Jimmy Palao

James Florestan "Jimmy" Palao (born February 19, 1879 in Algiers (Louisiana) , † January 8, 1925 in Chicago ) was an American musician of early and New Orleans jazz . He mainly played the violin , but was a multi-instrumentalist and composer .

Act

Palao lost his mother at the age of five and was raised by his father and grandmother Spriggs, which is why he was also known as Jimmy Spriggs . He received a good musical education and, unlike many other jazz musicians of the time, was able to read sheet music. In addition to the violin, he also played the saxophone , mellophone , cornet , banjo and alto horn . Palao first played in his aunt's church ( The Sacred Heart of Mary Church ), in 1897/98 in the Pacific Brass Band and from 1897 to 1900 in the Brass Band of Henry Allen senior in Algiers. Around 1900 he founded his own band, published his first ragtime compositions in the 1900s and from 1903 to 1905 he played in Buddy Bolden's band , whom he also instructed in music. From 1905 to 1907 he was in the Imperial Orchestra, founded by Manuel Perez .

Since Palao could read music and set the pace as a violinist, he is sometimes referred to as the conductor of the Imperial Orchestra (there is a photo from this period with a leader on his cap). In 1913 he was in Los Angeles with Bill Johnson . Johnson and Palao were founders of the Original Creole Orchestra in 1914 , in which Freddie Keppard also played, for whom he often set the tone for his improvisation on the violin, since Keppard could not read music, as well as Dink Johnson , Eddie Vincent (trombone), Norwood Williams (Guitar) and George Baquet . Bill Johnson was the manager, and, like the Imperial Orchestra, Palao is often named as conductor because he read sheet music and set the pace - the band's star was Keppard. They toured nationwide, and the band went a long way towards promoting jazz in the country. They went on a vaudeville tour from 1914 and existed until 1918.

After the original Creole Band broke up, he played with Lawrence Duhé , King Oliver (1921/22 in California), in Jones Dreamland Band Jolly Jazzing Leopards (with Lil Armstrong ), John Wycliffe's Syncopated Ginger Snaps (who played the singing and dancing duo Dave and Tressie accompanied) and with Fess Williams . In Chicago he played more banjo and saxophone than violin. He died of tuberculosis .

He married in 1905 and had four daughters. The descendants later lived in Chicago and this is where his estate is located (Chicago History Museum).

literature

• Joan Singleton Keep It Real - The Life Story of Jimmy Palao, "The King of Jazz" , Iuniverse 2011
• Lawrence Gushee Pioneers of Jazz: The Story of the Creole Band , Oxford UP 2005

Web links

• Biography with the Hurricane Brass Band