WKCR is excited to announce our annual birthday broadcast of the legendary Bix Beiderbecke. Bix was born Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke in Davenport, Iowa, on March 10, 1903. He began playing piano when he was only two or three years old and could recreate almost any tune he heard by the age of seven. As a teenager, Bix taught himself to play cornet by listening to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band on his brother’s Victrola phonograph. Beiderbecke quickly established himself as a distinguished soloist, often in tandem with saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer, in bands such as Jean Goldkette's and Paul Whitman's Orchestras, having a pearl-like sound and lyricism that influenced later musicians like Lester Young. In addition to his cornet prowess, Beiderbecke also recorded the noted piano solo "In A Mist" in 1927. Here at WKCR, this special broadcast is one of our oldest traditions: at the suggestion of the late Phil Schaap, WKCR has been celebrating Bix’s birthday for over 50 years, directly back-to-back with our 24-hour celebration of the legendary Ornette Coleman for almost all of them.
