New Orleans History

 

Armond ( A.J.) Piron's New Orleans Orchestra played for many years at the New Orleans Country Club on Lake Pontchartrain
1888-1943 - Armond ( A.J.) Piron's New Orleans Orchestra Piron joined Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra in 1916 and started Piron's New Orleans Orchestra in 1918. The band traveled to New York in 1923 and returned the following year to play at the Roseland Ballroom. Piron returned to New Orleans and played for many years at the New Orleans Country Club on Lake Pontchartrain, in night clubs, and on Mississippi river boats. Armand Piron's New Orleans Orchestra was one of the most popular bands in New Orleans in the 1920s. They travelled to New York and played at the Cotton Club and Roseland in 1923. They also recorded two songs with Blues singer Esther Bigeou while in New York, including a fine vocal version of West Indies Blues.

Armond ( A.J.) Piron's New Orleans Orchestra played for many years at the New Orleans Country Club on Lake Pontchartrain


1920s - Jazz with A.J. Piron
Armand J. Piron (1918-1928) with Peter Bocage formed A.J.Piron & his Novelty Orchestra and played at Tranchina's Restaurant in Spanish Fort, on Lake Pontchartrain, LA. Piron joined Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra in 1916 and started Piron's New Orleans Orchestra in 1918. The band traveled to New York in 1923 and returned the following year to play at the Roseland Ballroom. Piron returned to New Orleans and played for many years at the New Orleans Country Club on Lake Pontchartrain, in night clubs, and on Mississippi river boats. Sources: http://www.redhotjazz.com/piron.html http://nfo.net/.WWW/JOB.html Other Jazz venues at Spanish Fort included: Tokyo Gardens Ballroom. It was situated in the resort at Spanish Fort, near where the Bayou St. John runs into Lake Pontchartrain. Among the jazz groups that performed there was a band led by the cornetist Johnny Bayersdorffer, which was resident in the summer of 1924. Tranchina's Restaurant It was situated in the resort at Spanish Fort, near where the Bayou St. John runs into Lake Pontchartrain. Jazz was performed there from at least 1918, when A. J. Piron formed an orchestra to begin an engagement at the restaurant, which continued intermittently until 1923. Source: www.xrefer.com


Violinist Armand Piron is remembered most today as the early business partner of Clarence Williams. They owned The Piron-Williams Publishing Company in New Orleans that scored a hit with Piron's song "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" (although Louis Armstrong claims that he wrote it and sold it to them and didn't receive credit), and published several other songs like "Royal Garden Blues" that became standards of the Jazz bands at that time. Piron himself started playing professionally in New Orleans in 1904 and led his own band in 1908. Williams and Piron also had a successful vaudeville act, with Piron on the violin and Williams playing piano and singing. Piron joined Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra in 1916 and started Piron's New Orleans Orchestra in 1918. The band traveled to New York in 1923 and returned the following year to play at the Roseland Ballroom. Piron returned to New Orleans and played for many years at the New Orleans Country Club on Lake Pontchartrain, in night clubs, and on Mississippi river boats.

Piron's New Orleans Orchestra Peerless Orchestra

 

Armand Piron's New Orleans Orchestra was one of the most popular bands in New Orleans in the 1920s. They travelled to New York and played at the Cotton Club and Roseland in 1923. They also recorded two songs with Blues singer Esther Bigeou while in New York, including a fine vocal version of West Indies Blues.

Title Recording Date Recording Location Company
Bouncing Around
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
12-3-1923 New York, New York Okeh
40021-A
Bright Star Blues
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
2-15-1924 New York, New York Columbia
99-D
Do-Doodle-Oom
(Fletcher Henderson / Porter Grainger)
1-8-1924 New York, New York Victor
19255-A
Do Just As I Say
(Newman / Steve Lewis / Armand J. Piron)
3-25-1925 New Orleans, Louisiana Victor
19646-A
Ghost Of The Blues
(Tim Brymn / Sidney Bechet)
2-15-1924 New York, New York Columbia
99-D
Kiss Me Sweet
(Steve J. Lewis / Armand J. Piron)
12-3-1923 New York, New York Okeh
40021-B
Lou'siana Swing
(Armand J. Piron)
2-18-1924 New York, New York Okeh
40189-A
Mama's Gone, Goodbye
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
12-11-1923 New York, New York Victor
19233-A
New Orleans Wiggle
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
12-11-1923 New York, New York Victor
19233-B
Red Man Blues (3)
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
3-25-1925 New Orleans, Louisiana Victor
19646-B
Red Man Blues (5)
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
3-25-1925 New Orleans, Louisiana Victor
19646-B
Sittin' On The Curbside Blues
(Jimmie Clark / Bob Schaefer / Lester Calvin)
2-18-1924 New York, New York Okeh
40189-B
Sud Bustin' Blues
(Peter Bocage / Armand J. Piron)
12-21-1923 New York, New York Columbia
14007-D
West Indies Blues
(Clarence Williams / Spencer Williams / Edgar Dowell)
12-21-1923 New York, New York Columbia
14007-D
West Indies Blues
(Clarence Williams / Spencer Williams / Edgar Dowell)
1-8-1924 New York, New York Victor
19255-B
Artist Instrument
Charles Bocage Banjo
Peter Bocage Trumpet
Louis Cottrelle Drums
Steve Lewis Piano
Armand J. Piron Violin
Lorenzo Tio, Jr. Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Louis Warnecke Alto Saxophone
Bob Ysaguirre Bass Brass