European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 13, 1948, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Jazz the Riviera weekend photographs. By. I. M. Be heft and Charles Chadel. First International jazz festival puts a monumental. Group of american musical heroes on display before their european worshippers in a Tufeek Long Jamboree for seven consecutive nights at the end of last month several thousand europeans were treated to the sight and sound of some of their greatest american heroes in action. The first International jazz festival had summoned to Nice on the Winter chilled Riviera what was probably the most monumental group of american band men Ever assembled in one place. Names that have been legend to the european music Public for the last three decades were scattered Over the festival program As a emphatically As if they belonged to members of a pickup outfit playing for a dance at the local elks club undisputed Regent of Nice for the week was Louis Armstrong old Satcho the rasp throated Horn player who to fans through. Out the world is or. Jazz himself. Tagging along with him As members of his ensemble were such old time jazz immortals As trombonist Jack Teagarden pianist Earl father Hines drummer Sid Catlett and clarinet St Barney bigard. Ranged against Arm Strong in a rivalry that was More personal than professional was Milton papa Mezz Mezirow one of the giants of the fabulous Chicago age. His group included Bass player George pop Foster and drummer Warren baby Dodds. Tossed in for bulk with these stars was a combination which had already been parading triumphantly about the continent for several months under. Rex Stewart whom some consider second Only to Satcho himself among jazz trumpet  this glittering assemblage ploughed confidently through the week Long program of. Nightly concerts at the cramped Nice opera and dancing in the bar like Hall of the municipal Casino. The five bands which had been selected to join them from among their most assiduous european imitators toiled along zealously in their swell. Most of the european combines were a couple of decades astern. They confined themselves largely to the classical blues rags and stomps of the twenties adhering almost painfully to the Purist stand Ards of the veritable jazz while their heroes from the states tinkered around with a sort of refined modernized Dixieland and took an occasional fling at bebop. As far As the worshipful Public was concerned the transatlantic visitors could do no wrong. As a result in moments of disinterest or whimsical Ity the americans got away with murder in the name of jazz. They knew they could have played the Star spangled Banner in unison and been hailed for sheer Genius. By and Large however the big Hoys showed die sure touch and sense of jazz that have Given them their heroic reputations. By the time the sounds of stomping had come to their final Climax in a gala Ball at the super Swank hotel Negrescu Europe s fans were assured that jazz still belonged to the u.s.a., and when they wanted some of the real stuff they d still have to Send to the states for it. Elegant crowd brought the Riviera s midwinter jazz spree to a gala Windup in a formal Ball at Swank hotel Negrescu. Weekend March 13, Al