Camelia Brass Band
Encyclopedia
The Camelia Brass Band was a brass band
from New Orleans, founded by Wooden Joe Nicholas
around 1917 or 1918.
The Camelia Brass Band was named after a steamboat
, the S.S. Camelia. The group generally featured about ten members, with trumpet, trombone, clarinet, tuba, snare drum, and bass drum. In some of its engagements it played in reduced numbers as a dance band, with six members on trumpet, drombone, clarinet, banjo, bass, and drums. The ensemble featured Buddy Petit, Joseph Petit
, Alphonse Picou
, Billy Marrero, and Lawrence Marrero
as members.
In the 1920s, D'Jalma Thomas Garnier took leadership of the group, and thereafter made appearances both under its own name and under Ganier's name. The original spelling of the French Creole family name contains the "r": Garnier, and his descendents maintain that original spelling. For the sake of correct pronunciation, however, D'Jalma Garnier (Ganier) left out the "r" to facilitate the correct French pronunciation, which is used today whether there is an "r" in the name or not. Garnier is the grandfather of zydeco/Cajun musician, composer, and pedestrian scholar D'Jalma Garnier
III.
D'Jalma Thomas Garnier, the bandleader, played trumpet, piano, and violin. He is rumored to have taught Louis Armstrong
at the New Orleans Boys Home for Colored Waifs.
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
from New Orleans, founded by Wooden Joe Nicholas
Wooden Joe Nicholas
Wooden Joe Nicholas was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist, active on the early New Orleans jazz scene. He was born in New Orleans....
around 1917 or 1918.
The Camelia Brass Band was named after a steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
, the S.S. Camelia. The group generally featured about ten members, with trumpet, trombone, clarinet, tuba, snare drum, and bass drum. In some of its engagements it played in reduced numbers as a dance band, with six members on trumpet, drombone, clarinet, banjo, bass, and drums. The ensemble featured Buddy Petit, Joseph Petit
Joseph Petit
Joseph Petit was an American jazz trombonist. He was the stepfather of Buddy Petit, and played in many early New Orleans jazz groups....
, Alphonse Picou
Alphonse Picou
Alphonse Floristan Picou was an important very early jazz clarinetist who also wrote and arranged music....
, Billy Marrero, and Lawrence Marrero
Lawrence Marrero
Lawrence Marrero was an American jazz banjoist.Marrero was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and grew up in a musical family. His brothers were Eddie , John and Simon while their father Billy was a bass player too...
as members.
In the 1920s, D'Jalma Thomas Garnier took leadership of the group, and thereafter made appearances both under its own name and under Ganier's name. The original spelling of the French Creole family name contains the "r": Garnier, and his descendents maintain that original spelling. For the sake of correct pronunciation, however, D'Jalma Garnier (Ganier) left out the "r" to facilitate the correct French pronunciation, which is used today whether there is an "r" in the name or not. Garnier is the grandfather of zydeco/Cajun musician, composer, and pedestrian scholar D'Jalma Garnier
D'Jalma Garnier
D'Jalma Garnier III is a musician and composer best known for Creole and Cajun fiddle and "outside" musical compositions and collaborations with other artists....
III.
D'Jalma Thomas Garnier, the bandleader, played trumpet, piano, and violin. He is rumored to have taught Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
at the New Orleans Boys Home for Colored Waifs.