Henry Crowder
Encyclopedia
Henry Crowder was an African-American jazz musician. Crowder was an important figure in the European jazz culture of his time.
Crowder was born in Gainesville, Georgia
to a poor family and was largely a self-taught musician. Crowder began his career playing piano in the brothels of Washington, D.C. and rose to become an important bandleader here before leaving for Europe in 1928.
He was best known for his romantic and professional involvement with avant-garde poet, muse, and shipping heiress Nancy Cunard
. Cunard’s 1934 anthology Negro is inspired by and dedicated to Crowder. Crowder also assisted Cunard in creating her Hours Press publishing house, which published Richard Aldington
, Ezra Pound
, and Samuel Beckett
among others. Crowder’s influence on Cunard was profound. She claimed in one letter that: “Henry made me”. Cunard and Crowder collaborated on a book of music and poetry with contributions from Samuel Beckett
, Richard Aldington
, and pictures by Man Ray
.
By Crowder’s own account, musician Sidney Bechet
was deported from France
after an argument with a member of Crowder’s group turned violent and several bystanders were shot.
Crowder died in Washington, D.C. having largely given up performing and recording jazz on his return from Europe in the 1940s.
's seamstress at the White House
.
and Brussels
. During his stay there, the Nazi invaded France
. He was interred for 22 and a half months in a POW camp first in Belgium
then to Germany
.
Crowder was born in Gainesville, Georgia
Gainesville, Georgia
-Severe Weather:Gainesville sits on the very fringe of Tornado Alley, a region of the United States where severe weather is common. Supercell thunderstorms can sweep through any time between March and November, but are concentrated most in the spring...
to a poor family and was largely a self-taught musician. Crowder began his career playing piano in the brothels of Washington, D.C. and rose to become an important bandleader here before leaving for Europe in 1928.
He was best known for his romantic and professional involvement with avant-garde poet, muse, and shipping heiress Nancy Cunard
Nancy Cunard
Nancy Clara Cunard was a writer, heiress and political activist. She was born into the British upper class but strongly rejected her family's values, devoting much of her life to fighting racism and fascism...
. Cunard’s 1934 anthology Negro is inspired by and dedicated to Crowder. Crowder also assisted Cunard in creating her Hours Press publishing house, which published Richard Aldington
Richard Aldington
Richard Aldington , born Edward Godfree Aldington, was an English writer and poet.Aldington was best known for his World War I poetry, the 1929 novel, Death of a Hero, and the controversy arising from his 1955 Lawrence of Arabia: A Biographical Inquiry...
, Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
, and Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
among others. Crowder’s influence on Cunard was profound. She claimed in one letter that: “Henry made me”. Cunard and Crowder collaborated on a book of music and poetry with contributions from Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
, Richard Aldington
Richard Aldington
Richard Aldington , born Edward Godfree Aldington, was an English writer and poet.Aldington was best known for his World War I poetry, the 1929 novel, Death of a Hero, and the controversy arising from his 1955 Lawrence of Arabia: A Biographical Inquiry...
, and pictures by Man Ray
Man Ray
Man Ray , born Emmanuel Radnitzky, was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal...
.
By Crowder’s own account, musician Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
was deported from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after an argument with a member of Crowder’s group turned violent and several bystanders were shot.
Crowder died in Washington, D.C. having largely given up performing and recording jazz on his return from Europe in the 1940s.
Personal life
Henry Crowder was married to Frankie Turner, Eleanor RooseveltEleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
's seamstress at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
Europe
Henry Crowder lived for almost 12 years in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. During his stay there, the Nazi invaded France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He was interred for 22 and a half months in a POW camp first in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
then to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.