Saxophone Soloists Performing with the John Philip Sousa Band

(1893-1930)

Edward A. Lefebre:  Sousa Soloist (1893-94)

Prior to Sousa:
·Born in Holland (ca. 1834)
·Came to the United States from Paris in 1871 as a clarinetist.
·Had in his possession a saxophone presented to him by Adolphe Sax.
·By 1873 had become a saxophonist in Patrick Gilmore’s 22nd Regiment Band.
·Beginning in 1888, Lefebre spent time in Elkhart, Indiana working for Conn.
·Began performing on a Conn “Wonder Saxophone” in 1892.
As a soloist with the Sousa Band:
·Gilmore died in Sept. 1892 and Lefebre joined the Sousa Band by Mar. 1893.
·Played his first solo with Sousa on May 4, 1893 in Boston, MA.
·Performed at least seven times as a soloist with the Sousa Band.
·Left the band following an engagement in Brooklyn, NY in January of 1894.
After Sousa:
·Formed a saxophone quartet in ca. 1905 which established a good reputation.
·Was a well respected soloist & referred to by many as the “Saxophone King.”
·Edward A. Lefebre died on February 22, 1911.

Jean H.B. Moeremans:  Sousa Soloist (1894-1899, 1902-1905)

Prior to Sousa:
·Born in Belgium (birth date unknown)
As a soloist with the Sousa Band:
·Was in the Sousa Band as early as September of 1893 playing second alto, though it was unusual for there to be more than three saxophonists (ATB).
·Played his first solo at Madison Square Garden on May 26, 1894.
·Performed works by Demersseman and a saxophone solo written by Sousa.
·Made at least 27 solo appearances between 3/26/1894 and 10/28/1898.
·Moeremans and tenor saxophonist Charles Kruger leave the band by 7/1899.
·Moeremans joins the Marine Band in 1900 as a soloist.
·Records several solos accompanied by the Marine Band for RCA Victor.
·Returns to Sousa’s band by May of 1902...plays first solo on 6/9/02.
·The Sousa Band began a tour of Europe on January 2, 1903.
·Moeremans may have played a solo during each of the 362 concerts, but no programs exist, only several reviews in English papers mentioning Moeremans as a soloist.
·Nearly all reviews suggested that the saxophone was new to Great Britain.
·Following the 30 week tour, trombone soloist Arthur Pryor resigned.
·Moeremans began to play many more solos and a second alto was hired.
·On June 10, 1905, following another tour of England, Moeremans played his last solo with the Sousa Band.  Between June of 1902 and June of 1905 he made 45 documented solo appearances.  It is possible, however, that literally hundreds of solo appearances were not documented during the two European tours. 
After Sousa:
·Continued to develop his reputation as a saxophonist in America.
·Moved back to Belgium soon after W.W. I due to a health condition.
·His last known address was in Brussels, Belgium where he died in 1937 or 1938.

Ralph Lick:  Sousa Soloist (1917)

·Performed only one solo with Sousa on September 4, 1917.
·The singular performance of Laverne, written by the famous saxophonist H. Benne Henton, during a Willow Grove Sousa Band concert, foreshadowed the eventual collaboration between Sousa and Henton after the war.

H. Benne Henton:  Sousa Soloist (1919-1920)

Prior to Sousa:
·Born in Shelbyville, Illinois in around 1867.
·Began his musical career on clarinet.  Joined the Ringling Brothers Circus Band.
·By 1903 decided to play the saxophone.
·In 1904 appeared, with three other saxophonists, in the first American
performance of Sinfonia Domestica by Richard Strauss at Carnegie Hall.
·Was a soloist with Kryl’s and Conway’s bands between 1906 and 1916.
·Between 1910 and 1918 recorded several of his own compositions on
numerous cylinders and discs for Victor and Edison record companies.
·Was referred to as the “Paganini of the Saxophone.”
·Was recorded playing into the altissimo register in 1911. 
As a soloist with the Sousa Band:
·Showed up for two days of rehearsal beginning on June 11, 1919 in New York.
·His first solo appearance wasn’t until June 30 during a tour of Canada.
·Throughout the summer engagements, Henton played solos nearly every day.
·Between June 30 and Sept. 14, Henton made 46 solo appearances.
·Performed ten different works including six that he had written or arranged.
·The 12th Transcontinental Tour began on 9/15/19, continuing until 1/10/20.
·Henton made 73 solo appearances during the long tour and for the first time in Sousa Band history, a saxophone ensemble was featured during concerts.
·One infamous concert took place on January 5, 1920 in which nearly all of the band went on “strike.”  Henton was scheduled to play a solo, as usual, but did not attend the concert.  Nearly all of that band was fired for their actions.  Henton, though he was famous and drew good crowds, was never invited back to play with the Sousa Band.
After Sousa:
·Continued to perform and teach saxophone mostly in Philadelphia, PA.
·Began a music store and teaching studio dedicated to the needs of
saxophonists with fellow Sousa Band member, Al Knecht.  By 1924 the Henton-Knecht Conservatory had over 200 saxophone students.
·Developed his own mouthpiece.
·Nothing is known of his activities after May of 1925.
·H. Benne Henton died in 1938.

Jascha Gurewich:  Sousa Soloist (1920,21)

Prior to Sousa:
·Born in Russia in 1896.
·Drove a “span of army mules” during W.W. I.
·Learned to play the saxophone in an American military band after being
refused as a trumpet player.
·After the war, he worked for Julius Lenzberg in NY playing in a theatre pit. 
·Left the theatre in New York to play in Thaviu’s Concert Band in Canada.
As a soloist with the Sousa Band:
·Was hired to perform solos at Willow Grove between 8/15-9/12/1920.
·Made only five solo appearances in 1920 playing four different works which included only one of his own compositions (other works by Henton and Wiedoeft).
·Returned as soloist in July of 1921 and brought with him six of his own works.
·Made four solo appearances at Dominion Park (7/16-24) and nine at Willow Grove (8/7-9/15).
·Sousa fell off a horse on September 6, 1921 and was very seriously injured.  The band completed their obligation to Willow Grove and began their Fall Tour.  Between Sept. 25 and Nov. 21 the band stopped performing and waited for Sousa to return. 
·Gurewich did not return in November.
After Sousa:
·Became very famous on the vaudeville and movie house circuits.
·Performed a well reviewed debut recital at New York’s Aeolian Hall in 1926.
·The advent of sound movies in 1927 and the stock market crash of 1929 seriously injured the music industry. 
·No mention of Gurewich can be found after 1927.
·He died in 1938 at the age of 42.

Anthony D’Ortenzio:  Sousa Soloist (1921)

·D’Ortenzio played one solo on August 19, 1921 and continued as principle alto saxophonist following Gurewich’s departure.
·Saxophonist, Richard Kent sat second to D’Ortenzio from November 1921 through March 1922 and replaced him as principle during the four month tour beginning in July of 1922.

Frederick Bayers:  Sousa Soloist (1923-24)

Prior to Sousa:
·Fred Bayers was born on October 15, 1881 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
·By age 10 heard British Military bands and began playing the clarinet.
·In 1906 began playing with the Coast Artillery Corps Band.
·Played on a cruise ship to Brazil in 1921.
As a soloist with Sousa:
·Made five solo appearances between 8/8 and 9/15/1923 at Willow Grove.
·Played works by Henton, Vereecken and Wiedoeft.
·Left the Sousa Band following the transcontinental tour (9/16/23-3/8/24).
After Sousa:
·Fred Bayers wrote music, began public school music programs, performed and taught through his eighties and into his nineties.
·Died on January 9, 1975 at the age of 93.

Robert Gooding:  Sousa Soloist (1924)

Prior to Sousa:
·By the time he had joined the Sousa Band, Gooding had:  been in an orphanage in Surrey, England; an apprentice soldier in India where he also became a bugle boy; fought in the Boer war; after 12 years in the British army, became the band master of the 90th Winnipeg Rifles and then to Honolulu with the cavalry band; became an American Citizen and fought on the Mexican Border; been an oboe player in the Portland Symphony; fought in the first world war.
As a soloist with Sousa:
·17 instrumental soloists performed during the 76 day Willow Grove series.
·For the first time ever, two saxophonists were featured: Robert Gooding and Edward Heney.
·Made eight solo appearances at Willow Grove.
·Played solos at both the matinee and evening concerts during the New England Tour (9/15-30).
·Was a soloist, again, during both matinee and evening concerts, for the Fall Tour (9/15-11/16).
·Made a total of 102 trips to the front of the stage to play solos.
·Played works by Henton and Gurewich.
·Was considered to be very comical and great with the audience.
After Sousa:
·Given his life prior to Sousa, it is doubtful that Mr. Gooding stayed in one place for very long.
·No information is available regarding Robert Gooding after 1924.

Harold B. Stephens:  Sousa Soloist (1925-26)

Prior to Sousa:
·First heard the Sousa Band in 1912 when he was 15 years old.
·In 1915 joined the John Sparks Circus Band.
·1917 began a two year enlistment in the 1st U.S. Cavalry Band.
·Played in various concert and dance bands between 1919 and 1923.
·On Nov. 15, 1923 Mr. Stephens played his first concert as saxophone soloist with the Long Beach Municipal Band conducted by cornet virtuoso and former Sousa Band member, Herbert L. Clarke.
As a soloist with the Sousa Band:
·Clarke recommended Stephens to Sousa for the 1925-26 season.
·Mr. Stephens hated to leave the Long Beach Band, but an appointment to the Sousa Band was too great an honor to pass up.
·Played his first solo with the 75 piece Sousa Band on 7/4/1925 in Hershey, PA.
·Performed several different solos, including three of his own compositions, five works by Wiedoeft, one by Henton and one by H.L. Clarke.
·His brother stated in a telephone interview, that Harold always played from memory. 
·Made only 29 solo appearances in 35 weeks, but played ten different works.
·Played all of his solos between July 4 and October 7 at which time the jazzy sounds of the saxophone octette occupied his regular position on the program.
·The octette was a feature attraction during the remainder of the tour.
After Sousa:
·In March of 1926, following Sousa’s “Third of a Century Tour,” Mr. Stephens returned to the Long Beach Band as the saxophone soloist.
·A saxophone ensemble also became a fixture during concerts in Long Beach.
·Stephens maintained correspondence with Jean Moeremans until 1937.
· In 1943 added band librarian to his duties (in charge of 20,000 works).
·Retired from the Long Beach Municipal Band in 1962.
·Played under Merle Evans in the Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey Circus Band.
·Continued to practice the saxophone two hours a day well into his 70’s.
·Was very helpful to Sousa historians, taking part in an interview organized by The Sousa Oral History Project.
·Harold B. Stephens died March 13, 1983.

Edward J. Heney:  Sousa Soloist (1924-1930)

Prior to Sousa:
·Saxophone soloist in the Roy D. Smith’s Scotch Highlander’s Band.
·Sousa manager, Jay Sims, heard the band play at Williams Park in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Heney was asked to join the Sousa Band on the spot.
As a soloist with Sousa:
·On July 1, 1924, at Willow Grove, Heney played his first solo with the band.
·Robert Gooding was also a soloist that summer, so Heney made only six solo appearances in the 1924 season.
·Played only three solos at Willow Grove in 1925.
·From July of 1926 through November of 1930, Heney was the only saxophone soloist, and, in fact, Sousa’s last saxophone soloist.
·Performed twelve different works by such composer/saxophonists as Gurewich, Henton and Wiedoeft. 
·Beautiful Colorado was written and arranged for saxophone and band by Sousa euphonium soloist, Joseph DeLuca.  DeLuca became the first director of bands at the University of Arizona and conducted the Tucson Symphony
Orchestra.
·Sousa featured Mr. Heney during nearly every concert of the 1929 and 1930 seasons using the still popular saxophone octette as an encore.
·Played solos during a total of 165 Sousa concerts.

After Sousa:
·Harold Stephens said that Heney continued to play the saxophone and performed Beautiful Colorado with the Boston Pops in May of 1970.
·Fellow saxophonist in the Sousa Band, Owen Kincaid, said of Mr. Heney, he was an “excellent, excellent soloist...I always said that he was an artist and we were the saxophone players.  He was terrific.”

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