DAVENPORT, Iowa — With the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the 49th Bix Memorial Jazz Festival, some of Bix's biggest fans still paid tribute on the anniversary of his passing.
The Bix Jazz Society broadcasted the 49th annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival online last weekend to bring the Quad Cities its annual fix of live jazz.
Typically, that week-long festival will include a memorial at the Oakdale Memorial Gardens.
"[The Bix Jazz Society typically has] a band here at the cemetery with a lot of people gathered around and celebrating his life... but with COVID we can’t do that," said Bix historian and musician Josh Duffee.
Duffee said he organized Thursday's event to celebrate the 89th anniversary of Bix’s passing in-person with a more intimate setting.
Duffee was joined by family of Bix Beiderbecke and other local historians and fanatics at Bix's gravesite. Together, they played 78rpm records from the 1910s and 1920s.
"Once you hear that first jazz record it just gets inside you and it stays there," said Duffee. "It’s infectious."
Chris Beiderbecke grew up listening to his great uncle and calls him an innovator.
"[Bix] led the way for a lot of jazz musicians to follow," said Beiderbecke. "They referred to him as the Jimmy Hendrix of the jazz age and I thought that was kind of cool."
Beiderbecke said Thursday's remembrance event was more intimate and more solemn for remembering the late legend.
"As a matter of fact, I think it’s almost more fitting than having a very large crowd," said Beiderbecke. "We’re here to remember Bix and to pay our respects and you don’t need a crowd to do that."
After a gathering at the ceremony, the group migrated to Bix's home at 1934 Grand Ave in Davenport, IA. There, Duffee hosted a watch party on Facebook for those around the world to commemorate Bix by listening to his greatest hits.
"I will have a small set-up on the porch at Bix's Home where I will be playing records from my collection of the bands that Bix recorded with, as well as records of songs and bands that Bix listened to growing up," Duffee said.
Duffee said all donations and tips from tonight's event will be shared between the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society, and The Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archive in Davenport.
Next year marks the 90th Anniversary of his passing during the 50th Anniversary of the Bix Jazz Festival.