Raymond C. Fagan

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Raymond C. Fagan was an American music composer, pianist, and Jazz Band leader during the early 20th century. He was an Orchestra leader at the Temple Theater in Rochester, New York. He was discovered in 1921 by J.H. "Mickey" Finn, a Temple Theater Manager from Detroit, Michigan.[1]

Early career

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Encouraged to recruit an Orchestra to tour the Vaudeville Temple Theater music circuit,[2] Fagan had been at the Hotel Rochester with Bing (Byng) Bands as early as 1899. He acquired his passion for music as a teenager when he worked at Edwards Music Store in Rochester. He wrote short story scripts with songs at his church society gatherings as well as performed on local stages. His Bing Band arrangements became popular in the Rochester music scene during the early 1910s. He first introduced his version of "jazz-rag" at the Hotel Rochester on November 4, 1916.[3] Popular Lake Ontario boat trips entertained Jazz in August 1917.[4]

Fagan had an Orchestra of 40 Syncopators in 1919.[5] During the 1920s, records were made of his music and distributed across the country. He created a new Jazz band called, the "Worlds Fastest Melody Unit", and the "18 Aristocrats of Jazz". The band performed at the Shea Theater in Buffalo, NY in 1923.[6] It also inspired music discovery on the west coast.[7]

Band

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The Fagan Band performed the Vaudeville Keith Orpheum Circuit touring avenue.[8]

References

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  1. ^ "Raymond Fagan piano designer May 7 1922 Rochester, New York". Democrat and Chronicle. May 7, 1922. p. 25.
  2. ^ "Fagan at the Temple Oct 7 1923 pg 90 Detroit, Michigan". Detroit Free Press. October 7, 1923. p. 90.
  3. ^ https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-the-jazz-rag-in/181630134/
  4. ^ "Raymond Fagan Jass, boat trip music Aug 12 1917". Democrat and Chronicle. August 12, 1917. p. 25.
  5. ^ "Raymond Fagan Orchestra Sun, 26 Oct 1919 ·Page 12". Democrat and Chronicle. October 26, 1919. p. 12.
  6. ^ "Fagan rocks bill May 15 1923 pg9 Buffalo, NY". The Buffalo News. May 15, 1923. p. 9.
  7. ^ "Raymond Fagan picture of Orchestra Aug 13 1925 Los Angeles, California". Daily News. August 13, 1925. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Raymond Fagan Orchestra at the Rialto Theater Glen Falls NY Aug 8 1924". The Post-Star. August 8, 1924. p. 9.