Charles P. Lowe was an American xylophonist who made numerous recordings in the early days of the recording industry.
In 1883 Lowe was featured in a series of concerts at West End, New Orleans directed by Gustav D'Aquin. [1] Lowe was a featured performer in New York theaters in the 1880s, including Huber's Prospect Garden (1884). [2]
Lowe first recorded for the New Jersey Phonograph Company in 1892 and remained the most prominent xylophonist in the recording industry's formative years. [3] [4] He recorded for most American record companies in existence before 1905, including 21 titles for Berliner Gramophone between 1897 and 1899, [5] Columbia cylinders (pre-1900 to 1905) and discs (1902 to 1905), [3] [5] [6] Edison cylinders, [7] Victor Records from 1900 to 1904, [3] [5] and numerous recordings for Zonophone between 1900 and 1903. [5] His last recordings were made in 1905. [3]
Lowe played xylophones with rounded bars in order to ease the execution of glissandi. [8] His rolls were played in a faster style than was to be common later. [8]
He was married to contralto Jacobine Wichmann Lowe, who performed as "Miss Jottie". [3]
