Group    From 1918  To 1922

Southern Syncopated Orchestra

Categories: Music / songs

Countries: Caribbean Islands, Ghana, USA

Jazz band. Founded by Will Marion Cook, the all-black band included performers from many areas including the U.S.A., the Caribbean and Ghana. They became extremely popular throughout Europe and performed for the future Edward VIII at Buckingham Palace. On October 9th 1921, whilst sailing from Glasgow to Dublin on the S.S. Rowan, the boat collided with a steamer. Another ship answering their distress call also collided in the fog, causing the Rowan to sink in about a minute. Reports vary, but eight or nine musicians died in the tragedy. Within a year the orchestra had broken up.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Southern Syncopated Orchestra

Commemorated ati

Frank Bates

Frank Bates, 1889 - 1921, vocalist and lead singer with pioneering jazz ensem...

Read More

Pete Robinson

Pete Robinson, 1888 - 1921, drummer and leading member of the Southern Syncop...

Read More

Other Subjects

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Composer. Born 15 Theobalds Road, of a mixed race couple, his father being a Sierra Leonean Creole, and brought up in Croydon. His surname was Taylor and he was given the names Samuel Coleridge in ...

Person, Music / songs, Race Issues

3 memorials
Kenney Jones

Kenney Jones

Drummer. Initially he was part of the Small Faces group, then joined The Who after the death of their original drummer Keith Moon. 

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial
Jazzie B

Jazzie B

D.J. and music producer. Born as Trevor Beresford Romeo in Hornsey. He founded the group Soul II Soul and has produced for many musicians and singers.

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial
Trinity College of Music

Trinity College of Music

Founded as the Church Choral Society by the Reverend Henry George Bonavia Hunt. with the intention of improving the teaching of church music. In 1873 it became the College of Church Music, and then...

Place, Music / songs

1 memorial
Ray Carless

Ray Carless

Seminal black British 1980s big band Jazz Warriors tenor saxophonist. Born Jamaica. As part of the Windrush generation his parents came to London. Ray joined them in East London in 1963. Died at th...

Person, Music / songs, Jamaica

1 memorial