Buck & Bubbles

about

John William Sublett (February 19, 1902 in Louisville, Kentucky – May 18, 1986 in New York City), known by his stage name John W. Bubbles, was an American vaudeville performer, dancer, singer and entertainer. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, his family soon moved to Indianapolis. Here, he formed a partnership with Ford L. "Buck" Washington known as "Buck and Bubbles," with Buck playing stride piano and singing while Bubbles tapped, beginning in 1919. The two appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1931 and were the first black artists to appear at the Radio City Music Hall. On November 2, 1936, they performed live in the inaugural programme of the world's first scheduled 'high definition' (240-line or better) television service at Alexandra Palace, London, and may thus be said to be the first black artists in television history. Sublett is known as the father of "rhythm tap", a form of tap dance. As opposed to the tap dancing of Bill Robinson (Bojangles) who emphasized clean phrases and toe taps, Sublett brought in percussive heel drops and played with the traditional eight-bar phrase, slowing it down to allow for more rhythmic freedom. He thus merged the art of tap dancing with the new improvisatory style of jazz, reinventing the tap artform. Though unable to read music, Bubbles was chosen by George Gershwin to create the role of Sportin' Life in his opera Porgy and Bess in 1935. Sublett performed the role occasionally for the next two decades. In 1963, in a studio recording of Po

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albums

The Essential George Gershwin

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The Essential George Gershwin (CD1)

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The Essential George Gershwin [Disc 1]

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Masters Of Jazz & Swing

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Legends Of Jazz

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Disc 1

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The Essential George Gershwin (Disc 1)

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George Gershwin The Essential George Gershwin / CD 1

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Cotton Club

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Rhapsodies In Black: Music And Words From The Harlem Renaissance/4: Lustin' For Love & Life

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The Essential

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Stars of the Apollo

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