Jesse Crawford
Encyclopedia
Jesse Crawford was a US pianist and organist. He was well known in the 1920s as a theater organist for silent films and was avery popular gramophone record
recording artist. In the 1930s, he switched to the Hammond organ
and became a freelancer. In the 1940s, he authored instruction books on organ and taught organ lessons.
asylum near Woodland, California
. He taught himself music at the orphanage, and by the age of nine he was playing a cornet in the orphanage band. At age 14 he left the orphanage to play piano in a small dance band, and then took a job playing piano in a ten-cent-admission silent film house.
His early theatre organ experience was at Washington's Spokane Gem Theater in 1911 and at the Clemmer-owned Casino Theatre (on an eight-rank Estey organ). He next played briefly at theatres in Billings, Montana
, Spokane, Washington
and Seattle. When he met Oliver Wallace, Crawford learned about the then-new types of theatre organ
sounds. Crawford’s next jobs were playing at the Strand in San Francisco and the Mission Theatre in Los Angeles
.
theatre chain hired Crawford to Chicago to play its 29-rank Wurlitzer
in the Chicago Theatre
. Next, Crawford was hired as the organist at Grauman's Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles, playing a large Wurlitzer theatre organ.
From 1926 to 1933, he performed at New York City
's Paramount Theater
, with his wife Helen (also an organist) playing a twin organ console.
After some recordings for the small local Autograph Records
label, Crawford made a series of records for the Victor Records label which proved very popular with record buyers. He had hits such as "Rose Marie", "Valencia" and "Russian Lullaby". Other popular songs included "At Dawning" and "Roses Of Picardy".
organ at Chicago's Century of Progress
World's Fair in 1934, and in 1936 he got a job as staff organist in NBC
studios in Chicago. In the 1930s, Crawford switched to the Hammond organ
, and began playing engagements across the US. In addition to his numerous sound recordings, Crawford recorded player organ rolls on the Wurlitzer "R Rolls" system. His own compositions included "Vienna Violins", "Louisiana Nocturn", "Harlem Holiday", and "Hawaiian Honeymoon".
, Benny Goodman
, Glenn Miller
, and movie score composers Leith Stevens
and Nathan Van Cleave. He recorded Hammond organ LP
s for Decca Records
and did sheet music
arrangements for Hammond organ and instruction books. He also taught organ students, both in one-on-one lessons and in class style lessons, where he mostly lectured. He recorded his last two LPs on the Simonton Wurlitzer organ.
2. Info regarding Casino Theatre, Spokane (misnamed the Klemmer in the above reference)
3. PDF of the TUBA MIRABILIS, Volume 2, Issue 2 (Newsletter of the Spokane First Nazarene Theatre Organ Society); contains article on Crawford's early years in Spokane, Seattle (1911-1917)
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
recording artist. In the 1930s, he switched to the Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
and became a freelancer. In the 1940s, he authored instruction books on organ and taught organ lessons.
Early years
Crawford's father died when he was one year old, and his impoverished mother placed the baby in an orphanageOrphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
asylum near Woodland, California
Woodland, California
Woodland is the county seat of Yolo County, California, located approximately northwest of Sacramento, and is a part of the Sacramento - Arden-Arcade - Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 55,468 at the 2010 census.Woodland's origins trace back to 1850 when California...
. He taught himself music at the orphanage, and by the age of nine he was playing a cornet in the orphanage band. At age 14 he left the orphanage to play piano in a small dance band, and then took a job playing piano in a ten-cent-admission silent film house.
His early theatre organ experience was at Washington's Spokane Gem Theater in 1911 and at the Clemmer-owned Casino Theatre (on an eight-rank Estey organ). He next played briefly at theatres in Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
and Seattle. When he met Oliver Wallace, Crawford learned about the then-new types of theatre organ
Theatre organ
A theatre organ is a pipe organ originally designed specifically for imitation of an orchestra. New designs have tended to be around some of the sounds and blends unique to the instrument itself....
sounds. Crawford’s next jobs were playing at the Strand in San Francisco and the Mission Theatre in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
1920s: silent movie organist
In the 1920s, he became well-known, and was dubbed the of "Poet of the Organ" for his style of playing ballads. In 1921, the Balaban and KatzBalaban and Katz
The first incarnation of the Balaban and Katz Theatre corporation appeared in 1916 in Chicago by A. J. Balaban, Barney Balaban, Sam Katz, and Morris Katz. It held its first meeting as a Delaware corporation on January 21, 1925. Famous Players-Lasky Corporation bought a controlling interest in...
theatre chain hired Crawford to Chicago to play its 29-rank Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
in the Chicago Theatre
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
. Next, Crawford was hired as the organist at Grauman's Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles, playing a large Wurlitzer theatre organ.
From 1926 to 1933, he performed at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Paramount Theater
Paramount Theater (New York City)
The Paramount Theatre was a noted movie palace located at 43rd Street and Broadway in the Times Square district of New York City. Opened in 1926, it was the premiere showcase for Paramount Pictures and also became a popular live performance venue. The theater was closed in 1964 and its space...
, with his wife Helen (also an organist) playing a twin organ console.
After some recordings for the small local Autograph Records
Autograph Records
Autograph Records was a United States record label of the 1920s.Autograph was a small label, owned by Marsh Laboratories Incorporated of Chicago, Illinois. Marsh Laboratories in turn was owned by electrical engineer Orlando R. Marsh...
label, Crawford made a series of records for the Victor Records label which proved very popular with record buyers. He had hits such as "Rose Marie", "Valencia" and "Russian Lullaby". Other popular songs included "At Dawning" and "Roses Of Picardy".
1930s: Hammond organist
With the end of the silent film era, work for theatre organists in movie houses dried up. Crawford played a KilgenKilgen
Kilgen was a prominent American builder of organs which was in business from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.-History:-The Kilgen family:...
organ at Chicago's Century of Progress
Century of Progress
A Century of Progress International Exposition was the name of a World's Fair held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation...
World's Fair in 1934, and in 1936 he got a job as staff organist in NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
studios in Chicago. In the 1930s, Crawford switched to the Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, and began playing engagements across the US. In addition to his numerous sound recordings, Crawford recorded player organ rolls on the Wurlitzer "R Rolls" system. His own compositions included "Vienna Violins", "Louisiana Nocturn", "Harlem Holiday", and "Hawaiian Honeymoon".
Teaching and instruction book author
In 1940, the self-taught Crawford undertook his first formal music study with Joseph Schillinger, whose other students included George GershwinGeorge Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, 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...
, Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
, and movie score composers Leith Stevens
Leith Stevens
Leith Stevens was an American composer for radio and film scores.Born in Mount Moriah, Missouri, he was a child prodigy who was an accompanist for Madame Schumann-Heink....
and Nathan Van Cleave. He recorded Hammond organ LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
s for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and did sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
arrangements for Hammond organ and instruction books. He also taught organ students, both in one-on-one lessons and in class style lessons, where he mostly lectured. He recorded his last two LPs on the Simonton Wurlitzer organ.
Links
1. Biographical sketch at American Theatre Organ Society website (Dead link with website redesign; awaiting new page with same content on new website)2. Info regarding Casino Theatre, Spokane (misnamed the Klemmer in the above reference)
3. PDF of the TUBA MIRABILIS, Volume 2, Issue 2 (Newsletter of the Spokane First Nazarene Theatre Organ Society); contains article on Crawford's early years in Spokane, Seattle (1911-1917)