Research Catalog

Details

Description

1. 2 linear ft.

Summary

1. The Sam Wooding and Rae Harrison papers primarily document certain aspects of his career, with some files pertaining to his partnership with Rae Harrison, and to her career prior to their working together. Included are biographical and personal information, along with correspondence (primarily incoming) regarding their performances. There are also contracts, itineraries, programs, flyers, financial records, certificates and news clippings. A small amount of information concerns Wooding's recording career and his companies, Pan Jebel, Inc. and Twin Signs Record Corp. Of particular interest are Wooding's manuscript musical arrangements and compositions.

Subject

1. African American singers
2. Harrison, Rae
3. African American musicians
4. African American entertainers
5. African American women entertainers
6. Jazz singers > United States
7. African American women jazz singers
8. African American composers
9. Wooding, Sam, 1895-1985
10. Musical scores
11. African Americans in popular culture
12. Jazz musicians > United States

Genre/Form

1. Musical scores.

Call number

1. Sc MG 390

Note

1. Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.
2. Audiotapes and LP records transferred to the Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division.

Access (note)

1. Scrapbook closed for preservation reasons.

Source (note)

1. Rae Harrison Wooding

Location of other archival materials (note)

1. Transcript of oral history interview with Sam Wooding in Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University.

Biography (note)

1. Sam Wooding, jazz pianist, arranger and composer, began his career in 1912 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the 1920's-1940's he played residencies with the Society Syncopators and his Southland Spiritual Choir as well as other groups, touring the United States and Europe. In the mid-1930's Wooding attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning two degrees, including a Master's in Education. He taught during the early 1950's, then in 1953 he became the accompanist-manager for his third wife, singer Rae Harrison; thereafter the duo toured extensively throughout the world. In 1975 Wooding organized a big band, the Bicentennial Jazz Vista Orchestra. Among many "firsts" in jazz history, Wooding is credited with having the first American band to make recordings in Europe, the first Black band to play a musical abroad in the "Chocolate Kiddies" in Berlin, and the first Black band to tour the Soviet Union and Scandinavia.

Author

1. Wooding, Sam, 1895-1985.

Title

1. Sam Wooding and Rae Harrison papers, 1920-1989.

Access

1. Scrapbook closed for preservation reasons.

Biography

1. Sam Wooding, jazz pianist, arranger and composer, began his career in 1912 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the 1920's-1940's he played residencies with the Society Syncopators and his Southland Spiritual Choir as well as other groups, touring the United States and Europe. In the mid-1930's Wooding attended the University of Pennsylvania, earning two degrees, including a Master's in Education. He taught during the early 1950's, then in 1953 he became the accompanist-manager for his third wife, singer Rae Harrison; thereafter the duo toured extensively throughout the world. In 1975 Wooding organized a big band, the Bicentennial Jazz Vista Orchestra. Among many "firsts" in jazz history, Wooding is credited with having the first American band to make recordings in Europe, the first Black band to play a musical abroad in the "Chocolate Kiddies" in Berlin, and the first Black band to tour the Soviet Union and Scandinavia.

Location of other archival materials

1. Transcript of oral history interview with Sam Wooding in Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University.

Connect to:

1. Finding Aid

Research call number

1. Sc MG 390