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103 The Kentucky Jubilee Singers 7 The Kentucky Jubilee Singers This black chorus was formed in the mid-1870s, a period when scores of jubilee troupes were criss-crossing the country exploiting the vogue for spirituals ignited by the sudden and phenomenal success of the Fisk University Jubilee Singers. George C. D. Odell, a leading chronicler of the New York stage, reported that by 1875–76 “there was no end to jubilee singers,” and of the 1876–77 season he said, “jubilee singing was by then an epidemic.”1 In the New York area alone he documented performances by the Hampton Colored Students, the Wilmington Jubilee Singers, the Virginia Jubilee Singers, the Juvenile Jubilee Singers, the Carolina Jubilee Singers, the Slave Troupe of Jubilee Singers from Virginia, Tinkler’s Jubilee Singers , Slavin’s Georgia Jubilee Singers, the Sheppard Colored Jubilee Singers, and numerous others. The precise origins of the Kentucky Jubilee Singers are obscure. Odell first noted a New York area appearance by them on April 9, 1877, when “the old Kentucky JubileeSingerswereagaintoexaltthe ‘spiritual’—thistimeatthe4thStreetM.P.Church” (a church in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn). Later the same month they appeared at the Noble Street Baptist Church in the Greenpoint section of the city. The fact that they were referred to as “old” and singing “again” suggests that they may have been in existence for a number of years—although not too many, since jubilee groups did not begin to spring up until after the initial Fisk tour of 1871–72. They were clearly a touring group and Odell only reports their appearances in the New York area. They must have been fairly well known because in1879 they were immortalized by a popular instrumental number called “The Kentucky Jubilee Singers Schottische,” by San Francisco composer Fred G. Carnes. Carnes was previously known for “Selika” (1877), written for African American concert soprano Marie Selika, who had made her debut in San Francisco in 1876. In 1883 he published a collection called Songs of the Kentucky Jubilee Singers, containing his arrangements of “Oh, Peter, Go Ring Dem Bells,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Darkies on the Levee,” and “We’ll Cross de Ribber ob Jordan.” All of these songs and collections were published in San Francisco. Unlike some of their fly-by-night competitors, the Kentucky Singers endured. In May 1885 they were appearing at Harry Hill’s theater on Long Island, a venue which was said to feature jubilee singers every Sunday.2 The identities of individual members of the troupe have not been located, although in 1891 the Freeman contained a short item seeking information about Miss Minnie Maurice, who was reported to have “traveled several years ago with the Kentucky Jubilee Singers.”3 The Singers were still performing in the 1890s. In 1894 an entry appeared in the catalog of the U.S. Phonograph Company of New Jersey, a leading maker of cylinder records, stating “Kentucky Jubilee Singers—These records are novelties, but we do not recommend them for horn reproduction. They are made for slot and tube service. Sung by the colored Jubilee Singers, whose concerts are so popular. The 02.73-152_Broo 12/17/03, 1:45 PM 103 104 lost sounds company was complete, including the female voices. Price, $1.25 each.” Four titles were then listed, “Roll, Jordan, Roll,” “Adam and Eve,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” and “On the Bank by the River’s Side.” There are several interesting aspects of this announcement. The reference to the company being “complete” suggests that an entire chorus was recorded. That was highly unusual for the time, since the primitive recording technology of 1894 could not capture ensemble voices very well. The presence of female voices is also significant. Most recording at this time was by men, due to their stronger voices. This may document the first time black females were recorded. The references to “horn reproduction” and “slot and tube service” indicate that the cylinders were fairly faint, perhaps because of their ensemble nature. Only the loudest cylinders of this era could be played through a open horn; other, fainter cylinders were intended to be heard through acoustic tubing attached to earphones. As for the repertoire, “Roll, Jordan, Roll” and “Blow, Gabriel” are familiar spirituals , and the other two titles were probably in the same vein. These brown wax cylinders were most likely recorded at U.S. Phonograph’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, while the Singers were appearing in the area. Since it was difficult to...

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