Young Tuxedo Brass Band
Encyclopedia
The Young Tuxedo Brass Band is a brass band
from New Orleans, which was influential on the New Orleans jazz
scene in the years after World War II
.
The Young Tuxedo Brass Band was founded in 1938 by John Casimir
. Its name is a nod to the Tuxedo Brass Band
of Papa Celestin
, an important ensemble active in New Orleans in the 1910s and 1920s. The ensemble generally held between nine and eleven players, with two trumpets, two trombones, two reeds, a sousaphone
or tuba, a snare drum, and a bass drum. Their first record was issued in 1958 on Atlantic Records
, and featured Paul Barbarin
on drums; other personnel included Andy Anderson and John Brunious on trumpet, Clement Tervalon, Eddie Pierson, and Jim Robinson
on trombone, reedists Herman Sherman
and Andrew Morgan
, and drummer Emile Knox.
In 1963 Wilbert Tilman, the group's founding sousaphonist and Casimir's cousin, took control of the group, but retired later that year due to poor health; Andrew Morgan took over until his death in 1972. Following this Herman Sherman became the group's leader until his death in 1984. During Sherman's tenure, they appeared at the 1976 Smithsonian Folklife Festival to celebrate the Bi-Centennial of the United States in Washington D. C. and appeared at the White House on Father's Day, 1978 for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Newport Jazz Festival. The band also recorded with former Beatle Paul McCartney in New orleans in 1975. In 1983, they recorded Jazz Continues on 504 Records of England which was a sequel to the Atlantic recording "Jazz Begins". This featured Herman Sherman, alto sax, Joseph Torregano, tenor sax, Michael White, clarinet, John Simmons,trumpet, Joshua "Jack" Willis, cornet and mellophone; Gregory Stafford, clarinet, Lawrence Trotter, snare drum, Chalres Barbarin (nephew of the great Paul Barbarin) bass drum; Walter Payton,sousaphone, Lester Caliste and Clement Tervalon, trombones. Herman Sherman and Clement Tervalon were both on the original 1958 recording.
The band has been under the leadership of Gregg Stafford since Sherman's death in 1984; and is one of the last true representations of a traditional New Orleans Brass Band playing the hymns, dirges, and songs of the brass repertoire. Tenor saxophonist Joseph Torregano, Stafford, and Michael White are the longest tenured members of the band. They can be seen annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
from New Orleans, which was influential on the New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
scene in the years after 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...
.
The Young Tuxedo Brass Band was founded in 1938 by John Casimir
John Casimir (clarinetist)
John Casimir was a New Orleans jazz clarinetist and bandleader, best remembered as the leader of The Young Tuxedo Brass Band for some 20 years up to his death....
. Its name is a nod to the Tuxedo Brass Band
Tuxedo Brass Band
The Tuxedo Brass Band, sometimes called the Original Tuxedo Brass Band, was one of the most highly regarded brass bands of New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1910s and 1920s....
of Papa Celestin
Papa Celestin
Oscar "Papa" Celestin was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist and vocalist.-Life and career:...
, an important ensemble active in New Orleans in the 1910s and 1920s. The ensemble generally held between nine and eleven players, with two trumpets, two trombones, two reeds, a sousaphone
Sousaphone
The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
or tuba, a snare drum, and a bass drum. Their first record was issued in 1958 on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, and featured Paul Barbarin
Paul Barbarin
Adolphe Paul Barbarin was a New Orleans jazz drummer, usually regarded as one of the very best of the pre-Big Band era jazz drummers...
on drums; other personnel included Andy Anderson and John Brunious on trumpet, Clement Tervalon, Eddie Pierson, and Jim Robinson
Jim Robinson (trombonist)
Jim Robinson, also known as Big Jim Robinson was an American jazz musician, based in New Orleans, renowned for his deep, wide-toned, robust "tailgate" style of trombone playing, which enabled him to achieve a wide swoop between two notes as he moved the slide—while continually buzzing air...
on trombone, reedists Herman Sherman
Herman Sherman
Herman Edward Sherman, Sr. , was an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader.Sherman was born in New Orleans. He played clarinet in high school and later picked up alto and tenor sax. He began working with brass bands on the New Orleans jazz scene around 1940, playing in the Eureka Brass Band, the...
and Andrew Morgan
Andrew Morgan
Andrew Morgan was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist....
, and drummer Emile Knox.
In 1963 Wilbert Tilman, the group's founding sousaphonist and Casimir's cousin, took control of the group, but retired later that year due to poor health; Andrew Morgan took over until his death in 1972. Following this Herman Sherman became the group's leader until his death in 1984. During Sherman's tenure, they appeared at the 1976 Smithsonian Folklife Festival to celebrate the Bi-Centennial of the United States in Washington D. C. and appeared at the White House on Father's Day, 1978 for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Newport Jazz Festival. The band also recorded with former Beatle Paul McCartney in New orleans in 1975. In 1983, they recorded Jazz Continues on 504 Records of England which was a sequel to the Atlantic recording "Jazz Begins". This featured Herman Sherman, alto sax, Joseph Torregano, tenor sax, Michael White, clarinet, John Simmons,trumpet, Joshua "Jack" Willis, cornet and mellophone; Gregory Stafford, clarinet, Lawrence Trotter, snare drum, Chalres Barbarin (nephew of the great Paul Barbarin) bass drum; Walter Payton,sousaphone, Lester Caliste and Clement Tervalon, trombones. Herman Sherman and Clement Tervalon were both on the original 1958 recording.
The band has been under the leadership of Gregg Stafford since Sherman's death in 1984; and is one of the last true representations of a traditional New Orleans Brass Band playing the hymns, dirges, and songs of the brass repertoire. Tenor saxophonist Joseph Torregano, Stafford, and Michael White are the longest tenured members of the band. They can be seen annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Discography
- New Orleans Joys (Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, 1958) - Jazz Continues (504 Records504 Records504 Records is a record label founded by Mike Dine in 1978 that specializes in New Orleans traditional jazz.The name is inspired by the New Orleans telephone area code....
, 1983)