ABSTRACT
In his lifetime James Reese Europe (1880–1919) was celebrated as a musician, conductor, band leader, and entrepreneur. Classically trained as a violinist, he also learned to play the mandolin and the piano. Europe honed his skills as a conductor for numerous touring shows produced by African Americans and featuring all-black casts at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1910, to counter the discriminatory practices of the American Federation of Musicians, he organized the Clef Club, which became the preeminent clearinghouse for African American musicians seeking employment on the east coast. In 1912, he curated and conducted the first concert at Carnegie Hall to feature works by African American composers and performed by the 125-member National Negro Symphony Orchestra. He later served as musical director and conductor for the internationally acclaimed dancers Vernon and Irene Castle. In 1916, when he enlisted in the 15th Infantry Regiment (Colored)[sic] of the National Guard Unit, his commanding officer sought his aid in creating a regimental band for recruitment purposes. With the entry of the United States into World War I, James Reese Europe and his unit distinguished themselves on the battlefield in France and Germany as members of the 369th regiment of the US Army, earning the nickname “Hell Fighters.” Under James Reese Europe’s baton, the Hell Fighters Band created an international craze for syncopated ragtime music that would eventually alter the relationship between performer and composer on both sides of the Atlantic.
