Reb Spikes
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes (October 31, 1888 – February 24, 1982 was an American
jazz
saxophonist
and entrepreneur. His composition with his brother John
, "Someday Sweetheart
", has become an often-recorded jazz standard
.
family, and also had Irish
, French
, Norwegian
and Native American
heritage. Nicknamed "Rebel" since childhood, the name was eventually shortened to "Reb". His family moved to Los Angeles
in 1897, where Spikes worked on building sites before moving to San Francisco in 1907.
Almost all of Spikes's siblings were pianists, but for a long time, Spikes preferred painting to music. He eventually took up music when his brother John
bought him a set of drums. The brothers started touring the Southwest
and Midwest
as a piano and drums duo. Reb learned to play several instruments, including the saxophone
, the clarinet
, the trombone
, and some piano.
In 1914, Spikes returned to San Francisco and was hired as baritone saxophonist in Sidney LeProtti's "The So Different Jazz Band". Spikes was billed as "The World's Greatest saxophonist" on the band's performances.
Spikes returned to Los Angeles in 1919 and worked with his brother John in a music shop. At the time, the Spikes' music shop was one of the few places on the West Coast that sold jazz records, and many local musicians used to hang out at the store. The brothers also published music and had their own record company. Kid Ory
's Creole Orchestra recorded for them in June 1921 (as "Spikes' Seven Pods of Pepper"), making the first commercial jazz recordings by a black New Orleans band.
Spikes composed "Someday Sweetheart
" with his brother John in 1919. Jelly Roll Morton
recorded it in 1923 and again in 1926, and the song has become a popular jazz standard
. The spikes brothers also wrote lyrics for Morton's "Wolverine Blues
" and "Froggie Moore Rag".
In the 1930s, Spikes worked as a promoter and worked with Les Hite
and Lionel Hampton
, both of whom were his former sidemen. He also took part in Jelly Roll Morton's comeback in 1940–1941. Morton and Spikes were planning on starting a publishing business, but their plans were ended when Morton got ill and subsequently died in 1941.
Spikes died in Los Angeles on February 24, 1982.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and entrepreneur. His composition with his brother John
John Spikes
John Curry Spikes was an American jazz musician and entrepreneur.Along with his brother Reb Spikes, John ran a traveling show band in early 1900s. At one point, Jelly Roll Morton was a member of the band...
, "Someday Sweetheart
Someday Sweetheart
"Someday Sweetheart" is a jazz standard written by Los Angeles-based musicians John and Reb Spikes in 1919. It was the biggest hit the brothers wrote, and was performed by many recording artists of the period. The first one to record the tune was blues singer Alberta Hunter...
", has become an often-recorded 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...
.
Biography
Spikes was born in Dallas to an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
family, and also had Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, French
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...
, Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
heritage. Nicknamed "Rebel" since childhood, the name was eventually shortened to "Reb". His family moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1897, where Spikes worked on building sites before moving to San Francisco in 1907.
Almost all of Spikes's siblings were pianists, but for a long time, Spikes preferred painting to music. He eventually took up music when his brother John
John Spikes
John Curry Spikes was an American jazz musician and entrepreneur.Along with his brother Reb Spikes, John ran a traveling show band in early 1900s. At one point, Jelly Roll Morton was a member of the band...
bought him a set of drums. The brothers started touring the Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
as a piano and drums duo. Reb learned to play several instruments, including the saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, the 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...
, the trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, and some piano.
In 1914, Spikes returned to San Francisco and was hired as baritone saxophonist in Sidney LeProtti's "The So Different Jazz Band". Spikes was billed as "The World's Greatest saxophonist" on the band's performances.
Spikes returned to Los Angeles in 1919 and worked with his brother John in a music shop. At the time, the Spikes' music shop was one of the few places on the West Coast that sold jazz records, and many local musicians used to hang out at the store. The brothers also published music and had their own record company. Kid Ory
Kid Ory
Edward "Kid" Ory was a jazz trombonist and bandleader. He was born in Woodland Plantation near LaPlace, Louisiana.-Biography:...
's Creole Orchestra recorded for them in June 1921 (as "Spikes' Seven Pods of Pepper"), making the first commercial jazz recordings by a black New Orleans band.
Spikes composed "Someday Sweetheart
Someday Sweetheart
"Someday Sweetheart" is a jazz standard written by Los Angeles-based musicians John and Reb Spikes in 1919. It was the biggest hit the brothers wrote, and was performed by many recording artists of the period. The first one to record the tune was blues singer Alberta Hunter...
" with his brother John in 1919. Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
recorded it in 1923 and again in 1926, and the song has become a popular 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 spikes brothers also wrote lyrics for Morton's "Wolverine Blues
Wolverine Blues
Wolverine Blues is the third album by Entombed, released in 1993 on Earache Records. The album marked a move away from their death metal roots to the more traditional hard rock and metal style they produced from this album onward called death 'n' roll ....
" and "Froggie Moore Rag".
In the 1930s, Spikes worked as a promoter and worked with Les Hite
Les Hite
Les Hite was an American jazz bandleader.Hite attended the University of Illinois and played saxophone with family members in a band in the 1920s. Following this, he played with Detroit Shannon and then the Helen Dewey Show, but when this group disbanded abruptly, Hite relocated to Los Angeles...
and Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
, both of whom were his former sidemen. He also took part in Jelly Roll Morton's comeback in 1940–1941. Morton and Spikes were planning on starting a publishing business, but their plans were ended when Morton got ill and subsequently died in 1941.
Spikes died in Los Angeles on February 24, 1982.