Reginald Foresythe (28 May 1907 – 28 December 1958) was a British

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 ...

pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader.

Early life

Foresythe was born and died in London. His father was a West African barrister of

Sierra Leone Creole The Sierra Leone Creole people () are an ethnic group of Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone Creole people are lineal descendant, descendants of freed African-American, Afro-Caribbean, and Sierra Leone Liberated African, Liberated African slaves who ...

descent and his mother was an Englishwoman of German descent. The Foresythe family descended from Charles Foresythe, a Sierra Leonean colonial official who settled in

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

, Nigeria, in the 1860s. Charles Foresythe was born in the early nineteenth century to a European army captain and a mother from Tasso Island, Sierra Leone.

Career

He played piano from age eight. He worked in the second half of the 1920s as a pianist and accordionist in dance bands in Paris, Australia, Hawaii, and California. He also wrote music for films by

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

and played in Paul Howard's Quality Serenaders. In 1930, Foresythe moved to Chicago, Illinois, United States. In America he wrote arrangements for

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

and music for

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American Jazz bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 193 ...

. Hines made one of his songs, "Deep Forest", a part of his repertory, while

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, and singer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano. A widely popular star ...

Adrian Rollini Adrian Francis Rollini (June 28, 1903 – May 15, 1956) was an Americans, American jazz instrumentalist, multi-instrumentalist who primarily played the bass saxophone, piano, and vibraphone. He is also known for playing novelty instruments such ...

, and

Hal Kemp James Hal Kemp (March 27, 1904 – December 21, 1940) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. Biography Hal Kemp was born in Marion, Alabama. He formed his first band in high school, and by the ...

recorded Foresythe's compositions. He worked in New York City in 1934–35, arranging for Whiteman and recording with

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

, John Kirby, and

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 ...

. In London, Foresythe assembled a studio recording group called "The New Music of Reginald Foresythe". Between 1933 and 1936, he recorded for

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

and

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

, usually spotlighting his jazzy tone poems. Among the more well known were "Serenade to a Wealthy Widow", "Garden of Weed", "Dodging a Divorcee", and "Revolt of the Yes-Men". His recordings featured reeds and sax, but no horns. In January 1935, Foresythe assembled a one-off session in New York which featured Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa recording four of his compositions. Foresythe also recorded a number of piano solos and piano duets with Arthur Young (which included at least three medleys and four arrangements of "

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

", "

Tiger Rag "Tiger Rag" is a jazz standard that was recorded and copyrighted by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in 1917. It is one of the most recorded jazz compositions. In 2003, the 1918 recording of "Tiger Rag" was entered into the U.S. Library of Cong ...

", "

Solitude Solitude, also known as social withdrawal, is a state of seclusion or isolation, meaning lack of socialisation. Effects can be either positive or negative, depending on the situation. Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may wo ...

" and "

Mood Indigo "Mood Indigo" is a jazz song with music by Duke Ellington and Barney Bigard and lyrics by Irving Mills. Composition Although Irving Mills—Jack Mills's brother and publishing partner—took credit for the lyrics, Mitchell Parish claimed in a ...

" for

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

in 1938). He served in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, then accompanied vocalists and played solo piano in London in the 1950s. Foresythe collaborated with songwriters

Andy Razaf Andy Razaf (born Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo; December 16, 1895 – February 3, 1973) was the American lyricist of such well-known songs as " Ain't Misbehavin'" and " Honeysuckle Rose". He was also a composer, poet and vocalist. Biograph ...

and

Ted Weems Wilfred Theodore Wemyes (September 26, 1901 – May 6, 1963), known professionally as Ted Weems, was an American bandleader and musician. Weems's work in music was recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Biography Born in Pitcai ...

, composing "Be Ready" (with both), "Please Don't Talk About My Man" (with Razaf), and "He's a Son of the South" (with Razaf and Paul Denniker). Foresythe died, following a fall downstairs, in relative obscurity in 1958.

Personal life

Foresythe was gay, and was known to regularly get into fights in gay clubs and bars. Following the war, Forsythe was diagnosed with "war nerves", what is today known as

PTSD Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster, traffic collision, ...

. A decade on from his heyday, his confidence shot, Foresythe became a full-blown alcoholic and spent the late 1940s and 50s playing clubs in Britain.

Discography

All issues as The New Music of Reginald Foresythe unless otherwise indicated London, 14 October 1933: * "Serenade to a Wealthy Widow" (UK Columbia CB-675, US Columbia 2916-D) * "Angry Jungle" (UK Columbia CB-675, US Columbia 2916-D) * " Tea for Two" (rejected) London, 1933 (date unknown) Reginald Foresythe, piano solo: * "Caemembert" (UK Columbia DB-1244, US Columbia 3088-D) * "Chromolithograph" (UK Columbia DB-1244, US no issue) London, 9 February 1934: * "The Duke Insists" (UK Columbia CB-764, US Columbia 3000-D) * "Berceuse for an Unwanted Child" (UK Columbia CB-726, US no issue) * "Garden of Weed" (UK Columbia CB-726, US Columbia 3000-D) * "Bit" (UK Columbia CB-744, US no issue) London, 1934 (date unknown) Reginald Foresythe and Arthur Young, piano duet: * "St. Louis Blues" (UK Columbia DB-1407, US Columbia 3088-D) * "Because It's Love" (UK Columbia DB-1407, US no issue) London, 6 September 1934 * "Deep Forest" (UK Columbia FB-1643, US Columbia 139-M) * "Lament for Congo" (UK Columbia FB-1643, US Columbia 139-M) * "Volcanic" (Eruption For Orchestra) (UK Columbia CB-787, US no issue) * "The Autocrat Before Breakfast" (UK Columbia CB-787, US no issue) New York, 23 January 1935 * "The Melancholy Clown" (UK Columbia FB-1233, US Columbia 3060-D) * "Lullaby" (UK Columbia FB-1031, US Columbia 3012-D) * "The Greener The Grass" (UK Columbia FB-1233, US Columbia 3060-D) * "Dodging a Divorcee" (UK Columbia FB-1031, US Columbia 3012-D) London, 1935 (date unknown) Reginald Foresythe and Arthur Young, piano duet: * " Sweet Adeline" (intro; "Lonely Feet", "Why Was I Born?", "Here Am I") (UK Decca F-5636, US no issue) * "Sweet Adeline" (cont; "Don't you Ever Leave Me", "We Were so Young") (UK Decca F-5636, US no issue) * "Roberta" (intro; "I Won't Dance", "Lovely to Look At2) (UK Decca F-5637, US no issue) * "Roberta" (intro; "Smoke Gets in your Eyes", "Touch of your Hand", "I Won't Dance") (UK Decca F-5637, US no issue) London 19 August 1935 (Reginald Foresythe & his Orchestra): * "Landscape" (UK Decca F-5660, US no issue) * "Homage to Armstrong" (Chinatown, My Chinatown) (UK Decca F-5660, US no issue) * "Tea for Two" (UK Decca F-5711, US no issue) * "Sweet Georgia Brown" (UK Decca 5711, US no issue) London, 1936? (date unknown) Arthur Young and Reginald Foresythe, piano duo with drums: * ''Anything Goes (Selection A)'' (UK Decca K-770 12", US no issue) * ''Anything Goes (Selection B)'' (UK Decca K-770 12", US no issue) * ''With The "Duke" (Part 1)'' (UK Decca K-778 12", US no issue) * ''With The "Duke" (Part 2)'' (UK Decca K-778 12", US no issue) * ''Hits of 1935 (Part 1)'' (UK Decca K-787 12", US no issue) * ''Hits of 1935 (Part 2)'' (UK Decca K-787 12", US no issue) London, 1936? (date unknown) Reginald Foresythe, piano solo: * "Cheek to Cheek" (UK Decca F-5758, US no issue) * "The Piccolino" (UK Decca F-5758, US no issue) London, 6 November 1936 (Reginald Foresythe & his Orchestra) * "Swing For Roundabout" (UK Decca F-6203, US no issue) * "Anything You Like" (UK Decca F-6291, US no issue) * "The Revolt of the Yes Men" (UK Decca F-6203, US no issue) London, 27 November 1936 (Reginald Foresythe & his Orchestra): * "Mead and Woa" (UK Decca F-6291, US no issue) * "Mediation in Porcelain" (UK Decca F-6481, US no issue) * "Cross the Criss" (UK Decca F-6481, US no issue) * "Aubade" (UK Decca F-6363, US issue) * "Burlesque" (UK Decca F-6363, US no issue) London, 1938 (date unknown) Reginald Foresythe and Arthur Young, piano duet: * "Solitude" (UK His Master's Voice BD-BD-577, US Victor 26224) * "Mood Indigo" (UK His Master's Voice BD-577, US Victor 26224) * "Tiger Rag" (UK His Master's Voice BD-576, US Victor 26274) * "St. Louis Blues" (UK His Master's Voice BD-576, US Victor 26274)

Filmography

* '' Jimmy Boy'' (1935) * ''

Calling the Tune ''Calling the Tune'' is a 1936 British musical drama film directed by Reginald Denham and Thorold Dickinson and starring Adele Dixon, Sally Gray and Sam Livesey. The screenplay was by Basil Mason based on the 1913 play of the same title by Iris ...

'' (1936) * '' The Big Noise'' (1936) * ''

Stars in Your Eyes ''Stars in Your Eyes'' is a 1956 British musical film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Nat Jackley, Pat Kirkwood and Bonar Colleano. Plot As the world of vaudeville gradually loses its attraction, more and more entertainers are losing th ...

'' (1956)

References

;Footnotes ;General references *

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar wh ...

, Reginald Foresytheat

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...