George Guesnon
Encyclopedia
Creole George Guesnon (May 25, 1907, New Orleans - May 6, 1968, New Orleans) was an American jazz
banjoist, guitarist, composer, and singer.
Guesnon worked for his father, a plaster
er, as a teenager, and learned to play ukulele
from age 12 under the influence of his uncle. He played banjo at the Humming Bird cabaret from age 20, but tuned the instrument as if it were a ukulele. Later he studied the instrument with John Marrero, learning to play it in the traditional fashion. Guesnon took over Marrero's spot in Papa Celestin
's band in 1928, then filled Danny Barker
's slot in Willie Pajeaud's band at the Alamo. He worked in Sam Morgan
's band from 1930-35, then played in Monroe, Louisiana
with Lou Johnson
's Californians briefly.
In 1936 he moved to Jackson, Mississippi
, where he played and recorded in a band led by Little Brother Montgomery
. He did two tours with the show Rabbit Foot Minstrels, then returned to New Orleans in 1938, but found little work there and moved to New York City
. He worked with Jelly Roll Morton
and Trixie Smith
, and recorded four pieces for Decca Records
in April 1940, but returned to New Orleans once more in 1941. He worked on a Pullman car, then in the Merchant Marines during World War II
. He played locally in Louisiana in the 1950s, working with the Mighty Four at the Melody in from 1953 to 1955 and touring with George Lewis
in 1955. In the 1950s and 1960s he performed often with Kid Thomas Valentine
, and worked at Preservation Hall
regularly in his last decade. He recorded many of his own compositions, which may number as high as 100, for Icon Records
.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
banjoist, guitarist, composer, and singer.
Guesnon worked for his father, a plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
er, as a teenager, and learned to play ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
from age 12 under the influence of his uncle. He played banjo at the Humming Bird cabaret from age 20, but tuned the instrument as if it were a ukulele. Later he studied the instrument with John Marrero, learning to play it in the traditional fashion. Guesnon took over Marrero's spot in Papa Celestin
Papa Celestin
Oscar "Papa" Celestin was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist and vocalist.-Life and career:...
's band in 1928, then filled Danny Barker
Danny Barker
Danny Barker , born Daniel Moses Barker, was a jazz banjoist, singer, guitarist, songwriter, ukelele player and author from New Orleans, founder of the locally famous Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band...
's slot in Willie Pajeaud's band at the Alamo. He worked in Sam Morgan
Sam Morgan (musician)
Sam Morgan was a New Orleans jazz trumpet player and bandleader.The recordings by Sam Morgan's Jazz Band for Columbia Records in 1927 are some of the best regarded New Orleans classic jazz recordings of the decade, and continue to be influential....
's band from 1930-35, then played in Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
with Lou Johnson
Lou Johnson
Louis Brown Johnson , nicknamed "Sweet Lou" and "Slick", is a former Major League Baseball outfielder...
's Californians briefly.
In 1936 he moved to Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, where he played and recorded in a band led by Little Brother Montgomery
Little Brother Montgomery
Eurreal Wilford "Little Brother" Montgomery was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and blues pianist and singer....
. He did two tours with the show Rabbit Foot Minstrels, then returned to New Orleans in 1938, but found little work there and moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He worked with Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
and Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith
Trixie Smith was an African American blues singer, recording artist, vaudeville entertainer, and actress. She made four dozen recordings.-Biography:...
, and recorded four pieces for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
in April 1940, but returned to New Orleans once more in 1941. He worked on a Pullman car, then in the Merchant Marines during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He played locally in Louisiana in the 1950s, working with the Mighty Four at the Melody in from 1953 to 1955 and touring with George Lewis
George Lewis (clarinetist)
George Lewis was an American jazz clarinetist who achieved his greatest fame and influence in the later decades of his life.-Ancestry:...
in 1955. In the 1950s and 1960s he performed often with Kid Thomas Valentine
Kid Thomas Valentine
Thomas Valentine, commonly known as Kid Thomas was a jazz trumpeter and bandleader.Kid Thomas was born in Reserve, Louisiana and came to New Orleans in his youth. He gained a reputation as a hot trumpet man in the early 1920s. Starting in 1926 he led his own band, for decades based in the New...
, and worked at Preservation Hall
Preservation Hall
Preservation Hall is a noted jazz performance hall located at 726 St. Peter Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It hosts nightly concerts featuring a rotating roster of bands. The bands of Preservation Hall typically perform jazz in the New Orleans style.Despite the fame of the...
regularly in his last decade. He recorded many of his own compositions, which may number as high as 100, for Icon Records
Icon Records
Icon Records, in association with Universal Music Group, is a Canadian record label established by Rui Da Silva in 2006 and distributed through Fontana Distribution.-Artists:* Jason Blaine* Mike Callan* Joelle* John Landry* George Jones...
.