’s collection. See below. Not meant for reproduction.
An advertisement from the 1930s. Not meant for reproduction.
A Biography by Meisha Rosenberg
This biography is a meticulously researched, vivid telling of how the son of a bricklayer and a washerwoman from East Baltimore came to be a musical force with a far-reaching influence in jazz. William Henry “Chick” Webb rose to fame as a drummer and bandleader at a time when jazz music and American culture were undergoing major changes. He mentored and influenced many jazz greats, and his Chick Webb Orchestra was an incubator for the likes of Louis Jordan, Mario Bauza, Edgar Sampson, and Ella Fitzgerald. His unforgettable musical performances were vital to the creation of new aerial moves in the lindy hop, and he and his band were at the forefront of integrating white venues.
Rather than a listing of performances or accomplishments, Webb’s story requires a dramatic telling. His is a classic American tale of striving and success with a tragic arc: his life was cut short by a disease, tuberculosis, that, despite being termed “the White Plague” in the press, disproportionately affected African Americans. Webb could be a tough character, often out-talking and out-bragging the likes of Jelly Roll Morton on a Harlem street corner. Yet he had a soft spot for ‘sweet’ music. This biography paints a picture of Webb as a three-dimensional man, bringing to life debates of the time about popular music, jazz, disability, gender, and race relations.
Chick Webb: King of Drums presents a refreshingly new view of the personalities who made up Webb’s world, especially in Baltimore, a city with an under-recognized but vibrant early twentieth century music scene. As a practicing student of jazz drumming, I offer engaging, accessible readings of some of the great Webb songs. His life and his music are steeped in African American talent, joy, and dignity and deserve to be widely appreciated.
If you are an agent or editor, please contact me.
*Images may not be reproduced. CDs are from Mosaic, Properbox, HEP Records, Smithsonian Folkways Archival, and the documentary “The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music that Changed America,” by Jeff Kaufman.