The Original Dixieland Jazz Band: Still Making Music After All These Years

It’s hard to believe that the Original Dixieland Jazz Band has been around for over a century! This incredible band has been entertaining audiences for generations with their unique style of music.

Despite their advanced age, the band is still going strong and continues to tour and perform regularly. If you’re a fan of jazz music, then you owe it to yourself to see the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in concert!

Introduction

In 1917, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band made history by recording the first ever jazz record. It was called “Livery Stable Blues” and it quickly became a best-seller. The band was formed in New Orleans by Nick LaRocca, Tony Sbarbaro and Eddie Edwards, and they changed the face of music forever.

Today, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band is still going strong. They’ve recorded over 50 albums and have toured all over the world. And they’re still making new fans along the way.

If you’re a fan of jazz, then you need to check out The Original Dixieland Jazz Band. They’re a band that truly knows how to swing!

The Early Years

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) was a band formed in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States in 1916 by Nick LaRocca on cornet, Tony Sbarbaro (aka Tony Spargo) on drums and Larry Shields on clarinet. The band made recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company and were a success both in the United States and overseas. They visited England in 1919 where they caused quite a stir with their new brand of music.

ODJB were not the first jazz band to make recordings – that honor goes to the Original Creole Orchestra – but they were the first to release a record that became a commercial success. That record, “Livery Stable Blues”, was recorded on February 26, 1917 and released in May of that year. It was an instant hit, becoming the first jazz recording to sell over a million copies.

The band continued to tour and make recordings until 1922 when they disbanded. LaRocca, Shields and Sbarbaro continued to play together as “The Three Musketeers” until LaRocca’s death in 1951.

The First Recordings

It all started in 1917 when Nick LaRocca, a young cornet player from New Orleans, went to Chicago with his band, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band. They made the first recordings of what would become known as jazz. The recordings were so popular that the band was invited to come to New York and play at Carnegie Hall. From there, they toured Europe and became hugely popular.

The band continued to play and record together for many years, even after LaRocca’s death in 1961. Today, the band is still going strong, with original members Claude Jones (trombone) and Larry Wiseman (drums) still playing with the band. If you’re a fan of jazz music, be sure to catch them on their next tour!

The First Tour

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) was a Dixieland jazz band that made the first recordings of the genre and brought it to a wider audience. The group was formed in 1916 by Nick LaRocca, Tony Sbarbaro (aka Tuba Fats) and Eddie Edwards in New York City. Larry Shields, another founding member, joined them a few months later. The band’s first appearance was at Reisenweber’s Café on February 26, 1917.

ODJB made the first commercial recordings of any kind of jazz on February 26, 1917, and they are credited with making the first jazz records ever issued. Their “Livery Stable Blues” and “Dixie Jass Band One-Step” were released on Columbia Records in December 1917, and became hits. The band’s popularity increased with the success of these records, and they began touring extensively throughout the United States and Europe.

In May 1918, the band made its first appearance in London at the Palladium Theater, where they were an instant hit with audiences. They continued to tour Britain and Europe for the next several years; their last European tour was in 1922.

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band continued to perform and record throughout the 1920s and 1930s; their last recording was made in 1938. The band remained active until LaRocca’s death in 1951. After that time, Edwards led various reunions of the group until his own death in 1963. The ODJB has been revived several times since then by Edwards’ widow Helen Oakley Dance and other musicians; it is still active today, more than 100 years after its formation.

The Later Years

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band was one of the most popular and influential jazz bands of the early 20th century. They were the first band to make recordings and tour extensively, and their style had a profound impact on the development of jazz.

The band continued to perform and record into the late 1920s, but eventually disbanded due to financial problems. Several members went on to have successful careers in other bands, but the Original Dixieland Jazz Band never reformed.

In the years since their dissolution, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band has been rediscovered by generations of music fans. Their records are now highly sought-after by collectors, and their legacy continues to inspire new generations of musicians.

The Reunions

TheODJB, as fans call them, has had two main lineups over the years. The original seven members – Tony Sbarbaro on drums, Harry Raderman on trombone, Edward L Crick on cornet, Henry Ragas on piano, Larry Shields on clarinet, Nick LaRocca on trumpet, and Eddie Edwards on tuba – first played together in 1916. They made their first recordings in 1917, and by 1919 were touring the country. They even went to Europe in 1920 and played to huge audiences there. But by 1925, the original lineup had disbanded.

The Legacy

It’s been one hundred years since the Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded the first ever jazz track, and they are still going strong today. The band was formed in New Orleans in 1916 by brothers Nick and Harry Thomas, and they quickly gained popularity with their unique brand of music. They toured the country and Europe, becoming one of the most famous bands of their time.

While other bands came and went, the Original Dixieland Jazz Band continued to play their music and entertain audiences all over the world. They have outlasted many of their contemporaries and are still going strong today. The band is now made up of Nick Thomas’s grandson Nick Jr. on trumpet, great-grandson Harry on trombone, and great-great-grandson Peter on clarinet. They continue to tour and perform their original brand of jazz music, keeping the legacy of the band alive for generations to come.

The Music

Though the original members of The Original Dixieland Jazz Band have all passed away, the band carries on to this day. The current lineup includes some of the most accomplished jazz musicians in the world and they continue to tour and record new music.

The band was formed in 1916 by Nick LaRocca, an accomplished cornet player. They were the first jazz band to ever make a commercial recording, which they did in 1917. Their recordings were popular and helped spread the popularity of jazz around the world. The band continued to tour and record throughout the 1920s and 1930s, becoming one of the most successful jazz bands of all time.

After a long hiatus, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band reformed in 1952 with a new lineup of musicians. They began touring and recording again and have been active ever since. The current lineup includes trumpeter John Allred, trombonist Dan Block, clarinetist Kenny Davern, pianist Dick Wellstood, bassist Butch Thompson, and drummer Hal Smith.

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. They continue to tour and perform to sold-out crowds all over the world.

The Band Members

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band was formed in 1916 and is considered to be one of the first Jazz bands. The band members were:
-Nick LaRocca: cornettist and leader
-Eddie Edwards: trombonist
-Larry Shields: clarinetist
-Henry Ragas: pianist
-Tony Sbarbaro: drummer

Conclusion

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band: Still Making Music After All These Years is a great book for anyone interested in learning more about the history of jazz music. The book chronicles the band’s journey from their formation in New Orleans, to their tour of Europe in 1917, to their present-day status as one of the most popular jazz bands in the world. In addition to being an informative read, the book is also filled with photos and quotes from band members, making it a great coffee table book for any music lover.