Wilbur Sweatman

Wilbur Sweatman appears to be the first black musician to record under the name of jazz. He recorded with his "Jass Band" for Pathé in March 1917. This alone might insure his legacy but, at the time, Sweatman was already a show business veteran, a clarinetist and composer of nearly 20-years experience whose work anticipated many jazz conventions. Wilbur C. Sweatman was born in Brunswick, MO, on February 7, 1882. His early training with his sister was on violin, but he later switched to clarinet. It has been suggested that Sweatman was largely self-taught, but that seems unlik...