Freddie Keppard

Freddie Keppard, sometimes Freddy Keppard written, (* February 27, 1890 or 1889 in New Orleans, † July 15, 1933 in Chicago) was an American cornetist in early jazz.

Life

Keppard played mandolin, violin and accordion, before he switched to cornet. He played in New Orleans in the Olympic Orchestra (from 1906) and then as one of the successors of Buddy Bolden in Frankie Dusen 's Eagle Band. He was regarded by Bolden's career end with his being committed to a mental hospital in 1907 as a leading cornet players in the city (King Keppard ).

Between 1913 and 1914 he played alongside Gabriel Martin in The National Orchestra - ensemble.

The end of 1912 he went with Bill Johnson's band to Los Angeles, and King Oliver took over in New Orleans his throne. With Johnson and her Original Creole Orchestra from 1914 to 1918 they toured in vaudeville shows around the country. The audience in the north of the USA was the first time such an impression of the games played in New Orleans Jazz - at that time not yet called that. In 1915 she received in New York, a selection of recordings of Victor, but Keppard refused on the grounds that offered $ 25, he would consume daily to Gin (another reason was the suspicion of being taken in by the record company or that their numbers would be stolen by other musicians ). The opportunity to hear him on some of the earliest jazz recordings ever was so vanished forever.

In 1917 he moved to Chicago where he played with the bands of Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Lawrence Duhe, Erskine Tate, Doc Cook, Don Pasquall, Charles Elgar and Lil Hardin Armstrong. All known recordings are from Chicago (1924-1927), particularly with Freddie Keppard Jazz Cardinals ( Stockyard Strut 1926, a variant of Tiger Rag ) and the Doc Cooke 's Dreamland Orchestra. According to some musicians who are still both knew, his style had the greatest similarity to that of the legendary Buddy Bolden, of which no recordings are obtained. Forgot Keppard died by suicide in Chicago, in 1928 from tuberculosis, which made his work impossible, and for years addicted to alcoholism.