High Society (Porter Steele)
Encyclopedia
High Society is a multi-strain melody, originally a march
copyrighted in April 1901 by Porter Steele, which has become a traditional jazz standard
.
The piccolo obligato is not found in Steele's first version of the song; it appears to originate in an orchestration by Robert Recker from later in 1901. In New Orleans, Louisiana
, Alphonse Picou
adapted the piccolo part into a clarinet
variation, sometimes considered one of the earliest documented jazz solos. The Picou variations became standard in New Orleans jazz (unusual in a form that values improvization); many traditional jazz clarinetists from the generation just after Picou until today will copy or do a close paraphrase of Picou's solo, sometimes followed by their own improvisations on a second chorus. Picou himself recorded it a number of times in his later life, including recordings with Kid Rena
Papa Celestin
and on film. The first couple of bars were frequently quoted by Charlie Parker
in his improvisations.
The tune was recorded as a march by Charles A. Prince
's Band in 1911. The first jazz recording of it made by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in 1923, with Johnny Dodds
on clarinet. Apparently unaware that the tune had previously been copyrighted, Gennett Records
filed a copyright on the tune as a Joe Oliver original.
In the 1920s Walter Melrose
added words to it (which are never performed) and republished it, as he did to a number of jazz numbers in order to claim a larger share of the royalties.
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
copyrighted in April 1901 by Porter Steele, which has become a traditional jazz standard
Jazz standard
Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
.
The piccolo obligato is not found in Steele's first version of the song; it appears to originate in an orchestration by Robert Recker from later in 1901. In New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Alphonse Picou
Alphonse Picou
Alphonse Floristan Picou was an important very early jazz clarinetist who also wrote and arranged music....
adapted the piccolo part into a clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
variation, sometimes considered one of the earliest documented jazz solos. The Picou variations became standard in New Orleans jazz (unusual in a form that values improvization); many traditional jazz clarinetists from the generation just after Picou until today will copy or do a close paraphrase of Picou's solo, sometimes followed by their own improvisations on a second chorus. Picou himself recorded it a number of times in his later life, including recordings with Kid Rena
Kid Rena
Henry "Kid" Rena was an American jazz trumpeter who was an early star of the New Orleans jazz scene....
Papa Celestin
Papa Celestin
Oscar "Papa" Celestin was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist and vocalist.-Life and career:...
and on film. The first couple of bars were frequently quoted by Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
in his improvisations.
The tune was recorded as a march by Charles A. Prince
Charles A. Prince
Charles Adams Prince was an American bandleader, pianist and organist known for conducting the Columbia Orchestra and, later, Prince's Band and Orchestra. He made his first recordings as a pianist in 1891 for the New York Phonograph Co...
's Band in 1911. The first jazz recording of it made by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in 1923, with Johnny Dodds
Johnny Dodds
Johnny Dodds was an American New Orleans based jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist, best known for his recordings under his own name and with bands such as those of Joe "King" Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Lovie Austin and Louis Armstrong. Dodds was also the older brother of drummer Warren "Baby"...
on clarinet. Apparently unaware that the tune had previously been copyrighted, Gennett Records
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
filed a copyright on the tune as a Joe Oliver original.
In the 1920s Walter Melrose
Walter Melrose
Walter Melrose was a music publisher and lyricist in the 1920s and 1930s.He was born in Sumner, Illinois, and was the brother of Lester Melrose, with whom he established a music store in Chicago. This became successful after the Tivoli Theatre opened in the same street, greatly increasing the...
added words to it (which are never performed) and republished it, as he did to a number of jazz numbers in order to claim a larger share of the royalties.
Recorded versions
- The Big Chief Jazz Band. Recorded in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
on June 7, 1955. Released on the 78 rpm record PhilipsPhilipsKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
P 53032 H. - Jelly Roll MortonJelly Roll MortonFerdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
's New Orleans Jazzmen recorded in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, 14 September 1939. This has two versions of the clarinet solo, played in succession by Sidney Bechet and Albert Nicolas.