Paul Barbarin

Paul Barbarin ( born May 5, 1899 in New Orleans, † February 10, 1969 in New Orleans), applies in addition to Baby Dodds as one of the most important drummers of the early New Orleans jazz.

Life and work

His father, Isidore was in the Onward Brass Band, and all his brothers played music. Even as a teenager he played in bands like the Young Olympia Brass Band by Buddy Petit, and he continued also in 1917 in Chicago, where he worked in a factory during the day. From 1920 he went on tour, among others with Freddie Keppard and his brother Jimmie Noone. Back in New Orleans he played with Luis Russell, 1924-1927 by King Oliver 's Dixie Syncopators in Chicago before he returned to New Orleans. Later, he moved again and again in his home town, so after staying 1928-1932 in New York City, where he among other things, played with Luis Russell again. 1935 to 1938 he played in the Luis Russell Orchestra, as this companion of Louis Armstrong was. In 1941, he briefly played again with Armstrong, then with Red Allen and in his own bands. In 1944 he played with Sidney Bechet. Then he straightened up in New Orleans as a base, but still occasionally toured to New York, Chicago ( so 1953 with Art Hodes ), Los Angeles (1955 ) and Canada ( 1959). He led his own bands ( inter alia with the singer Blanche Thomas ), played in processions and let rise again in 1955, the Onward Brass Band of his father. He died in 1969 at the head during a parade at Mardi Gras. In the same year his band had been approved as first black belt in the Proteus parade of Lundi Gras ( the day before Mardi Gras).

Disco Graphical Notes

• Streets of the City ( 504 Records, 1950-56 )
• Paul Barbarin and his Band ( Storyville, 1951) with Johnny St. Cyr
• In Concert 1951-1959 (504 Records, 1951-59 )
• Paul Barbarin and His New Orleans band (Atlantic, 1955) with John Brunious Sr., Danny Barker, Milt Hinton