In 1913, Art Hickman convinced the manager of the San Francisco Seals (then in spring training at Boys Hot Springs) to organize a series of dances to add some excitement to the training season. The manager agreed – and the band Hickman got together was so popular – that after the training season was over were promptly booked at the posh St. Francis Hotel in downtown San Francisco for the rest of the summer.
They kept playing at the St. Francis for many years. The elegant ballroom at the St. Francis was known as the Rose Room – and in 1917 Hickman would compose a tune in honor of the band’s home.
Hickman added more instruments and gained an even wider audience as the hotel’s house band during the San Francisco World’s Fair of that year. Florenz Fiegfeld was visiting San Francisco and heard the band – and in 1919 the band was in New York playing at the Biltmore Hotel and the Siegfeld Roof.
It was during this time that Hickman’s orchestra went into the studio for Columbia for a marathon six day session that resulted in twenty three recordings – seventeen of which were released. This tune, “Rose Room” had already been recorded by several bands in 1918 and early 1919 – but here we have it performed by the composer himself and the Rose Room orchestra who gave that ballroom a legendary status in dance band – and jazz – history.
The tune has a wonderful chord structure and became a jazz standard after being revived first in 1932 by Duke Ellington (who also later used its chord progression to create the contrafact “In A Mellotone” in 1940) and most famously by Benny Goodman, who recorded it during his first session with Charlie Christian on guitar in 1939.
Hickman retired from big band work in late 1921 but the orchestra continued with his name under the direction of Earl Burtnett – and later, Walter Rosner – until the late 20s. Hickman died at the age of 43 in early 1930.
Recorded in New York City on September 20, 1919.
Released as Columbia A2858
Credits
Walter Rosner – trumpet
Fred Kaufman – trombone
Bert Ralton, Clyde Doerr – alto saxophone
Steve Douglas – violin
Frank Ellis – piano
Ben Black – banjo
Bela Spiller – tuba
Art Hickman – drums, leader
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