Frank Melrose
Encyclopedia
Franklyn Taft Melrose was an American jazz
and blues
pianist
, who recorded as Kansas City Frank.
He was born in Sumner, Illinois
, the younger brother of Walter and Lester Melrose
who set up the Melrose Brothers Music Company in Chicago
in 1918, and went on to become leading figures in the Chicago blues and jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s.
Frank’s first instrument was the violin, but he later took up the piano. He was strongly influenced by his brothers’ business partner, Jelly Roll Morton
, and in 1924 he left home and began drifting around, playing and settling for short periods in St. Louis, Kansas City
and Detroit. He also played occasionally in Chicago clubs with Morton.
In 1929 his brother Lester recorded him performing piano solos which were released under the pseudonym of "Broadway Rastus", and in 1930, following another trip to Kansas City, he recorded "Jelly Roll Blues" and other tunes. These were issued in Brunswick Records
’ “race” series under the pseudonym of "Kansas City Frank", and for some years were wrongly assumed to be the work of Morton.
In the 1930s, Melrose continued to play piano in small clubs and bars, either solo or as part of a band, while occasionally working in a factory to support his family. He also recorded sporadically with Johnny Dodds
and others.
He played on his last recording session in 1941 with Bud Jacobson's Jungle Kings. He died on Labor Day, 1941, being found dead in the road after apparently being killed in a fracas in a club in Hammond, Indiana
.
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...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, who recorded as Kansas City Frank.
He was born in Sumner, Illinois
Sumner, Illinois
Sumner is a city in Lawrence County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,022 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sumner is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, the younger brother of Walter and Lester Melrose
Lester Melrose
Lester Melrose was one of the first American producers of blues records.-Career:He was born Lester Franklin Melrose in Sumner, Illinois, United States, the second of six children of Frank and Mollie Melrose who owned a small farm...
who set up the Melrose Brothers Music Company in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1918, and went on to become leading figures in the Chicago blues and jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s.
Frank’s first instrument was the violin, but he later took up the piano. He was strongly influenced by his brothers’ business partner, 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....
, and in 1924 he left home and began drifting around, playing and settling for short periods in St. Louis, Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
and Detroit. He also played occasionally in Chicago clubs with Morton.
In 1929 his brother Lester recorded him performing piano solos which were released under the pseudonym of "Broadway Rastus", and in 1930, following another trip to Kansas City, he recorded "Jelly Roll Blues" and other tunes. These were issued in Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
’ “race” series under the pseudonym of "Kansas City Frank", and for some years were wrongly assumed to be the work of Morton.
In the 1930s, Melrose continued to play piano in small clubs and bars, either solo or as part of a band, while occasionally working in a factory to support his family. He also recorded sporadically 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"...
and others.
He played on his last recording session in 1941 with Bud Jacobson's Jungle Kings. He died on Labor Day, 1941, being found dead in the road after apparently being killed in a fracas in a club in Hammond, Indiana
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
.