Biography
The New Orleans Owls were a jazz band active in New Orleans from 1922 to 1929, evolving from the Invincibles String Band formed in 1912, which included future members such as Johnny Wiggs, Eblen Rau, Benjy White, Rene Gelpi, Monk Smith, Earl Crumb, and Mose Farrar. Led primarily by Benjamin 'Benjie' White on reeds, the group typically performed as a seven-piece ensemble but featured 22 different musicians over its run, entertaining dancers in upscale venues like the Hotel Roosevelt ballroom with polished fox-trots and dance music. Their style blended ragtime and early jazz elements, characterized by elegance rather than raw intensity, dividing opinions among traditional jazz enthusiasts for its refined sound suited to 1920s ballroom audiences.
The band recorded 23 sides for Columbia Records between 1925 and 1927, making them one of the few New Orleans groups captured on disc during that era, with sessions held in New Orleans and Atlanta, including innovative use of a mobile electrical recording van for their first session on September 24, 1925. Key tracks like 'Stomp Off – Let’s Go,' 'The Owls’ Hoot,' and 'West End Romp' showcased their hot yet sophisticated sound, often composed or arranged by members such as White, Bill Padron, and Moses Farrar. They disbanded around 1929 as the jazz scene evolved.
Though short-lived, the New Orleans Owls left a legacy as preservers of New Orleans dance band traditions, bridging ragtime orchestration with emerging jazz vitality. Their recordings remain valued for documenting local talent outside the dominant New York scene, influencing later appreciation of 1920s regional jazz.
Fun Facts
- The band originated from the 1912 Invincibles String Band, with seven of its members forming the core of the Owls a decade later.
- They were the first band recorded using Columbia's mobile electrical recording van in New Orleans on September 24, 1925, capturing tracks like 'Stomp Off, Let’s Go'—later famously recorded by Louis Armstrong.
- Out of 23 recorded sides for Columbia, five were rejected and never released, including 'Boneyard Shuffle' by Hoagy Carmichael.
- Their name deliberately omitted 'Jazz,' reflecting their focus on elegant dance accompaniment rather than the raw jazz style.
Members
- Pinky Vidacovich
Musical Connections
Key Collaborators
- Benjie White - leader and clarinetist/alto saxophonist (all recordings including 'The Owls’ Hoot') [1922-1929]
- Bill Padron - cornet player and composer ('West End Romp' with Mose Farrar) [1922-1929]
- Frank Netto - trombonist, joined for 1926 sessions (April 1926 Columbia recordings) [1926-1927]
- Nappy Lamare - banjo player and vocalist (various 1925-1927 sessions) [1922-1929]
- Pinky Vidacovich - clarinet and alto sax player (1926-1927 sessions) [1922-1929]
- Moses Farrar - pianist and composer ('West End Romp') [1922-1929]
- Dan LeBlanc - tuba player (various sessions) [1922-1929]
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
New Orleans Owls has been played 3 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.