Research Catalog

Title

Interview with James Buster Brown [sound recording]

Author

Brown, Buster, 1913-2002

Publication

1997.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Walker, Dianne.

Description

3 sound cassettes (4 hr., 20 min.) +

Summary

• Cassette 1. Recorded February 6, 1997. Mr. Brown discusses his childhood in Baltimore; the influence of Albert "Pops" Whitman and Earl "Snakehips" Tucker on his dancing; the practice of trading steps; his first performing experience; his first touring experience; his first dance act, The Three Aces; his admiration for the dancing of Baby Laurence; his dance trio, Speed Kings; experiencing racism while on tour with The Brownskin Models; his favorite musicians and tunes; rivalry between jazz musicians and tap dancers; defines tap dancing; describes the differences between black and white big bands; and the relationships between black and white musicians.
• Cassette 2. Recorded February 6, 1997. Mr. Brown further comments on relationships between black and white musicians; then describes social dancing at the New York City's Savoy Ballroom and Baltimore's Goodhope Hall; various dancers and their acts, including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Carnell Lyons, Bubba Gaines, and Honi Coles; compares the dancing of Baby Laurence to Teddy Hale, the Hoofers to the Copasetics; discusses women tap dancers, including Louise Madison, The Edward Sisters and Alice Whitman [of the Whitman Sisters]; dancing with Beige and Brown; integrating paddle and roll into his own act; his partnership with Teddy Hale and Leon Collins; his friendship with Collins; performing a solo act; and the history of the Copasetics Club.
• Cassette 3. Recorded February 8, 1997. Mr. Brown discusses filming the documentary Great feats of feet; teaching tap dancing; the dancing and musicality of Charles "Cookie" Cook; the decline and subsequent revival of tap dancing's popularity; touring Africa for the State Department; touring to Berlin; performing with Duke Ellington; performing at the Apollo Theatre in New York; his mother's enduring influence on his character; the death of his son Ricky; his admiration for Savion Glover's dancing; dancing the charleston as a young performer; and his most embarrassing moment in show business.

Donor/Sponsor

National Initiative to Preserve American Dance.

Alternative Title

• Dance Oral History Project.
• Dance Audio Archive.

Subjects

• Whitman, Alice
• Coles, Honi, 1911-1992
• Savoy Ballroom (New York, N.Y.)
• Audiotapes > Walker, D
• Gaines, Bubba
• Whitman, Albert Pops
• Tap dancing
• Dance, Black > United States
• Cook, Charles, 1917-1991
• Racism
• Great feats of feet (Motion picture)
• Speed Kings (Performing group)
• Robinson, Bill, 1878-1949
• Lyons, Carnell
• Audiotapes > Brown, B
• Hale, Teddy
• Jackson, Laurence Donald, 1921-1974
• Copasetics
• Apollo Theater (New York, N.Y. : 125th Street)
• Collins, Leon
• Tucker, Snakehips
• Glover, Savion
• Paddle and roll

Note

• Interviewed by Dianne Walker, February 6 and 8, 1997, in Mr. Brown's New York City apartment.
• For transcript, see: *MGZMT 3-2039.

Access (note)

• Photography of the transcript permitted for research purposes only.

Call Number

*MGZMT 3-2039

OCLC

NYPY97-R17

Author

Brown, Buster, 1913-2002, interviewee.

Title

Interview with James Buster Brown [sound recording]

Imprint

1997.

Local Note

Archival original: *MGZTCO 3-2039. 3 sound cassettes.

Transcript preservation original: *MGZMTO 3-2039.

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 10-2039. 7 1/2 in. per sec.; 10 in. reel; polyester; half-track.

Interview funded by the National Initiative to Preserve American Dance (NIPAD)

Restricted Access

Photography of the transcript permitted for research purposes only.

Local Subject

Paddle and roll.

Local Subject

Audiotapes -- Brown, B.

Audiotapes -- Walker, D.

Added Author

Walker, Dianne. ivr.

Research Call Number

*MGZMT 3-2039 (Transcript)

*MGZTC 3-2039 (Sound cassette)