Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, the city’s oldest continuously performing jazz group, represents a direct thread between the birth of jazz and the present day. From classic Crescent City dirges to hip-hop beats, the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band delights audiences around the world with their infectious, time-honored grooves.
As with many groups of the time, the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band’s precise genesis is a matter of some debate, but an early iteration was formed in 1910 by legendary cornetist Oscar “Papa” Celestin. He named the band after the red-light Storyville district’s Tuxedo Dance Hall. Celestin led the band - eventually renamed the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band - for 44 years. Other leaders included Eddie Pierson, Albert “Papa” French, his son Bob French, and, today, Albert’s grandson Gerald French (son of fellow musician George). The band’s early alumni includes some of jazz’s most revered pioneers: Louis Armstrong, Joe Oliver, Manuel Perez, Johnny St. Cyr, Baby Dodds, Zutty Singleton, Alphonse Picou, and Lorenzo Tio, Jr.
The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band played dance halls and fancy parties, and held a long-time gig on at the Paddock Lounge on Bourbon Street. Their profile grew: they played at the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and began touring Europe and points beyond, a practice they continue today. The band can also be heard at festivals and clubs around New Orleans, including their weekly gig at the Jazz Playhouse.
The band balances their classic jazz heritage with today’s contemporary styles, freshening their sound with the energy of the current New Orleans music scene. The late trombonist Lucien Barbarin, for example, was known to get a groove going with a sly hip-hop rendition of the standard “Breakin’ and Shakin’.” Overall, though, the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band remains one of the true keepers of the New Orleans jazz tradition.
Despite its longevity, the band has a limited recording output; their 2012 release, “A Tribute to Bob French,” met with critical acclaim and includes a variety of traditional jazz classics.
