MEMPHIS STUDENTS, THE. Vaudeville act (fl. 1905-08 in New York, New York). This musical organization, which included about twenty singers, dancers, and instrumentalists, is credited with being the first to stage a public concert of syncopated music
(also called jazz in sources) in New York. The group was organized in May 1905 by
Ernest Hogan
and gave more than 150 performances at Hammerstein's Victoria Theater. In October 1905
Will Marion Cook
took over the group and carried it...
