Frank Oxley's Louisiana Moonshine Band

Biography

Frank Oxley’s Louisiana Moonshine Band is a traditional New Orleans jazz ensemble led by drummer and vocalist Frank Oxley, a charismatic bandleader described as coming from a long line of musicians, with his father having been a drummer in the Big Band era.[3] Rooted stylistically in classic New Orleans revival jazz, the group focuses on repertoire associated with early and mid‑20th‑century jazz and popular song, including spirituals, blues, and standards such as “Painting the Clouds with Sunshine,” “Lead Me Savior,” “Belleville Street Blues,” and other tunes tied to the Crescent City tradition.[5] The band recorded for the specialist traditional jazz label 504 Records, which is noted for documenting New Orleans–style jazz and related revivalist groups.[2][5]

The album “Jazz in New Orleans – The Nineties” (504 Records, released 2005) is the most clearly documented project by Frank Oxley’s Louisiana Moonshine Band, presenting the group in a repertoire that evokes the sound and feel of New Orleans club and festival performances of that era.[4][5] The record features traditional front‑line instrumentation (trumpet, clarinet, trombone) with a rhythm section anchored by Oxley’s drums, and it has received airplay on New Orleans community jazz radio station WWOZ, which has programmed tracks such as “Belleville Street Blues.”[6] While detailed public information on the band’s full history and later activities is limited, the documented release and radio presence place the group within the broader international network of revivalist New Orleans jazz bands active from the 1990s into the 2000s, appealing especially to listeners and dancers who favor classic, ensemble‑driven jazz.

Because available sources provide only partial information focused on one principal album and on Frank Oxley’s role and background, there is currently no verifiable public documentation of the band’s complete chronology, its full discography beyond the 504 release, or a detailed narrative of its long‑term legacy. All statements here are therefore limited to what can be confirmed from credible, published references.

Fun Facts

• Frank Oxley is described as a “charismatic drummer and vocalist,” highlighting that he not only leads from the drum kit but also functions as a featured singer, an unusual combination in many traditional jazz bands.[3]
• The band’s key documented album, “Jazz in New Orleans – The Nineties,” was released on 504 Records in 2005, meaning the recording presents 1990s‑era New Orleans jazz in a release that arrived the following decade.[4][5]
• New Orleans community radio station WWOZ (90.7 FM) has featured Frank Oxley’s Louisiana Moonshine Band in its programming, including airplay for tracks such as “Belleville Street Blues,” situating the group within the active New Orleans jazz broadcast scene.[6]
• The ensemble’s repertoire on the 504 Records release includes both secular standards like “Painting the Clouds with Sunshine” and sacred material such as “Lead Me Savior,” reflecting the long‑standing New Orleans practice of mixing blues, popular songs, and spirituals in a single band’s book.[5]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Frank Oxley’s father (name not specified in sources) - Family influence; described as the drummer for Big Band–era ensembles, providing a direct familial and stylistic link to swing and traditional jazz drumming that shaped Frank Oxley’s musical development. (Not specified in available sources.) [Big Band era (approx. 1930s–1940s, as characterized in the source).]

Key Collaborators

• Brian Carrick - Clarinetist in Frank Oxley’s Louisiana Moonshine Band; personnel listing shows him as part of the core ensemble on the 504 Records release. (Album: “Jazz in New Orleans – The Nineties” (504 Records, CDS 84).) [Recorded/released mid‑2000s; associated with 2005 album release.[2][4][5]]
• Derek Winters - Trumpeter in Frank Oxley’s Louisiana Moonshine Band; listed in personnel for the 504 Records CD, contributing to the front‑line horn section. (Album: “Jazz in New Orleans – The Nineties” (504 Records, CDS 84).) [Recorded/released mid‑2000s; associated with 2005 album release.[2][5]]

Artists Influenced

• [[|]] - No reliable published sources were found that document specific artists or students explicitly citing Frank Oxley or his Louisiana Moonshine Band as an influence.

External Links

• Spotify