HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Kid Ory & His Creole Jazz Band

Birth of Jazz: Kid Ory

Kid Ory

Born in La Place, Louisiana, on 25 December 1886, trombone player, Kid Ory, had been discovered by Buddy Bolden in New Orleans and he largely remained a Dixieland traditionalist throughout his career. Upon a successful foundation as a band leader for some years in New Orleans he took off for Los Angeles where he made his first recordings in April 1922 with clarinetist, Mutt Carey, pianist, Dink Johnson and bassist, Ed Garland, backing vocalist, Roberta Dudley. Those tracks were 'Krooked Blues' and 'When You're Alone Blues'. Ory plays trombone on all tracks herein.

'When You're Alone Blues' Ory's Sunshine Orchestra backing Roberta Dudley

Recorded April 1922 3007A Nordskog 3007 / Sunshine 3001

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Dink Johnson Piano: Fred Washington

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Benjamin Spikes / John Spikes

'Krooked Blues' Ory's Sunshine Orchestra backing Roberta Dudley

Recorded April 1922 3007B Nordskog 3007 / Sunshine 3001

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Dink Johnson Piano: Fred Washington

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Dink Johnson / Benjamin Spikes / John Spikes

'That Sweet Something Dear' Ory's Sunshine Orchestra backing Ruth Lee

Recorded April 1922 Nordskog 3008 / Sunshine 3002

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Dink Johnson Piano: Fred Washington

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Benjamin Spikes

'Ory's Creole Trombone' Spikes' Seven Pods of Pepper Orchestra

Recorded c May 1922 Nordskog 3009 / Sunshine 3003

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Dink Johnson Piano: Fred Washington

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Kid Ory

Among the more important names with whom Ory laid numerous tracks were Louis Armstrong, Luis Russell and King Oliver.

'Muskrat Ramble' Ory in Louis Armstrong's Hot Five

Recorded 26 Feb 1926 in Chicago Columbia 36153 / OKeh 8300

Cornet: Armstrong Clarinet: Johnny Dodds

Piano: Lil Hardin Armstrong Banjo: Johnny St. Cyr

Composition: Kid Ory

Another of Ory's compositions was 'Blues for Jimmie' composed the day of Jimmie Noone's death on 19 April 1944 for that evening's broadcast of 'The Orson Welles Almanac' radio show.

'Blues for Jimmie' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded Aug 1944 in Los Angeles Crescent 2

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Omer Simeon

Piano: Buster Wilson Banjo: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Kid Ory

'Savoy Blues' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded Feb 1945 in Los Angeles Exner 3

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Joe Darensbourg

Piano: Buster Wilson Banjo: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Kid Ory

'Ballin' the Jack' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

"Ballin' the jack" is railroad lingo for "full speed ahead"

Recorded Feb 1945 in Los Angeles Exner 4

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet / vocal: Joe Darensbourg

Piano: Buster Wilson Banjo: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Ben Borders

Composition: Chris Smith / Jim Burris

'Blanche Touquatoux' is a poem written by Joseph Beaumont composed in the 19th century about Anastasie Desarzant, a black woman nicknamed Toucoutou who had wished to officially identify as white in 1859 but was defeated by the Louisiana Supreme Court. This text had been put to music variously and the setting below is believed to be by Ory and his sister-in-law, Cecile Ory.

'Blanche Touquatoux' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 21 March 1945 in Los Angeles Decca 25134

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Joe Darensbourg

Piano: Buster Wilson Banjo: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Vocals: Kid Ory / Cecile Ory

Setting: Kid Ory / Cecile Ory

'Careless Love' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 5 Aug 1945 in Los Angeles Crescent 5

Also issued on 'Tailgate!' Good Time Jazz L 12022 / 1957

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Omer Simeon

Piano: Buster Wilson Banjo: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Composition: W. C. Handy

'Farewell to Storyville' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band backing Helen Andrews

Recorded 12 Oct 1946 in Los Angeles Matrix HCO2087-1 Columbia 37277

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Barney Bigard

Piano: Buster Wilson Guitar: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Composition: Spencer & Clarence Williams

'Battle of Jericho' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 12 Oct 1946 in Los Angeles Matrix HCO2088-2 Columbia 37275

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Barney Bigard

Piano: Buster Wilson Guitar: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Vocals: Helen Andrews / Bud Scott

Composition: Anon traditional slave hymn

'Tiger Rag' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 12 Oct 1946 in Los Angeles Matrix HCO2088-2 Columbia 37274

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Barney Bigard

Piano: Buster Wilson Guitar: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Composition: Larry Shields / Nick LaRocca (ODJB)

'Eh, La Bas' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 21 Oct 1946 in Los Angeles Columbia 37275

Trumpet: Mutt Carey Clarinet: Barney Bigard

Piano: Buster Wilson Guitar: Bud Scott

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall Vocal: Kid Ory

Composition: Creole traditional prob New Orleans

'Who's Sorry Now' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

With the Castle Jazz Band / Charlie Lavere's Chicago Loopers / Pete Daily's Chicagoans

Recorded 7 Oct 1949 at the Shrine Auditorium in Pasadena Decca 9-11065

Composition: Ted Snyder

'Copenhagen' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 30 November or 2 December 2 1954 in Los Angeles

Album: 'Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band' 1955

Trumpet: Alvin Alcorn Clarinet: George Probert

Piano: Don Ewell Guitar: Barney Kessel

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Composition: Charlie Davis

'Shake That Thing' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 30 November or 2 December 2 1954 in Los Angeles

Album: 'Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band' 1955

Trumpet: Alvin Alcorn Clarinet: George Probert

Piano: Don Ewell Guitar: Barney Kessel

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall Vocal: Kid Ory

Composition: Papa Charlie Jackson

'Tin Roof Blues' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 30 November or 2 December 2 1954 in Los Angeles

Album: 'Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band' 1955

Trumpet: Alvin Alcorn Clarinet: George Probert

Piano: Don Ewell Guitar: Barney Kessel

String Bass: Ed Garland Drums: Minor Hall

Composition: New Orleans Rhythm Kings

'High Society' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded sometime 4-7 July 1957 at the Newport Jazz Festival Rhode Island

Album: 'Red Allen, Kid Ory & Jack Teagarden At Newport' Verve MGV 8233 / 1957

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen Clarinet: Buster Bailey

Trombone: Jack Teagarden / J.C.Higginbotham Piano: Claude Hopkins

String Bass: Arvell Shaw Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Clarence Williams

'Song of the Wanderer' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded sometime 27 Oct 1957 in Los Angeles Verve MGV 1014

Trumpet: Marty Marsala Clarinet: Darnell Howard

Piano: Cedric Haywood Guitar: Frank Haggerty

String Bass: Charlie Oden Drums: Earl Watkins

Composition: Neil Moret (Charles Daniels)

Ory hooked up with Henry Red Allen again in 1959. Their tour of Europe that year resulted in numerous recordings, such as their concert in Manchester, England, which would find its way onto the album, 'Live In England 1959' in 1981. Allen also joined Ory in the television broadcast of 'Chicago and All That Jazz' at NBC Studios in latter 1961.

'Christopher Columbus' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 13 July 1959 in Los Angeles Matrix 26422-2 Verve MGV 1020

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen Clarinet: Bob McCracken

Piano: Cedric Haywood Guitar: Frank Haggerty

String Bass: Charlie Oden or Marty Corb Drums: Alton Redd

Composition: Leon Chu Berry / Andy Razaf

'In the Mood' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 13 July 1959 in Los Angeles Matrix 26424-2 Verve MGV 1018

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen Clarinet: Bob McCracken

Piano: Cedric Haywood Guitar: Frank Haggerty

String Bass: Charlie Oden or Marty Corb Drums: Alton Redd

Composition: Joe Garland / Andy Razaf

'Shine' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band Film

Filmed 4 Oct 1959 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen Clarinet: Bob McCracken Piano: Cedric Haywood

String Bass: William Girsback Drums: Alton Redd

Vocals: Red Allen / Alton Redd

Composition: Lew Brown / Ford Dabney / Cecil Mack

'Do What Ory Say' Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band Film

Filmed 4 Oct 1959 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris

Trumpet / vocal: Henry Red Allen Clarinet: Bob McCracken Piano: Cedric Haywood

String Bass: William Girsback Drums: Alton Redd

Composition: Clarence Williams

'Without You for Inspiration' At 5:40 Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band Film

Filmed 4 Oct 1959 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen Clarinet: Bob McCracken Piano: Cedric Haywood

String Bass: William Girsback Drums: Alton Redd

Composition: Clarence Williams

'Chicago & All That Jazz' Kid Ory on television

26 Nov 1961 NBC-TV

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen / Jimmy McPartland Trombone: Jack Teagarden

Clarinet: Buster Bailey / PeeWee Russell

Tenor sax: Bud Freeman Piano: Lil Armstrong / Joe Sullivan

Guitar: Eddie Condon Banjo: Johnny St. Cyr

String Bass: Milt Hinton / Bob Hagart Drums: Zutty Singleton / Gene Krupa

Vocals: Mae Barnes / Blossom Seely

Ory retired from the music business in 1966, though later recorded tracks in April 1971 in New Orleans. Ory died in Honolulu on 23 January 1973 [obit].

Sources & References for Kid Ory:

Britannica

Bruce Raeburn

Caroline Vézina (Jazz à la Creole / The Jazz Archivist 2015)

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia

Scott Yanow

Compositions:

Ory's Creole Trombone (1921): David Sager Wikipedia

Kid Ory in Film: IMDb

Recordings by Ory: Albums:

Kid Ory And His Creole Jazz Band (Good Time Jazz L-12008 & GTJ L-12008 / 1955)