Jazz Stamps

This article is about the topic of jazz stamps, or more specifically, the depiction of jazz musicians on postage stamps. Famous musicians are now popular subjects on stamps from countries around the world. They can be a way for a country to celebrate their own unique musical culture and instill pride in their population. In 1922, Austria was the first to feature musicians on stamps, with a set featuring seven classical composers associated with Vienna. While classical composers are the most numerous, composers from a wide variety of genres can now be seen on stamps. On this blog, you can learn about musicians on stamps from Japan, India, and Haiti, among others. Since the 1990s, the United States has been at the forefront of celebrating popular musicians on stamps, especially with the popular Legends of American Music series.

However, before the 1990s, the United States was very slow to celebrate its important musical culture. Perhaps the most important musical style from the country, arguably the most important art form from the country, is jazz music. This incredibly important musical form, which by the middle of the twentieth century was a worldwide phenomenon, had a major influence on culture, politics, and every other art form. Other twentieth century popular musical styles could not have been created without it. Yet, the United States was very slow to recognize its pioneering jazz musicians with postage stamps. This article is a history of jazz stamps in the United States and around the world.

Introduction

As I often say, stamps are political documents. In the United States, white cultural leaders and politicians would not acknowledge the importance of jazz music for decades after its creation around the turn of the century in New Orleans. It was largely cast as trivial and unsophisticated. Of course, this was because of racism. White dominant culture could not admit to the genius of Black musicians.

Even after it became more widely accepted, it took a very long time for the prominent jazz musicians to appear on U.S. stamps. Conversely, other countries did feature American jazz stars earlier. The first countries to issue postage stamps with U.S. jazz musicians were in Africa in the 1960s and 1970s.

Of course, it is common for African countries (and small countries elsewhere) to issue stamps with the primary purpose of being sold to collectors overseas. Yet, the early jazz stamps from Africa are worth discussing, even if some were speculative issues.

In the 1960s and 1970s, many of these African countries were newly independent from European colonial powers. The choice to celebrate Black musicians from the United States was a part of creating solidarity with and celebrating the achievements of Black people everywhere.

The history of jazz stamps is complicated. Indeed, it is not just a history of a musical style, but also of race relations and colonial history. As such, I will break it into several parts. First, I will consider the history of Black musicians on stamps from the United States. Next, I will look to the jazz stamps from African countries. Then, briefly, I’ll discuss jazz stamps from other places in the world.

U.S. Stamps

The United States did not feature any musicians on stamps until 1940. In that year, a set of American composers was issued, perhaps copying the idea from the Austrian set from 1922. It was a rather strange, and arguably mediocre, group featuring John Philip Sousa, Stephen Foster, Ethelbert Nevin, Victor Herbert, and Edward MacDowell. Only Sousa and Foster are important and recognized today. The other three are rather obscure names in the twenty-first century.

Significantly, there are no Black musicians in this group. One reason was the ten year rule, where in order to feature someone on a stamp they had to be dead for at least ten years. In 1940, few of the early titans of jazz or blues music were eligible. However, there was an immensely important Black composer who was not included. The incredible ragtime pianist and composer Scott Joplin died in 1917 and yet was not in the set. There is no question that he was more significant to American music than Nevin, Herbert, and MacDowell.

In general, until the Legends of American Music stamp series of the 1990s, there were few musicians on American stamps. After the 1940 composer series, the next two musicians on U.S. stamps were Francis Scott Key in 1948 and the Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Paderewski in 1960. While both were certainly musicians, these stamps were for other political reasons. Key is really only known for writing the “Star Spangled Banner,” and Paderewski was a part of the “Champions of Liberty” series because of his political career and service as Prime Minister. Still, they were among the dozen American stamps with musicians made between the 1940 composer series and the Legends series.

Black Musicians on U.S. Stamps

The year 1940 is significant in American postal history as in that year, Booker T. Washington became the first African-American to appear on a U.S. stamp. This really significant milestone probably also suggests why Joplin was not in the composer series of that year. The postal service was probably too tentative to feature more than a single Black man on a stamp that year.

It took nearly three more decades before a Black musician would appear on a U.S. stamp. That person was the Blues musician W.C. Handy who appeared on a stamp in 1969. Known as the “Father of the Blues,” Handy was a tremendously important figure in American music and vastly deserving of a stamp. Yet, this stamp did not suddenly change postal practice. It took until 1983 until there was a second Black musician on a stamp, and that was finally the moment when Scott Joplin got his due.

While the numbers of musicians on U.S. Stamps in general was paltry, and Black musicians in particular were barely present, appallingly, several foreign born musicians were on stamps. Russian born composer Igor Stravinsky in 1982, Italian tenor Enrico Caruso in 1987, and Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini in 1989. In addition to illustrating how Black musicians were overlooked, this also shows how American continued to idolize Europeans as the true artists and musicians of greatest importance.

Duke Ellington

The first true jazz musician on a stamp was the bandleader Duke Ellington in 1986. Of course, Ellington was an immensely important band leader, jazz pianist, and composer who was popular with both black and white audiences. He was an excellent choice for depiction on a stamp, and since I was a young child, I’ve always liked the design of this particular stamp.

Legends of Jazz Stamps

Then, in the 1990s, things began to change, and fast. As I have already mentioned, in 1993, the United states began issuing stamps in its long running Legends series. The first in this series was the famous Elvis stamp, and soon after there was a set of rock & roll and R&B musicians. Then in 1995, as a part of this series, a set of ten stamps featuring Legends of Jazz was released. This began with a stamp for the most famous of all, Louis Armstrong.

Nine other stamps feature an extraordinary group of musicians. The jazz set is probably the strongest set of stamp sin the whole Legends series. Amazingly, all ten stamps feature black musicians. It ranges from early pioneers Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton, to masters of bebop like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. Rounding out the group are Coleman Hawkins, James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, and Erroll Garner.

However, the Legends series was not done with celebrating jazz musicians. In fact, even before this set of ten stamps was issued in 1995, there had previously been a set of stamps from 1994 that was dedicated to jazz and blues singers. In this group were amazing jazz vocalists Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing, and Mildred Bailey.

Then, in 1996, there was a set of four additional stamps that depicted Swing, or Big Band, leaders. This set includes Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey. Interestingly, it is only in this set where there are white jazz musicians.

Later U.S. Jazz Stamps

The Legends series of stamps in the 1990s eventually featured more than seventy American musicians across all genres from classical and opera to jazz and rock & roll. It was a momentous stamp project and very important for recognizing the importance of American music. However, it was not the end of featuring jazz musicians on stamps. There have been several jazz titans recognized since then such as singer Ella Fitzgerland in 2006 and Latin jazz drummer Tito Puente in 2011.

Watch This Video from Exploring Stamps about the Jazz Stamp featuring Ella Fitzgerald:

In 2012, Miles Davis along with the French singer Édith Piaf were on a pair of stamps that were a joint issue between the United States and France. Then, in 2016, Sarah Vaughan appeared on a stamp in the Music Icon series. It took too long, but jazz musicians now seem to be a regular part feature on U.S. stamps.

African Stamps

Early jazz records may have first been taken to Africa with American sailors and merchant marines sometime around World War One. It slowly grew in popularity in the coming decades. World War II saw a tremendous growth in jazz popularity across the globe as American soldiers and Armed Forces Radio brought it everywhere. It popularity in Africa caused Louis Armstrong to give two extended African tours, the first in 1956 and the second in 1960-61. He performed for enormous crowds on the tour including a concert for more than 100,000 people in Ghana. It is thought that he played for more than half a million people in live performances on the two tours. Learn more here.

Many African countries became independent of European control in the 1960s. It seems that in many places, the popularity of the music was in part driven by a racial solidarity and in an effort to celebrate the achievements of Black people everywhere. African-American created jazz became a part of a global Black identity.

Of course, stamp collectors realize that some countries in Africa issue speculative stamps, or stamps that are really intended for western collectors and not for use in the home country. In fact, I believe the very first stamp featuring a jazz musicians was such a speculative issue. In 1967, Togo released a set of stamps that featured several western musicians, namely Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, and Duke Ellington. The stamps feature a portrait of the musicians and several musical instruments. The Ellington design appears on both the 15 and 30 franc denominations.

Louis Armstrong’s Death

Louis Armstrong died on July 6, 1971. His death was mourned across the continent and it is no surprise that many countries featured him on stamps shortly after his death. Many of these issues, like the Togo stamps, may have been speculative issues. However, given his popularity, these stamps may also have had an appeal within these countries.

On October 20th of 1971, a little more than three months after Armstrong died, Chad issued three stamps featuring jazz musicians. The stamps were to honor great Black musicians and the three men featured were Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong. When the stamps came out, Ellington was still alive. The three stamps have a handsome design, each with a solid color picture frame around a black & white photo. Armstrong’s death probably had nothing to do with the timing of this issue, yet it certainly created greater interest in the stamp set.

Senegal

About six week later, on November 27th, Senegal issued a stamp featuring Louis Armstrong. Again, we find a black & white photograph of Armstrong playing trumpet. This Senegalese stamp, with its simple and not terribly attractive design, was certainly created in honor of Armstrong’s death, as it has his life dates printed on the stamp. The stamp design is by the Belgian artist Jean Van Noten, and the stamps were printed by Delrieu, a Belgian subsidiary of a French company.

Niger

Niger was able to make two stamps available in 1971 featuring two different designs in honor of Louis Armstrong. The stamps once again have black and white photographs, this time against very colorful backgrounds. The set also lists Louis Armstrong’s birth and death dates, indicating the stamps were made to honor his recent death. The printing of the stamps was by the same Belgian subsidiary, Delrieu, that made the Senegalese stamp.

Mali

Then, on December 6th, Mali also came out with a set of three stamps. Of particular interest is that like the stamps from Chad, the set is to celebrate great Black musicians. However, this time the musicians are Nat King Cole, Erroll Garner, and, of course, Louis Armstrong. The stamps were probably already in the planning stages before Armstrong’s death. Notice the printer is once again the Delrieu company.

Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso)

Finally, in May of 1972 Upper Volta put out a pair of stamps. Once again, they were in honor of great black musicians. The rather trippy stamps feature Louis Armstrong and the great Hammond jazz organist Jimmy Smith. The designs are by the Shamir Brothers, famous Israeli graphic designers who created stamps for Israel and many countries in Africa.

This initial rush of stamps from Africa, at least partially in the wake of Louis Armstrong’s death, began a trend of African nations issuing stamps featuring jazz artists. In fact, there are far too many to cover. Many of these stamps are speculative issues made to appeal to topical stamp collectors in Europe and the United States. Jazz musicians continue to be popular figures on speculative stamps from some African countries to this day.

Other Jazz Stamps

As early as World War I, Black musicians took jazz to Europe where it became very popular. Then, during World War II, American soldiers and the Armed Forces radio, took jazz across the entire globe. The music became immensely popular in Africa, South America, and in certain parts of Asia.

It was often easier for Black jazz musicians to find success outside of the United States, and to have less restrictions on their lives. Europe was an especially welcoming place to American musicians. As early as the 1920s, musicians such as Sidney Bechet, found great admiration in France. He moved there permanently in 1950.

However, although jazz was tremendously popular in Europe, countries on the continent did not feature jazz musicians on stamps until the very end of the twentieth century. European countries also tend to feature musicians from their own country, sometimes in sets alongside American jazz greats. The earliest jazz stamp from a European country that I have so far identified is a 1993 French stamp that features Django Reinhardt, a tremendous Belgian-born, French guitarist known for creating “hot jazz.”

France 2002

When I think of jazz in Europe, I primarily think of its reception in France. So it is not a surprise that the country issued a set of jazz stamps in 2002 featuring six musicians. While three of the stamps are clearly American musicians (Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald), the other three have a French connection. For instance, the pianist Michel Petrucciani and violinist Stephane Grappelli were both born in France. The last stamp in the set features Sidney Bechet, who left the United States to live in France permanently in 1950. The stamps are colorful and feature abstract designs.

Belgium

Another country where jazz was extremely popular beginning in the early part of the twentieth century was Belgium. In 2004, it created a set of stamps featuring jazz musicians, all of whom were Belgian born. The five stamps feature the guitarists Django Reinhardt and Rene Thomas and the saxophonists Fud Candrix, Jack Sels, and Bobby Jaspar.

Poland

Surprisingly, Poland is a country that has created a number of stamps featuring jazz musicians, beginning in the 1990s. These one off stamps (not part of a set) feature Polish musicians, such as Mieczyslaw Kosz (1997), Krzystof Komeda (1994), Zbigniew Seifert (1996), Jarek Smietana (2017), and Jerzy Milian (2019).

Monaco

Other countries have issued single stamps featuring either jazz musicians (Oscar Peterson, Austria, 2003), jazz festivals (Gibraltar, 2012), or a general stamp celebrating “jazz” as a genre. One of these single stamps is from Monaco and features the French jazz trumpeter Aimé Barelli, who died in Monaco in 1995.

Canada

There are also stamps of jazz musicians from other places in the world. One of my favorites is a Canadian stamp featuring the amazing Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson from 2005.

Brazil

Another country that has featured a native-born jazz musician was Brazil. In 1993, they issued a stamp featuring Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho (aka Pixinguinha). He was an important composer, arranger, and saxophonist from Rio de Janeiro. He was famous for integrating jazz with older choro music and Afro-Brazilian rhythms.

Speculative Stamps

Finally, countries across the world issue speculative stamps, not just those in Africa. Jazz musicians have become a popular theme on these stamps, appealing to an international group of stamp collectors and jazz lovers. One of the places that issues the most of these types of jazz stamps has been St. Vincent and The Grenadines. This includes a particularly unattractive set from 1989. I feature a stamp of Gene Krupa, the great jazz drummer, from this set below.