Ory's Creole Trombone
Encyclopedia
"Ory's Creole Trombone" is a jazz
composition by Kid Ory
. Ory first recorded it in Los Angeles in 1921 (or 1922, according to other sources). The band included Ory on trombone, Mutt Carey
on cornet, Dink Johnson
on clarinet, Fred Washington on piano, Ed Garland
on bass and Ben Borders on drums. The recording of "Ory's Creole Trombone" was released by John
and Reb Spikes
' short-lived Sunshine Records
label. It was the first issued recording session by an African American jazz band from New Orleans. (Contrary to sometimes repeated misinformation that it marked the first jazz recording made by a black orchestra., that honor goes to Wilbur Sweatman
. ) Other numbers recorded the same day included "When You're Alone Blues", "Krooked Blues", "Society Blues", "That Sweet Something Dear", "Maybe Some Day" and "Froggie Moore".
Ory's band was called Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra, but they used the name "Spike's Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra" for the Sunshine recordings. The label also released the same records credited to the Sunshine Band. According to Reb Spikes, recording studio owner Arne Nordskog first put his own Nordskog
labels on the produced records; Spikes then had to paste the Sunshine label over Nordskog's. The original records have become collector's items. In many cases the Sunshine label has eroded and parts of the Nordskog label can be seen beneath it.
Some of the masters
from the recording sessions were lost due to heat when they were transported from the West Coast to a pressing plant in New Jersey
. The melting wax rendered four of the six recordings completely unusable and left an audible click on the pressings of "Ory's Creole Trombone".
Ory recorded the piece several times. In 1927 he made a recording as part of Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five
. In 1945 he recorded it in Los Angeles with Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra.
"Ory's Creole Trombone" has clear ragtime
elements and is closer to the old New Orleans style than the music of many New Orleans musicians who recorded in Chicago, such as King Oliver. The composition is divided into 16-bar sections. Sections A and B follow the original melody closely with improvised variations. Section C functions as a chorus; this part is played in Ory's original recording as collective improvisation, while in Louis Armstrong's later recording the C section works as solo improvisation by Armstrong and clarinetist Jimmie Noone
.
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...
composition by Kid Ory
Kid Ory
Edward "Kid" Ory was a jazz trombonist and bandleader. He was born in Woodland Plantation near LaPlace, Louisiana.-Biography:...
. Ory first recorded it in Los Angeles in 1921 (or 1922, according to other sources). The band included Ory on trombone, Mutt Carey
Mutt Carey
Thomas "Papa Mutt" Carey was a New Orleans jazz trumpeter.Carey was born in Hahnville, Louisiana, and moved to New Orleans with his family in his youth. His older brother Jack Carey was a trombone player and bandleader; Mutt was playing cornet in his brother's band by about 1912. Carey toured the...
on cornet, Dink Johnson
Dink Johnson
Ollie "Dink" Johnson was a dixieland jazz pianist, clarinetist, and drummer.-Background:Dink Johnson was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, younger brother of the bass player/bandleader William Manuel Johnson. He worked around Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana before moving to the western United...
on clarinet, Fred Washington on piano, Ed Garland
Ed Garland
Edward Bertram Garland was a New Orleans jazz string bass player. He was commonly known as "Ed Garland", and sometimes "Montudie Garland" ....
on bass and Ben Borders on drums. The recording of "Ory's Creole Trombone" was released by John
John Spikes
John Curry Spikes was an American jazz musician and entrepreneur.Along with his brother Reb Spikes, John ran a traveling show band in early 1900s. At one point, Jelly Roll Morton was a member of the band...
and Reb Spikes
Reb Spikes
Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes Benjamin Franklin "Reb" Spikes (October 31, 1888 – February 24, 1982 was an American jazz saxophonist and entrepreneur. His composition with his brother John, "Someday Sweetheart", has become an often-recorded jazz standard.-Biography:...
' short-lived Sunshine Records
Sunshine Records
Sunshine Records was a small California based record label of the early 1920s, producing 6 double-sided gramophone records of early jazz and blues....
label. It was the first issued recording session by an African American jazz band from New Orleans. (Contrary to sometimes repeated misinformation that it marked the first jazz recording made by a black orchestra., that honor goes to Wilbur Sweatman
Wilbur Sweatman
Wilbur C. Sweatman was an African-American ragtime and dixieland jazz composer, bandleader, and clarinetist....
. ) Other numbers recorded the same day included "When You're Alone Blues", "Krooked Blues", "Society Blues", "That Sweet Something Dear", "Maybe Some Day" and "Froggie Moore".
Ory's band was called Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra, but they used the name "Spike's Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra" for the Sunshine recordings. The label also released the same records credited to the Sunshine Band. According to Reb Spikes, recording studio owner Arne Nordskog first put his own Nordskog
Nordskog Records
Nordskog Records was a small record label based in California in the early 1920s that produced some interesting historic recordings.Nordskog Records was founded by Andrae Nordskog of Santa Monica, California in 1922. The label's recording studio and factory were located in Los Angeles, California...
labels on the produced records; Spikes then had to paste the Sunshine label over Nordskog's. The original records have become collector's items. In many cases the Sunshine label has eroded and parts of the Nordskog label can be seen beneath it.
Some of the masters
Master recording
A multitrack recording master tape, disk or computer files on which productions are developed for later mixing, is known as the multi-track master, while the tape, disk or computer files holding a mix is called a mixed master.It is standard practice to make a copy of a master recording, known as...
from the recording sessions were lost due to heat when they were transported from the West Coast to a pressing plant in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The melting wax rendered four of the six recordings completely unusable and left an audible click on the pressings of "Ory's Creole Trombone".
Ory recorded the piece several times. In 1927 he made a recording as part of Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five
Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five
The Hot Five was Louis Armstrong's first jazz recording band led under his own name.It was a typical New Orleans jazz band in instrumentation, consisting of trumpet, clarinet, and trombone backed by a rhythm section...
. In 1945 he recorded it in Los Angeles with Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra.
"Ory's Creole Trombone" has clear ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
elements and is closer to the old New Orleans style than the music of many New Orleans musicians who recorded in Chicago, such as King Oliver. The composition is divided into 16-bar sections. Sections A and B follow the original melody closely with improvised variations. Section C functions as a chorus; this part is played in Ory's original recording as collective improvisation, while in Louis Armstrong's later recording the C section works as solo improvisation by Armstrong and clarinetist Jimmie Noone
Jimmie Noone
Jimmie Noone was an American jazz clarinetist.- Background :...
.