This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1926. Musicians born that year included Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Events American author and dramatist Edna Ferber publishes the novel Show Boat, popularizing life in the Southern United States. Although Ferber never visited the south and invented her story from fictional minstrel themes, the real American Show Boats were steeped in the black Riverboat Jazz music of Mississippi and the Ohio Valley. American ragtime jazz pianist, bandleader and composer Jelly Roll Morton is signed by Victor and begins recording with the Red Hot Peppers, featuring Kid Ory, Omer Simeon, George Mitchell, Johnny St. Cyr, Barney Bigard, Johnny Dodds, and Baby Dodds. Duke Ellington and his band record "East St Louis Toodle-o" on November 29. The Jean Goldkette band with Bix Beiderbecke and Frankie Trumbauer start playing the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan in early October. Record releases Louis Armstrong's Hot Five releases recordings on Okeh: including Heebie Jeebies. Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers recordings on Victor:"Sidewalk Blues." Standards In 1926 standards published included "Big Butter and Egg Man", "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "'Deed I Do". Music criticism August: David Stanley Smith (1877–1949) Professor of Music at Yale University, dismisses Jazz as a serious art form in The Musician. November: Andrè Coeuroy (1895–1980) and Andrè Schaeffner publish Le Jazz. Jacques Émile Blanche (1861–1942) criticizes Jazz music and dance in La Revue nouvelle as a foreign import that threatens the nationality of France. Deaths Unknown date Edmund Jenkins, African-American composer during the Harlem Renaissance (born 1894). Births January 5 – Jack Brokensha, Australian-born American vibraphonist (died 2010). 8 – Renato Sellani, Italian pianist and composer (died 2014). 9 Bucky Pizzarelli, American guitarist and banjo player (died 2020). Randi Hultin, Norwegian jazz critic and impresario (died 2000). Roger Guérin, French trumpeter and singer (died 2010). 10 – Willie Dennis, American trombonist (died 1965). 13 – Melba Liston, American trombonist (died 1999). 16 – Stan Reynolds, British trumpeter, guitarist and bandleader (died 2018). 23 – Curtis Counce, American upright bassist (died 1963). 29 – Franco Cerri, Italian guitarist and upright bassist. February 2 – Mimi Perrin, French pianist and singer (died 2010). 6 – Bernie Glow, American trumpet player (died 1982). 8 – Pony Poindexter, American saxophonist (died 1988). 12 – Buddy Childers, American trumpet player (died 2007). 17 – Will Davis, American pianist. 20 – Bobby Jaspar, Belgian saxophonist and flautist