come the late twenties
and music, particularly jazz
took some small steps
in crossing the race line
encouraging interracial performances
Italian/American Eddie Lang
born Salvatore Massaro
cut some 1929 duets with
African/American Lonnie Johnson
bringing together the two men
credited with giving the guitar
prominence as a solo instrument
though Lang had to be billed as
Blind Willie Dunn
to hide the fact he was white
around the same time
a white St Louis novelty jazz act
The Mound City Blue Blowers
featuring comb and tissue paper
and a suitcase for a drum
cut some sides with
well known jazz guests
one of which was
black tenor sax virtuoso
Coleman Hawkins
one of the first such recordings
to be issued
tiny steps maybe
but important in their own way
