Algiers Historical Society

By Kevin HERRIDGE, President, Algiers Historical Society
Copyright 2008

Researching the history of Jazz in Algiers, that part of the City of New Orleans across the mighty Mississippi River from the French Quarter, has proved an interesting pastime…let me rephrase that…it has consumed me, and allowed me to meet some wonderful people. My research will finally be published in a book entitled “Over Da River.”

The earliest mention of music I found in Algiers was in 1837, when a concert was to be held at the “Pavilion de Chene Vert” (Live Oaks Pavilion). The music to be played at the Ballroom was by “MUZARD, AUBER, and STRAUSS,” as well as military music by BEER and a “Grande Valse de Minuit” featuring “explosion de canon” by H. LEHMAN.

There are many more mentions of music in those pre-Jazz days but the music mentions in the local press really exploded in the 1910s to 1930s, the heyday of Jazz. Many of the Catholic Creole of Color musicians inter-married, and also played together.

The earliest bands containing Algiers’ musicians included the Pickwick Brass Band (1873-1900s), the Excelsior Brass Band (1880-1928), Jim DORSEY’s Band (1880s), Prof. MANETTA’s String Band (1880s), BROWN’s Brass Band of McDonoghville (1880s), and Prof. A. L. TIO’s String Band (aka the Big Four) (1880s), the Pacific Brass Band (1900-1912), and Henry ALLEN’s Brass Band (1907-1940s). These dates are approximate, as very little evidence has been found of definite dates.

Other Algiers’ bands included the Tom ALBERT Band, the Algiers Brass Band, the Algiers Naval Station Band, Mervin BUDGE’s Band, Peter BOCAGE’s Creole Serenaders, the Norman BROWNLEE Band, the Charles DEVERGE Band, George LEWIS’ Ragtime Jazz Band, Billy LUFT’s Band, Bert PECK’s Princeton Revellers, the Sam ROSS Orchestra, Leslie STURTEVANT’s Band, the Elton THEODORE Orchestra, Charlie LOVE’s Band, Sam MORGAN’s Band, and “Kid” Thomas VALENTINE’s Algiers Stompers, to name a few.

Jazz, Blues, Rhythm & Blues, and Rock & Roll artists were born, lived or played on the right bank of the Mississippi River from the Magnolia Plantation in Pointe a la Hatche to Westwego, and beyond. Algiers and Gretna has been the birthplace of, or home to, a long list of musicians including the ADAMS family, Tom ALBERT, Henry ALLEN, Sr., Henry “Red” ALLEN, Harrison BARNES, Ronnie BARRON, Nick BENINATE, the BOCAGE Family, the BROWNLEE family, the BRUNIS family, Mervin BUDGE, Joseph “Kid Twat” BUTLER, the DAST family, George DAVIS, Henry DEFUENTES, Charles DEVERGES, the DOUROUX family, Frank DUSON, Bill EASTWOOD, Albert “Dude” GABRIEL, Wendell GREEN, Emmett HARDY, Clarence “Frogman” HENRY, George HOOKER, Edward “Son” HOUSE, Joe JAMES, the JOHNSON family, the LINDSAY family, Charlie LOVE, George LEWIS, Joseph “Bobo” LEWIS, Billy LUFT, the MANETTA family, the MARCOUR family, the MATTHEWS family, Elizabeth “Memphis Minnie” DOUGLAS, Bobby MITCHELL, Jackson MOLAISON, Sam MORGAN, Eddie MORRIS, the MOSLEY family, Louis NELSON, Jimmie NOONE, Jimmie “SPRIGGS” PALAO, Bert PECK, Alphonse PICOU, Eddie PIERSON, Sam ROSS, Ovide “Tete” ROCHON, George SIMMS, Louis SINO, Leslie STURTEVANT, Joe “Brother Cornbread” THOMAS, Bennie TURNER, “Kid” Thomas VALENTINE, Eddie VINCENT, the YOUNG family, to name a few!

Many of the Jazz venues have long since disappeared, as have many of the musicians’ homes. Most of the saloons, and dance halls are all but forgotten now by the modern-day Algiers residents. Gone are the days of Jazz funerals every week, the sound of dancing feet in the juke joints, and dance halls, and corner saloons. Relive the “Jazz Days” of Algiers with either of the self-guided walking tours - ““Over Da River” To Historic Algiers,”and “Historic Algiers - “The Brooklyn of the South”” - that can be found online at www.algierspoint.org/AHS,