These two great photographs come to this blog courtesy of Jazz musician/bandleader Mr. Jimmy LaRocca himself. After doing research on Salaparuta and its amazing connections to Jazz in New Orleans, I emailed Mr. LaRocca for information. He was kind enough to send to this blog three excellent pictures which I am posting here and above. The first photo is of The Original Dixieland Jazz Band with"Nick" LaRocca, Jimmy's father, on cornet when they were in New York in 1917.
The photo of the record is of the first Jazz song EVER recorded by anybody. It is "Livery Stable Blues" recorded in New York by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (ODJB) with "Nick" LaRocca -- Victor #18255. It sold over 1,000,000 copies in 1917. As Mr. Jimmy wrote, "It was recorded February 26, 1917 and released March 7, 1917. It's the recording that changed forever how music would be interpreted."
"Nick" LaRocca was born in New Orleans, but his father was born in Salaparuta, Sicily. Mr. Jimmy LaRocca follows in the footsteps and leads the ODJB today. Read much more about the tremendous influence of the LaRocca's on New Orleans Jazz and connections to Salapuruta at http://www.odjb.com/
Mr. Jimmy also pointed out something else to me that we will see more of on this site later. The Sicilian immigrants not only influenced New Orleans music, but they also absolutely influenced New Orleans' great food. Another point he made is that many of the early Jazz musicians in New Orleans were actually Sicilian. What could be more New Orleans than great food and great music? Yes, we have a lot to thank Sicily for if we really love New Orleans.
Once again, our profound thanks go to Mr. Jimmy LaRocca for sending us these great photographs.
--Adrian
No comments:
Post a Comment