ELGAR'S CREOLE JAZZ BAND

Biography

Elgar's Creole Orchestra, also known as Elgar's Creole Roof Orchestra, was a significant early jazz ensemble led by violinist Charles Anthony Elgar in Chicago and Milwaukee during the 1920s. Charles Elgar was born in New Orleans on June 13, 1879, and began playing violin at age five, also studying trumpet. After studying music in Wisconsin and Illinois, he moved to Chicago in 1903, playing with the Bloom Theater Philharmonic Orchestra before returning to New Orleans later in the decade. He permanently relocated to Chicago around 1913, where he established his band.

The orchestra became one of the prominent African American jazz ensembles of the 1920s, performing at major Chicago venues including the Navy Pier Ballroom and Hattie Harmon's Dreamland Ballroom from 1917 until 1922, and opening the old Savoy Ballroom in 1928. From 1925 to 1927, Elgar led the band at the Wisconsin Roof Gardens in Milwaukee, during which time they made their only known recordings on September 17, 1926, in Chicago for Brunswick and Vocalion Records. These recordings captured tracks including "Brotherly Love," "Cafe Capers," "Nightmare," and "When Jenny Does Her Low-Down Dance," showcasing a swinging style that bridged New Orleans jazz traditions with the emerging Chicago sound.

The band featured an impressive lineup of New Orleans jazz legends and Chicago musicians, with the cornet section believed to include Joe Sudler and Emanuel "Manuel" Perez, making these recordings potentially the only existing documentation of the legendary New Orleans cornetist Perez. After the 1920s, Elgar concentrated on teaching in the 1930s and became a union official, serving as a founder and charter member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 2018. He continued his work in music education and union advocacy until his death in Chicago in August 1973 at age 94.

Fun Facts

• The 1926 recordings are believed to be the only existing recordings of New Orleans cornet legend Manuel Perez, making them historically invaluable documents of early jazz.
• Elgar's band toured with the revue 'Plantation Days' which traveled to London, though Elgar himself did not accompany the band on this international trip. However, he did perform in Europe with Will Marion Cook's Orchestra.
• Recording sessions on September 17, 1926, produced multiple takes of songs like 'Cafe Capers' and 'Nightmare,' which were released on both Brunswick and Vocalion labels.
• After his performing career, Elgar became a founder and charter member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 2018, dedicating his later years to music education and union advocacy, living to age 94.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Manuel Perez - Cornetist in Elgar's Creole Orchestra, legendary New Orleans musician (1926 Brunswick/Vocalion recordings including 'Brotherly Love,' 'Cafe Capers,' 'Nightmare') [1925-1927]
• Joe Sudler - Cornetist forming the cornet team with Manuel Perez (Wisconsin Roof Gardens performances and 1926 recordings) [1925-1927]
• Darnell Howard - Clarinetist and alto saxophonist in the orchestra (Milwaukee and Chicago performances, 1926 recordings) [1920s]
• Lorenzo Tio - Clarinetist who worked with Elgar's various bands (Chicago performances) [1920s]
• Louis Cottrell, Jr. - Sideman in Elgar's bands (Chicago area performances) [1920s]
• Barney Bigard - Clarinetist who performed with Elgar's ensembles (Chicago performances) [1920s]
• Omer Simeon - Clarinetist in Elgar's bands (Chicago area performances) [1920s]
• Ben Thigpen - Drummer and vocalist in the Creole Orchestra (1926 recordings) [1925-1927]
• Harry Swift - Trombonist in the orchestra (Wisconsin Roof Gardens performances) [1925-1927]
• Lawson Buford - Bassist in the Creole Orchestra (1926 recordings) [1925-1927]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Dippermouth Blues (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
2. Canal Street Blues (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
3. Alligator Hop (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
4. Snake Rag (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
5. Just Gone (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
6. Tears (Louis Armstrong: Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man 1923-1934)
7. Mandy Lee Blues (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
8. Dipper Mouth Blues (King of the Blues Clarinet 1923 - 1940)
9. Chimes Blues (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)
10. Froggie Moore (Louis Armstrong And King Oliver)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia