Hot Jazz & Joe “King” Oliver
The recognized “Father of Hot Jazz”, was a fellow named Joe Oliver. His style was to play improvised jazz “collectively” instead of solos. He taught a young Louis Armstrong his craft, giving him his first coronet, and young Louis idolized him, calling him “Papa Joe”.
Joe "King" Oliver
"King" Oliver's Creole Jazz Band
"King" Oliver's Dixie Syncopators
The following information and pictures were collected from an article by Len Weinstock from the www.redhotjazz.com website.
Joe Oliver (1885-1938) had a bad eye, and often wore a derby hat tilted low so no one could see it. He was also famous for using bottles and cups as mutes for his horn, allowing him to make some crazy sounds that other musicians would emulate.
He started playing in 1908 in New Orleans in the Olympic Band. He also played in the Onward Brass Band, The Original Superior, The Original Creole Orchestra, and the ground breaking Eagle Band of New Orleans.
In 1919, he moved to Chicago, playing in Bill Johnson’s, Original Creole Orchestra at the Dreamland Ballroom. In 1922 Oliver started The King Oliver Creole Jazz Band.
At that time he brought to town a young Louis Armstrong to play in his band. The groups 1923 sessions were a jazz milestone and introduced Louis Armstrong to the world. The band fell apart in 1924, and Oliver went on to record two duets with Jelly Roll Morton. In 1925 he took over The Dave Peyton Band, renaming it The Dixie Syncopators. In 1927 Oliver moved the band to New York City. He toured the South in his last years playing in various bands, and continued to record until 1931.
The world lost Joe Oliver in 1938. Thank you for everything, Joe.
For more informative historical jazz articles, logon to www.redhotjazz.com.
