Baby Dodds

Warren " Baby" Dodds ( born December 24, 1898 in New Orleans, † February 14, 1959 in Chicago), the younger brother of clarinetist Johnny Dodds, was the first important jazz drummer.

As a child, he learned drums, at 16 he got his first drum, played in the early days of jazz already with Kid Ory (briefly with his brother, but because of his lack of ability he had to leave the band, what inspired him to reinforced practice ), Bunk Johnson, Papa Celestin, Jack Carey and Willie Hightower. In 1918, he was with Fate Marable 's band that played on Mississippi riverboats, including with Louis Armstrong. With King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band (from 1921) he went to San Francisco and Chicago. He remained there even after resolution of Oliver's band until his death, often with his brother playing together ( as in the band from 1927 to 1929 in Kelly 's Stables with Freddie Keppard ). Besides, he was involved in a taxi company. In Chicago, he participated in recordings with Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong's especially famous Hot Seven ( Hot Fives & Sevens ). After the death of his brother in 1940, he played in the bands of Jimmie Noone, Bunk Johnson, Art Hodes and Mezz Mezzrow. After George Wettling he was but at the time controversial, as its companion game more like a solo sounded. In 1949 he suffered several strokes, which paralyzed him some, but he still came on every now and then.

Disco Graphical Notes

• Baby Dodds ( American Music in 1944 /45)
• Jazz a la Creole (CHB 1946 /47)