On the Edge of the Weekend Article on Jean Kittrell's Retirement, 2012
Title
On the Edge of the Weekend Article on Jean Kittrell's Retirement, 2012
Subject
Kittrell, Jean
Description
This single page article from the Edwardsville Intelligencer's weekend edition, On the Edge of the Weekend, features interview quotes from Jean Kittrell four years after her retirement in 2008. It is a reflection and outline of her career. The cover page for the newspaper is also included, and features two publicity photos - one of Jean and one of the Blues Emporium (later to be the Jazz Incredibles) in front of the Robert E. Lee Restaurant and Saloon.
Creator
Wilkinson-Midgley, Krista
Publisher
Edwardsville Intelligencer
Date
02/02/2012
Rights
For digital rights and permissions, see https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml
In copyright. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Relation
Jean Kittrell Digital Collection
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
JMK_2015_7_95_0003
Coverage
Edwardsville, Illinois
Text
Jean Kittrell
The "Red Hot Mama" of Dixieland jazz reflects on her career
By Krista Wilkinson-Midgley
Of the Edge
When jean Kittrell puts her mind to something, it's a pretty safe bet that she's going to accomplish it. Whether that's becoming an international jazz pianoist and singer, earning a Ph.D. or leading three highly successful jazz bands all while juggling the demands of work and motherhood, Kittrell has done it all with humor, grace, and her trademark fringe.
Known as the "Red Hot Mama" of Dixieland jazz, Jean Kittrell has build an impressive musical career that spans more than 50 years. She's had the pleasure of singing "Happy Birthday" to Louis Armstrong, performing in Europe and enjoyed countless nights playing the Dixieland music she loves to packed venues of equally enthusiastic listeners.
Born in 1927 in Burmingham, Ala., Kittrell's musical career began with piano lessons as a young child and playing the piano in the Southern Baptist Church. Later, she majored in music theory at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi. At that time, she says, a career in music wasn't her main ambition. Like most young women at that time, marriage and family were her priority.
It wasn't until 1957, at the age of 30, that her jazz career began in earest. A few years earlier, her then-husband, Dr. Ed Kittrell, had come home one day and decided he wanted to play jazz and he needed someone to accompany him. He asked Jean to play piano for him and she agreed.
"He'd invite students to the house to jam," recalls Kittrell.
They would play with anything they could find. Sometimes as many as 100 kids would show up to play, much to the chagrin of her neighbors. Ed Kittrell, who played the trumpet, got a few musicians together and formed the Chesapeake Bay Jazz Band.
"We would go out on Chesapeake Bay and picnic and sit on the beach and play. I had a little two-octave piano to take to the beach," says Kittrell.
The following year the couple and their two children moved to Chicago so Ed Kittrell could work on his Ph.D. While there, the couple continued making music and joined the Chicago Stompers, which led to a month-long stint playing and traveling throughout Germany and the Netherlands. It was also during this time that Kittrell decided to pursue a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago while her husband worked on his degree.
A few years later, in 1967, Kittrell took a job teaching general composition at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. At the same time, she continued her musical career playing solo at the Old Levee House on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis, Mo. For the next two years, she led a double life as university lecturer by day and jazz singer by night commuting between Murphysboro and St. Louis, as well as working as the choir director at a Methodist Church in Murphysboro all while bringing up her two young daughters.
She had a housekeeper who would come on Friday evening and stay the weekend. They would all have dinner together on Friday evening, she says. Then the housekeeper would put the girls to bed while Kittrell drove up to St. Louis for her show, which lasted from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday night and the same again on Saturday night. During the day on Saturday, she would grade papers for her composition students. Then, as soon as her show finished on Saturday, it was straight back to Murphysboro.
"I'd drive home sometimes in my fringe! That was quite a time. I'd get home between 2:30 and 3 a.m. on Sunday and then go to church at 10:30 a.m. to lead choir," says Kittrell with a smile.
Kittrell completed her Ph.D. in Modern British Literature in 1973. When asked why she decided to pursue a Ph.D., Kittrell says she just figured why not? She was already working for the university plus she had helped Ed earn his, so why couldn't she get one too?
"I never was told I couldn't do it so it never occurred to me that I couldn't do it," she says.
Soon after she moved to Edwardsville to take up a position as a member of the English faculty at SIUE. She also served four years as chair of the English Department from 1987 to 1990. Just like before, she continued playing jazz piano and singing on the weekends this time aboard the Lt. Robert E. Lee steamboat in St. Louis. These were fun years for Kittrell. She played with two different bands. The first was a trio known as the Jazz Incredibles (formerly Blues Emporium) that played on Fridays and the second was a five-piece called the Old St. Louis Levee Band that played on Saturdays. Later, Kittrell was asked to lead a seven-piece band known as the St. Louis Rivermen. Kittrell served as the business manager and band leader for all three bands.
One of her favorite memories from her long career took place during a tour of the Netherlands with the Jazz Incredibles. The group was playing in the Breda Jazz Festival there.
"They have such amazing concert center that would dwarf Kiel Auditorium. It is luxury," says Kittrell.
Unfortunately, the little trio found themselves due to go on stage following a 16-piece big band with two singers doing a lot of complicated arrangements.
"Red (sousaphonist David 'Red' Lehr) said, 'Kittrell, we have to follow this.' We were scared to death!" says Kittrell with a laugh. But follow them they did and what a show they put on.
"I always wore fringe and I bounced when I played and thank goodness for that fringe. The three of us played the best we ever played. We got a standing ovation and cheering. They didn't do that for the big band," says Kittrell grinning.
Four decades of concerts, festivals, international tours and university lectures kept Kittrell constantly busy, just the way she liked it. In 1998, she was the recipient of the "Great Ladies of Jazz" award given by the Directors of the Sun Valley Swing 'n' Dixie Jazz Jamboree, which is given each year to one contemporary musician and one from the past. She has recorded with jazz stars Tony Parenti, Doc Souchon, Charlie Borneman
The "Red Hot Mama" of Dixieland jazz reflects on her career
By Krista Wilkinson-Midgley
Of the Edge
When jean Kittrell puts her mind to something, it's a pretty safe bet that she's going to accomplish it. Whether that's becoming an international jazz pianoist and singer, earning a Ph.D. or leading three highly successful jazz bands all while juggling the demands of work and motherhood, Kittrell has done it all with humor, grace, and her trademark fringe.
Known as the "Red Hot Mama" of Dixieland jazz, Jean Kittrell has build an impressive musical career that spans more than 50 years. She's had the pleasure of singing "Happy Birthday" to Louis Armstrong, performing in Europe and enjoyed countless nights playing the Dixieland music she loves to packed venues of equally enthusiastic listeners.
Born in 1927 in Burmingham, Ala., Kittrell's musical career began with piano lessons as a young child and playing the piano in the Southern Baptist Church. Later, she majored in music theory at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi. At that time, she says, a career in music wasn't her main ambition. Like most young women at that time, marriage and family were her priority.
It wasn't until 1957, at the age of 30, that her jazz career began in earest. A few years earlier, her then-husband, Dr. Ed Kittrell, had come home one day and decided he wanted to play jazz and he needed someone to accompany him. He asked Jean to play piano for him and she agreed.
"He'd invite students to the house to jam," recalls Kittrell.
They would play with anything they could find. Sometimes as many as 100 kids would show up to play, much to the chagrin of her neighbors. Ed Kittrell, who played the trumpet, got a few musicians together and formed the Chesapeake Bay Jazz Band.
"We would go out on Chesapeake Bay and picnic and sit on the beach and play. I had a little two-octave piano to take to the beach," says Kittrell.
The following year the couple and their two children moved to Chicago so Ed Kittrell could work on his Ph.D. While there, the couple continued making music and joined the Chicago Stompers, which led to a month-long stint playing and traveling throughout Germany and the Netherlands. It was also during this time that Kittrell decided to pursue a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago while her husband worked on his degree.
A few years later, in 1967, Kittrell took a job teaching general composition at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. At the same time, she continued her musical career playing solo at the Old Levee House on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis, Mo. For the next two years, she led a double life as university lecturer by day and jazz singer by night commuting between Murphysboro and St. Louis, as well as working as the choir director at a Methodist Church in Murphysboro all while bringing up her two young daughters.
She had a housekeeper who would come on Friday evening and stay the weekend. They would all have dinner together on Friday evening, she says. Then the housekeeper would put the girls to bed while Kittrell drove up to St. Louis for her show, which lasted from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday night and the same again on Saturday night. During the day on Saturday, she would grade papers for her composition students. Then, as soon as her show finished on Saturday, it was straight back to Murphysboro.
"I'd drive home sometimes in my fringe! That was quite a time. I'd get home between 2:30 and 3 a.m. on Sunday and then go to church at 10:30 a.m. to lead choir," says Kittrell with a smile.
Kittrell completed her Ph.D. in Modern British Literature in 1973. When asked why she decided to pursue a Ph.D., Kittrell says she just figured why not? She was already working for the university plus she had helped Ed earn his, so why couldn't she get one too?
"I never was told I couldn't do it so it never occurred to me that I couldn't do it," she says.
Soon after she moved to Edwardsville to take up a position as a member of the English faculty at SIUE. She also served four years as chair of the English Department from 1987 to 1990. Just like before, she continued playing jazz piano and singing on the weekends this time aboard the Lt. Robert E. Lee steamboat in St. Louis. These were fun years for Kittrell. She played with two different bands. The first was a trio known as the Jazz Incredibles (formerly Blues Emporium) that played on Fridays and the second was a five-piece called the Old St. Louis Levee Band that played on Saturdays. Later, Kittrell was asked to lead a seven-piece band known as the St. Louis Rivermen. Kittrell served as the business manager and band leader for all three bands.
One of her favorite memories from her long career took place during a tour of the Netherlands with the Jazz Incredibles. The group was playing in the Breda Jazz Festival there.
"They have such amazing concert center that would dwarf Kiel Auditorium. It is luxury," says Kittrell.
Unfortunately, the little trio found themselves due to go on stage following a 16-piece big band with two singers doing a lot of complicated arrangements.
"Red (sousaphonist David 'Red' Lehr) said, 'Kittrell, we have to follow this.' We were scared to death!" says Kittrell with a laugh. But follow them they did and what a show they put on.
"I always wore fringe and I bounced when I played and thank goodness for that fringe. The three of us played the best we ever played. We got a standing ovation and cheering. They didn't do that for the big band," says Kittrell grinning.
Four decades of concerts, festivals, international tours and university lectures kept Kittrell constantly busy, just the way she liked it. In 1998, she was the recipient of the "Great Ladies of Jazz" award given by the Directors of the Sun Valley Swing 'n' Dixie Jazz Jamboree, which is given each year to one contemporary musician and one from the past. She has recorded with jazz stars Tony Parenti, Doc Souchon, Charlie Borneman
and played in concerts with Emile Christian, Johnny Wiggs, Danny Barker, Big Jim Robinson and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, George Brunies, Doc Evans, Barrett Deems, and Spiegle Willcox.
In July 2008, she finally hung up her fringe for the last time when ill health forced her to retire. She still occassionally comes out of retirement to make a special appearance here and there. She will be performing at the Mid-America Traditional Jazz Festival in Decatur on Feb. 4.
Kittrell credits her family, particularly her parents, for her continued success throughout both of her long careers.
"I've been so thanksful for my parents," says Kittrell. "They just loved me and encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do."
To find out more about Jean Kittrell, visit her website at www.jeankittrell.com.
In July 2008, she finally hung up her fringe for the last time when ill health forced her to retire. She still occassionally comes out of retirement to make a special appearance here and there. She will be performing at the Mid-America Traditional Jazz Festival in Decatur on Feb. 4.
Kittrell credits her family, particularly her parents, for her continued success throughout both of her long careers.
"I've been so thanksful for my parents," says Kittrell. "They just loved me and encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do."
To find out more about Jean Kittrell, visit her website at www.jeankittrell.com.
Original Format
Newspaper article
Collection
Citation
Wilkinson-Midgley, Krista, “On the Edge of the Weekend Article on Jean Kittrell's Retirement, 2012,” Digital Exhibits, accessed April 28, 2024, https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/items/show/2822.
