Peter DuConge (1902-1966) 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 ...

reedist, active in the early New Orleans jazz scene. DuConge was raised in a musical family. His father was a journeyman barber, and had a bass, singing voice. His mother, Daniska, was a soprano. She taught the piano and taught her children music. Three of his brothers were professional musicians; Adolphus DuConge was a pianist, Albert DuConge was a trumpeter, and Earl DuConge was a tenor saxophonist. He played at local clubs in New Orleans such as the Elite Club and Tom Anderson's, with Alex Bigard as one of his sidemen. In the mid-1920s he took work as a musician on

riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...

s on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

, then moved to New York City, playing with the Jim Dandies and Vaughn's Lucky Sambo Orchestra. He then found work with Bill Brown and His Brownies (playing alongside Ovie Alston) and toured Europe as a member of

Leon Abbey Leon Alexander Anthony Abbey (May 7, 1900 – September 1975) was an American jazz violinist and bandleader. Biography He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 7, 1900, to Luther James Robert Abbey and Eva Lee Alexander. He started his care ...

's orchestra. In 1929 he married Ada "Bricktop" Smith and played in clubs she owned in the 1930s before they formally separated. Periodically, DuConge worked with

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

. In 1932, he was a member of his ensemble for tours of England (1932) and continental Europe (1933–34). He played with Leon Abbey once again in 1934 while in the Netherlands, and also with

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first ...

and Benny Peyton in Europe. In 1939, as World War II erupted, DuConge came back to the United States.

References

*Howard Rye, "Peter DuConge". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Duconge, Peter Jazz musicians from New Orleans African-American jazz musicians American jazz clarinetists American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists 1902 births 1966 deaths 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 20th-century African-American musicians