Frank Melrose

Franklyn Taft Melrose (November 26, 1907 – September 1, 1941) was an American jazz and blues pianist, who recorded as Kansas City Frank.

He was born in Sumner, Illinois and was the younger brother of Walter Melrose and Lester Melrose, who had set up the Melrose Brothers Music Company in Chicago, in 1918. He became one of the leading figures in the Chicago blues and jazz scene of the 1920s and 1930s.

Frank’s first instrument was violin, but he later took up piano. He was strongly influenced by his brothers’ business partner, Jelly Roll Morton. In 1924, he left home and began drifting around, playing and settling for short periods in St. Louis, Kansas City and Detroit. He also played occasionally in Chicago clubs with Morton.

In 1929, his brother Lester, recorded him performing piano solos, which were released under the pseudonym of "Broadway Rastus", and in 1930. Following another trip to Kansas City, he recorded "Jelly Roll Blues" and other tunes. These were issued in Brunswick Records’ “race” series under the pseudonym of "Kansas City Frank", and for some years were wrongly assumed to be the work of Morton.

In the 1930s, Melrose continued to play piano in small clubs and bars, either solo or as part of a band, while occasionally working in a factory to support his family. He also recorded sporadically with Johnny Dodds, George Barnes and others.

He played on his last recording session in 1941 with Bud Jacobson's Jungle Kings. On Labor Day of 1941, he was found dead in the street after being killed in a fracas in a club in Chicago, Illinois.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 26, 1907 (Sumner), Died September 1, 1941 (Hammond)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1929

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-48711 10-in. 12/10/1928 Transatlantic stomp E. C. Cobb and his Corn-Eaters Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BVE-48712 10-in. 12/10/1928 Barrell house stomp E. C. Cobb and his Corn-Eaters Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick C3078 10-in. 3/8/1929 Jelly roll stomp Kansas City Frank Piano solo, with traps instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Brunswick C3079 10-in. 3/8/1929 Pass the jug Kansas City Frank Piano solo, with traps instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Brunswick C3936 10-in. 7/24/1929 Forty and tight Beale Street Washboard Band Jazz/dance ensemble composer  
Gennett 12600 10-in. 2/23/1927 Dixieland stomp Melrose Dixieland Thumpers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 12611 10-in. 2/28/1927 Goo goo blues Melrose Dixieland Thumpers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 12612 10-in. 2/28/1927 Sweetness Melrose Dixieland Thumpers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 12613 10-in. 2/28/1927 47th Street stomp Melrose Dixieland Thumpers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 12614 10-in. 2/28/1927 Cootie stomp Melrose Dixieland Thumpers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 14802 10-in. 2/12/1929 Jelly Roll stomp Frank Melrose Piano solo, with drums instrumentalist, piano  
Gennett 14803 10-in. 2/12/1929 Pass the jug Frank Melrose Piano solo, with drums instrumentalist, piano  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Melrose, Frank," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100159.

Melrose, Frank. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100159.

"Melrose, Frank." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100159

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