Joseph Robichaux (March 8, 1900 – January 17, 1965) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

pianist. He was the nephew of John Robichaux.

Life and career

Robichaux was born in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, United States, and played piano from a young age and studied at

New Orleans University New Orleans University was a historically black college that operated between 1869 and 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It was founded by Freedmen's Aid Society and the Methodist Episcopal Church. It merged with Straight College in ...

. After working in the O.J. Beatty Carnival, he played with Tig Chambers briefly in 1918. He then returned to New Orleans and played with Oscar Celestin, Earl Humphrey, Lee Collins, and The Black Eagles (1922–23). He arranged for the

Jones-Collins Astoria Hot Eight The Jones and Collins Astoria Hot Eight were an American jazz band. The Jones and Collins Astoria Hot Eight were led by cornetist Lee Collins (musician), Lee Collins and tenor saxophonist David Jones (jazz musician), David Jones. They took their n ...

in 1929 and also recorded with them; he also accompanied

Christina Gray Christina Gray (born November 1, 1978) is a Canadian politician. She is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. First elected in 2015 as the member representing Edmonton-Mill Woods, she was re-elected in 2019 and 2023. She has been the ...

on record that year. In 1931, he formed his own ensemble, which featured Eugene Ware on trumpet, Alfred Guichard on clarinet and alto saxophone,

Gene Porter Eugene Porter (June 7, 1910 – February 24, 1993) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. Early life Porter was born in Pocahontas, Mississippi on June 7, 1910. He began on cornet, but when his instrument was stolen he picked up saxo ...

on tenor sax, and Ward Crosby on drums. They journeyed to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

to record for

Vocalion Vocalion Records is an American record label, originally founded by the Aeolian Company, a piano and organ manufacturer before being bought out by Brunswick in 1924. History The label was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Company, a maker of pian ...

in August 1933, laying down 22 mostly stomping, uptempo sides and two alternate takes in a marathon five day recording schedule, which included Rene Hall on tenor banjo. Vocalion issued 10 records over the next year and two tracks with

Chick Bullock Charles (Chick) Bullock (September 16, 18981900 U.S. Federal Census, Township #5, Silver Bow, Montana, enumeration district 90, page 5. Bullock's birth date is confirmed by his entries in the Social Security Death Index and the California Death ...

vocals were issued under his name on Banner, Domino, Oriole, Perfect, and Romeo. Problems with the musicians' union in New York prevented them from being able to play live there, and they returned to New Orleans not long after recording. Robichaux expanded the size of his ensemble over the course of the 1930s;

Earl Bostic Eugene Earl Bostic (April25, 1913October28, 1965) was an American alto saxophonist. Bostic's recording career was diverse, his musical output encompassing jazz, swing music, swing, jump blues and the post-war American rhythm and blues style, whi ...

was among those who joined its ranks. They toured Cuba in the mid-1930s. The band also recorded for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

in 1936, recording four sides in New Orleans, but these were all rejected. In 1939, Robichaux's ensemble disbanded, and he found work performing solo, mostly in New Orleans. He recorded as an accompanist on R&B recordings in the 1950s, and played with Lizzie Miles. Late in his life he played with George Lewis (1957–64) and

Peter Bocage Peter Edwin Bocage (31 July 1887 – 3 December 1967) was an American jazz trumpeter and violinist. Career At 21, he played violin as the leader of a ragtime band, the Superior Orchestra, which included Bunk Johnson. He played trumpet in the Tu ...

(1962); he also performed at

Preservation Hall Preservation Hall is a jazz venue on St Peter Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. The building is associated with a house band, a record label, and a non-profit foundation. History of the jazz hall In the 1950s, art de ...

. He died of a heart attack, in New Orleans, at the age of 64 in 1965.

Discography

As leader

* ''The Complete Robichaux'' (Blue-Disc, 1980)

As sideman

With George Lewis * ''Dr. Jazz'' (Verve, 1957) * ''

George Lewis & Turk Murphy at Newport ''George Lewis & Turk Murphy at Newport'' is a live album by George Lewis' Sextet and Turk Murphy's Septet recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 and released on the Verve label.

'' (Verve, 1957) * ''The Perennial George Lewis'' (Verve, 1958) * ''Oh, Didn't He Ramble!'' (Verve, 1959) * ''Blues from the Bayou'' (Verve, 1959) * ''George Lewis in Tokyo 1964'' (King, 1964) * ''Plays Hymns'' (Milneburg, 1965) * ''George Lewis & His New Orleans All-Stars'' (Catalyst, 1976) * ''Live at Club Hangover'' (Dawn Club, 1983) * ''George Lewis in Japan'' (G.H.B., 1994) With others *

, ''New Orleans Legends Live Volume 23'' (Jazzology, 1982) * Louis Nelson, ''Louis Nelson Big Four'' (G.H.B., 1996)

References

;Footnotes ;General references *

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Life and career Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Beginning in 1974, Yanow was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles and was the jazz e ...

Joe Robichaux Joseph Robichaux (March 8, 1900 – January 17, 1965) was an American jazz pianist. He was the nephew of John Robichaux. Life and career Robichaux was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, and played piano from a young age and studied at ...

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

Life and career

Discography

As leader

As sideman

References

Further reading