Mezz Mezzrow - Pot Dealer to Jazz Luminaries

Mezz Mezzrow (1899-1972) was an American jazz musician who remains more famous for selling marijuana than his abilities on the clarinet and saxophone. Mezz sold to Louis Armstrong, and briefly worked as his manager. His name, 'Mezz' became slang for marijuana.

Mezz is mentioned in the original 1936 recording of 'If You're a Viper' by Stuff Smith. This song has gone on to see many recordings, including the epic Fats Waller recording of the song (called 'The Reefer Song'). High times rated the song #14 in their top 25 pot songs of all time in 2002.

Mezz Mezzrow

His autobiography 'Really the Blues' he explains that the moment he heard jazz music, he "was going to be a Negro musician, hipping [teaching] the world about the blues the way only Negroes can." Mezz believed that he was actually, physically, turning black. He was busted smuggling  joints into a jazz club at the 1939 World's Fair, and sent to jail. He explained to the officers that he was "colored, even if I don't look it" and requested to be housed in the segregated 'colored' part of the jail.

Mezz lived out the last 20 years of his life in Paris, dying in 1972.

Listen to You'se a Viper on YouTube.

(c) 2012 Stoner Living