Peter Bocage

Peter Bocage, called Red Brown, (* August 4, 1887 Algiers, Louisiana; † December 3, 1967 New Orleans) was an American jazz cornetist of the early New Orleans jazz. He also played the violin and sometimes trombone, banjo, guitar, xylophone and other instruments.

Life and work

Bocage was born the son of a prosperous Creole family in Algiers (across from New Orleans on the other bank of the Mississippi ). He learned violin at age 13 and started playing in his father's band, then in various bands in Storyville.

In 1908 he became head of the Superior Orchestra, in which he also played violin ( and Bunk Johnson cornet). In 1910 he played in the " Eagle Band " ( of a marching band ) by Frankie Dusen violin. After that, he taught himself the trumpet game and worked in 1917 in the orchestra of Fate Marable on paddle steamers.

He played in many bands at that time known as the " Onward Brass Band " (with King Oliver ) and "Tuxedo Orchestra" by Papa Celestin ( with Louis Armstrong ). 1922 until its dissolution in the depression 1932 he took over the management of the " Excelsior Brass Band ". In 1923 he joined " Armand Piron New Orleans Orchestra" at, with whom he briefly played in 1923 at the Cotton Club in Harlem and with which he made in 1925 and 1932 recordings.

In the late 1930s he worked for an insurance company, but played again with the beginning of the Dixieland revival in the 1940s ( and a short time in 1939 in Boston with Sidney Bechet as a replacement for giving false - playing fired from Bechet Bunk Johnson ), for B. Brass Band of Henry Allen Sr. and the " Creole Serenaders " from the 1950s. In the 1960s he was also a member of the band in the " Preservation Hall ".

All his life he described himself not as a jazz musician, but as a ragtime musician of the traditionally maintained in "Downtown" New Orleans style ( mainly in the Creole quarter, including the French Quarter of New Orleans). The " Uptown " ( the more "english " embossed part on the other side of Canal Street ) from the " Syncopaters " neat hot style of Buddy Bolden, Freddie Keppard or Bunk Johnson ( which he read music taught ) he rejected as vicious ( " vicious " ) from.