Jazz Royalty

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Jazz royalty is a term that reflects the many great jazz musicians who have been termed as musically gifted, honorific, "aristocratic" or "royal" and had titles added to their names or nicknames due to their strong musical abilities. The realization that such titles had commercial or public relations values that increased popularity also dates to this era. Violinist and bandleader Alex Watzke, observing Bolden's popularity, started billing himself as "King Watzke", and paid children coins to publicly point at him as he walked down the street and say "There goes King Watzke". While he succeeded in appending that nickname to himself, some fellow musicians used it more with amusement than with the respect accorded to Bolden. After Bolden was institutionalized in 1907, his "crown" was taken by Freddie Keppard who, in turn, "ruled" until 1914 when Joe Oliver took over the title.