Mel Stitzel (January 9, 1902 – December 31, 1952) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

-born pianist best known for his work with the

New Orleans Rhythm Kings The New Orleans Rhythm Kings (NORK) were one of the most influential jazz bands of the early to mid-1920s. The band included New Orleans and Chicago musicians who helped shape Chicago jazz and influenced many younger jazz musicians. They compos ...

, a leading

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

band of the early 1920s. The leading members of the group including cornetist

Paul Mares Paul Mares (June 15, 1900 – August 18, 1949), was an American early dixieland jazz cornet and trumpet player, and leader of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Mares established himself as a respected bandleader over a group of wild and strong- ...

, trombonist

George Brunies George Clarence Brunies (February 6, 1902 – November 19, 1974), Georg Brunis, was an American jazz trombonist, who was part of the dixieland revival. He was known as "The King of the Tailgate Trombone".Stetler, Susan L. (editor) (1987), "B ...

and clarinet player

Leon Roppolo Leon Joseph Roppolo (March 16, 1902 – October 5, 1943) was an American early jazz clarinetist, best known for his playing with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. He also played saxophone and guitar. Life and career Leon Roppolo (nicknamed "Rap" and s ...

were school friends from New Orleans who recruited others such as Stitzel and drummer

Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman ...

to join their band. Stitzel also played with The Bucktown Five in the early 1920s.

Background

At first, the band was known as the Friar's Society Orchestra after forming to play a gig in Chicago at Friar's Inn, but changed their name to the New Orleans Rhythm Kings after their lengthy residency ended. All of the members of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings at the time of their recording session of March 1923 – Mares, Roppolo, Brunies, Stitzel, and drummer Ben Pollack – are credited as co-writers of one of the band's best-known songs: " Tin Roof Blues," which was used as the basis for "Make Love to Me," a million-seller for

Jo Stafford Jo Elizabeth Stafford (November 12, 1917July 16, 2008) was an American traditional pop singer, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classical tr ...

in 1954."Jo Elizabeth Stafford". ''Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'', Centennial Edition. Nicolas Slonimsky, Editor Emeritus. Schirmer, 2001. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2005. The band also recorded with pianist

Jelly Roll Morton Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe ( Lemott, later Morton; c. September 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941), known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American blues and jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer of Louisiana Creole descent. Morton was jazz ...

in one of the first multi-racial recordings in jazz. Stitzel co-wrote "Doodle Doo Doo" with Art Kassel in 1924. He co-wrote "Bittersweet" with

Ben Pollack Benjamin "Ben" Pollack (June 22, 1903 – June 7, 1971) was an American drummer and bandleader from the mid-1920s through the swing music, swing era. His eye for talent led him to employ musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Mil ...

. He also wrote the music for "The Chant" in 1926 after the Rhythm Kings broke up in 1925.

References

External links

* Allmusic.com article on Mel Stitzel* Allmusic.com article on the New Orleans Rhythm Kings
New Orleans Rhythm Kings page on Red Hot Jazz

at Jazz News Jubilees Dixieland pianists Jazz musicians from New Orleans German jazz pianists 1902 births 1952 deaths 20th-century German musicians 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians New Orleans Rhythm Kings members The Bucktown Five members German emigrants to the United States American male jazz pianists {{pianist-stub