Benjamin F. "Reb" Spikes with his Majors & Minors Orchestra, 1925

Item Overview

Title

Benjamin F. "Reb" Spikes with his Majors & Minors Orchestra, 1925

Alternative title

Jazz musicians, groups

Date Created

1925

Date

1925

Collection

Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Notes

Description

"Reb" Spikes (standing, 5th from left) with 8 members of his Majors and Minors Orchestra.
Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes was an African American jazz saxophonist, band leader, and entrepreneur. His composition with his brother John, "Someday Sweetheart", has become a jazz standard. In 1919 he worked at Spikes' music shop, one of the few places on the West Coast that sold jazz records, and many local musicians used to hang out at the store. He and his brothers published music and had their own record company (Sunshine). In the 1930s, Spikes worked as a promoter and worked with Les Hite and Lionel Hampton. He also took part in Jelly Roll Morton's comeback in 1940–1941.

Caption

Written on back of photo: "Reb" Spikes is 5th from the left (standing). Benjamin F. "Reb" Spikes with his Majors & Minors Orchestra 1925 (Columbia Recording Orchestra) 1925.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Keywords

Genre

group portraits

Names

Reb Spikes Majors and Minors (Musical group)
Spikes, B. F. (Benjamin F.), 1888-1982

Resource type

still image

Subjects

African American composers
Jazz musicians
African American jazz musicians
African American businesspeople