In the wake of the 1948 Zulu Mardi Gras
Parade, Johnny Wiggs, Gilbert Erskine, Al Dikert and Don Perry were enjoying the
music of traditional Dixieland jazz bands. It was just after World War II and
the big band swing era was still the predominant music hear in New Orleans as in
the rest of the US. They were upset that in birthplace of jazz, jazz could only
be heard in underground clubs and at Mardi Gras parades. These affectionarios
wanted to make a difference, so they called a meeting in the backroom of Orin
Blackstone's record store on Baronne Street across from the old DeSoto Hotel,
where they formed the New Orleans Jazz Club.
During their first meeting, an impromptu jam session started that sparked the
idea of holding a concert. On May 23, 1948, the Club rented the Parisian Room on
Royal Street for its first jazz concert. Performers in that band were: Johnny
Wiggs, Bujie Centobie, Julian Laine, Armand Hug, Chink Martin, Frank Frederico
and Freddie King. This early success resulted in a second concert with an even
larger crowd and The Parisian Room signed Sharkey Bonano and his band for
regular Sunday concerts.
The Club was quickly outgrowing its back room location at the record store
where regular meetings included record playing and live sessions. Short lectures
were also presented by such personalities as George Baquet, formerly one of
Jelly Roll Morton's sidemen.
In 1949, the Club sponsored 8 open-air concerts in Congo Square (now
Beauregard Square) using facilities the Summer Pops facilities on nights off.
Such bands as Papa Celistin, Johnny Wiggs, George Girard, Pete Fountain, Paul
Barbarin, George Lewis, Sharkey, and Sal Franzella. This medley provided New
Orleaneans with a view of long-silent old-timers and preview of new performers.
The concert series even received a full-page coverage in Newsweek magazine,
local radio airing, and one concert being nationally released over the ABC
Network.
Perhaps sparked by the Club's early efforts to reawaken the City's jazz
activities, numerous events took place. Four thousand jazz records were donated
to the Milton Latter Memorial Library so that people could enjoy and study the
work of lost and forgotten songs by famous and unknown artists. Jam sessions
were held at the Delgado Museum of Art. Joint meetings were held between the
Club and the New Orleans Art Association. The attitudes of reporters and editors
of newspapers seemed to change as they provided more, and serious, coverage of
New Orleans jazz heritage. Club meetings grew in size and many local artists
came to meetings and registered in the book of musician's so that they could
play thirty-minute segments. In 1961, the Jazz Museum was opened at 1017 Dumaine
Street in the French Quarter, again with the help of the Club.
Today, The New Orleans Jazz Club has a membership of over 1,000 members from
around the world. We hope you will take a few minutes to visit the different
pages on Web site. We would like to have you as a member. If you want to submit
photographs for our photo scrap book or articles for inclusion in our Club
publication, The Second Line, you can do so by attaching digital copies and
e-mailing us, or by mailing them. Find out how to contact
us.
Visit the historic New Orleans Jazz Club
Collection at the Louisiana State Museum.
For more information, purchase The
Second Line *Special Edition* History of New Orleans Jazz Vol. XLVII
1997 issue featuring the
history of New Orleans jazz.
