NEW ORLEANS WANDERERS

Biography

The New Orleans Wanderers was not a traditional band but a pseudonym used for a one-off recording session in Chicago on July 13, 1926, organized by pianist Lil Hardin Armstrong. Due to Louis Armstrong's exclusive contract with Okeh Records, he could not participate directly, though he composed three of the four tracks: 'Gate Mouth,' 'Too Tight,' 'Perdido Street Blues,' and 'Papa Dip.' The session featured members of Louis Armstrong's Hot Five—Lil Hardin on piano, Kid Ory on trombone, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, and Johnny St. Cyr on banjo—with cornetist George Mitchell substituting for Armstrong. These recordings exemplified early New Orleans jazz with ensemble playing and ragtime influences, marking a brief but notable detour in the Hot Five's output.[2][3][5]

Fun Facts

• The session caused domestic tension between Lil Hardin Armstrong and Louis Armstrong; Columbia initially printed only Louis's name on the labels, leading to accusations and a physical altercation, as Louis believed Lil had withheld his composer's fees.[5]
• Lil Hardin claimed she fully scored 'Perdido Street Blues,' including writing out the solos, making it one of her standout compositional efforts.[5]
• Four additional tracks from the same musicians were released under the pseudonym New Orleans Bootblacks on July 14, 1926: 'I Can't Say,' 'Mixed Salad,' 'Mad Dog,' and 'Flat Foot'.[2][3]
• The Wanderers recordings showcased a return to relaxed New Orleans ensemble style, contrasting Louis Armstrong's evolving solo-focused Hot Five work.[8]

Members

• Johnny St. Cyr
• Johnny Dodds
• Warren “Baby” Dodds
• Lil Hardin Armstrong
• George Mitchell
• Kid Ory

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Lil Hardin Armstrong - pianist and session leader (Gate Mouth, Too Tight, Perdido Street Blues, Papa Dip) [1926]
• George Mitchell - cornetist substituting for Louis Armstrong (all 1926 session tracks) [1926]
• Kid Ory - trombonist from Hot Five (all 1926 session tracks) [1926]
• Johnny Dodds - clarinetist from Hot Five (all 1926 session tracks) [1926]
• Johnny St. Cyr - banjoist from Hot Five (all 1926 session tracks) [1926]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz