Frank Christian (trumpeter)
Frank Joseph Christian ( born September 3, 1887 in New Orleans, † November 27, 1973 ) was an American jazz cornetist -.
Frank Christian brothers Emile Christian and Charles Christian (1886-1964) were also musicians. In his youth he played many instruments (trumpet, clarinet, violin, tuba); from 1908 he worked at Papa Jack Laine. He also played in the band of Tom Brown, Johnny Fischer and his own band. In 1916, he was actually the first choice to go with Johnny Stone to Chicago, from which the Original Dixieland Jass band was born, in 1917 made the first jazz recordings. He was rehearsing with the band, then pulled it before but to stay in New Orleans, where he was much employed. Instead Nick LaRocca was in the first formation of ODJB.
After the success of ODJB and other bands from New Orleans to the north he went to Chicago where he played with Johnny Fischer and Anton Lada, and then to New York where he played with a New Orleans band at the Club Alamo. An offer by Nick LaRocca - thus wanted to get rid of the competition - return for $ 200 to New Orleans, he refused and instead founded the Original New Orleans Jazz Band, with whom he 1918/19, recorded. The management of the band, he gave in 1920 to Jimmy Durante from. After the end of the band he played in Vaudeville with Gilda Gray and in theater bands and dance bands. Later he returned to New Orleans.
Lexical entry
- John Chilton: Who's Who of Jazz, Da Capo 1985