Fred Van Eps
Encyclopedia
Fred Van Eps was a noted banjo
ist and banjo maker. The "Van Eps Recording Banjo" was a well-known model until 1930.
and moved with his family to Plainfield, New Jersey
in 1892. He learned to play the banjo and studied the phonograph cylinder
recordings of Vess Ossman
. In 1897 Van Eps was hired by Thomas Edison
's National Phonograph Company in West Orange, New Jersey
, working as a regular in studio engagements. Van Eps cylinder recordings, often remakes of Ossman tunes, sold well for Edison. Early ragtime
banjo recordings by Van Eps included "A Bunch of Rags" (1900) and "A Ragtime Episode" (1902). He also recorded for a number of other companies, including Columbia
(from 1904) and Victor
(from 1910).
His group the Van Eps Trio recorded steadily from 1912 to 1922. He also led other groups such as the Van Eps Quartet, the Van Eps Specialty Four, and the Van Eps Banjo Orchestra. In 1914, the latter group was one of the first to record for the American branch of the French Pathé Frères
Company. In 1921, Orlando Kellum, inventor of the Photokinema
sound-on-disc
sound film system, filmed the Van Eps Trio in The Famous Van Eps Trio in a Bit of Jazz.
With Henry Burr
, he formed a company that manufactured and sold the Van Eps Recording Banjo, modeled on the one he used in recordings and concerts. The banjo remained on the market until about 1930, when widespread use of electric recording removed the need for the loud volume produced by the Van Eps model.
By the 1930s the banjo had fallen out of favor in popular music, and Van Eps switched to guitar, playing as a studio musician with Benny Goodman
, Ray Noble
, Red Norvo
, and others. He was associated with the British banjo composer Frank Lawes
, and recorded some pieces with him. In the 1950s he attempted a comeback with a number of banjo recordings, before his death in Burbank, California
at the age of 81.
Van Eps also worked in vaudeville
and influenced pre-bluegrass musicians like Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers. He was the father of jazz guitarist George Van Eps
.
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
ist and banjo maker. The "Van Eps Recording Banjo" was a well-known model until 1930.
Biography
Van Eps was born in Somerville, New JerseySomerville, New Jersey
Somerville is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,098. It is the county seat of Somerset County....
and moved with his family to Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
in 1892. He learned to play the banjo and studied the phonograph cylinder
Phonograph cylinder
Phonograph cylinders were the earliest commercial medium for recording and reproducing sound. Commonly known simply as "records" in their era of greatest popularity , these cylinder shaped objects had an audio recording engraved on the outside surface which could be reproduced when the cylinder was...
recordings of Vess Ossman
Vess Ossman
Vess Ossman was a leading 5-string banjoist and popular recording artist of the early 20th century.-Biography:...
. In 1897 Van Eps was hired by Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
's National Phonograph Company in West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange, New Jersey
West Orange is a township in central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 46,207...
, working as a regular in studio engagements. Van Eps cylinder recordings, often remakes of Ossman tunes, sold well for Edison. Early ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
banjo recordings by Van Eps included "A Bunch of Rags" (1900) and "A Ragtime Episode" (1902). He also recorded for a number of other companies, including Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(from 1904) and Victor
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
(from 1910).
His group the Van Eps Trio recorded steadily from 1912 to 1922. He also led other groups such as the Van Eps Quartet, the Van Eps Specialty Four, and the Van Eps Banjo Orchestra. In 1914, the latter group was one of the first to record for the American branch of the French Pathé Frères
Pathé Records
Pathé Records was a France-based international record label and producer of phonographs, active from the 1890s through the 1930s.- Early years :...
Company. In 1921, Orlando Kellum, inventor of the Photokinema
Photokinema
Photo-Kinema was a sound-on-disc system for motion pictures invented by Orlando Kellum.-1921 introduction:The system was first used for a small number of short films, mostly made in 1921...
sound-on-disc
Sound-on-disc
The term Sound-on-disc refers to a class of sound film processes using a phonograph or other disc to record or playback sound in sync with a motion picture...
sound film system, filmed the Van Eps Trio in The Famous Van Eps Trio in a Bit of Jazz.
With Henry Burr
Henry Burr
Henry Burr was a Canadian singer of popular songs from the early 20th century, an early radio performer and producer...
, he formed a company that manufactured and sold the Van Eps Recording Banjo, modeled on the one he used in recordings and concerts. The banjo remained on the market until about 1930, when widespread use of electric recording removed the need for the loud volume produced by the Van Eps model.
By the 1930s the banjo had fallen out of favor in popular music, and Van Eps switched to guitar, playing as a studio musician with Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, Ray Noble
Ray Noble (musician)
Ray Noble was an English bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day...
, Red Norvo
Red Norvo
Red Norvo was one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba and later the vibraphone as viable jazz instruments...
, and others. He was associated with the British banjo composer Frank Lawes
Frank Lawes
Frank Lawes was an English banjo composer and performer from Ifold, West Sussex. He was responsible for composing a large number of well known banjo pieces.He is the great grandfather of the motoring author, Jon Lawes.-Pieces Composed:...
, and recorded some pieces with him. In the 1950s he attempted a comeback with a number of banjo recordings, before his death in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
at the age of 81.
Van Eps also worked in vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
and influenced pre-bluegrass musicians like Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers. He was the father of jazz guitarist George Van Eps
George Van Eps
George Van Eps was an American swing and Mainstream jazz guitarist noted both for his recordings as a leader, and for his work as a session musician. He was also the author of instructional books that explored his approach to guitar-based harmony...
.
External links
- Downloadable recordings of Van Eps from the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara
- Fred Van Eps -- Banjoist, Biography by Tim Gracyk.
- audio recording of "Rag Pickings" at the Library of Congress jukebox