(March 18th 1893 - March 24th 1962)

John Jean Goldkette was a child prodigy born in Valenciennes, France in 1893 who studied piano in Moscow before immigrating with his family to the United States in 1911. In Chicago after performing with classical ensembles he joined one of Edgar Benson's dance orchestras. Transitioning to jazz Goldkette rented a ballroom in Detroit during the early '20s and formed his famous Orchestra. His empire grew to include ownership of numerous dance halls and management of more than twenty bands before filing for bankruptcy in 1936. Jean Goldkette's best known Orchestra recorded extensively for Victor between 1924 and 1929 featuring many top jazz musicians.