Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight
Encyclopedia
The Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight were an American jazz
band.
The Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight were led by cornet
ist Lee Collins
and tenor saxophonist David Jones
. They took their name from the "Astoria Gardens" the dance hall room of the Astoria Hotel on Rampart Street
in New Orleans where they were the house band in 1928 and 1929. The group included a number of noted New Orleans jazz
musicians in its relatively short life.
The ensemble recorded only once, doing a session at the Italian Hall in New Orleans on December 15, 1929. A total of four sides were released from these sessions: "Astoria Strut" b/w "Duet Stomp", issued on Victor Records, and "Damp Weather" b/w "Tip Easy Blues", issued on Bluebird Records
. Alternative takes of Damp Weather and Tip Easy Blues survived to appear on reissues decades later.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band.
The Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight were led by cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
ist Lee Collins
Lee Collins (musician)
Leeds "Lee" Collins was an American jazz trumpeter.Born in New Orleans, Collins played in brass bands as a teenager, including The Young Eagles, The Columbia Band, and the Tuxedo Brass Band. In the 1910s he played in New Orleans alongside Louis Armstrong, Papa Celestin, and Zutty Singleton...
and tenor saxophonist David Jones
David Jones (jazz musician)
David "Davey" Jones was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, melophonist, teacher and arranger....
. They took their name from the "Astoria Gardens" the dance hall room of the Astoria Hotel on Rampart Street
Rampart Street
Rampart Street is a historic avenue located in New Orleans, Louisiana.The upper end of the street is in the New Orleans Central Business District...
in New Orleans where they were the house band in 1928 and 1929. The group included a number of noted New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
musicians in its relatively short life.
The ensemble recorded only once, doing a session at the Italian Hall in New Orleans on December 15, 1929. A total of four sides were released from these sessions: "Astoria Strut" b/w "Duet Stomp", issued on Victor Records, and "Damp Weather" b/w "Tip Easy Blues", issued on Bluebird Records
Bluebird Records
Bluebird Records is a sub-label of RCA Victor Records originally created in 1932 to counter the American Record Company in the "3 records for a dollar" market. Along with ARC's Perfect Records, Melotone Records and Romeo Records, and the independent US Decca label, Bluebird became one of the best...
. Alternative takes of Damp Weather and Tip Easy Blues survived to appear on reissues decades later.
Members
- Lee CollinsLee Collins (musician)Leeds "Lee" Collins was an American jazz trumpeter.Born in New Orleans, Collins played in brass bands as a teenager, including The Young Eagles, The Columbia Band, and the Tuxedo Brass Band. In the 1910s he played in New Orleans alongside Louis Armstrong, Papa Celestin, and Zutty Singleton...
- cornet - David JonesDavid Jones (jazz musician)David "Davey" Jones was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, melophonist, teacher and arranger....
- tenor saxophone - Nat StoryNat StoryNathaniel Edward Story was an American jazz trombonist.Story played on riverboats on the Mississippi with Fate Marable and Floyd Campbell in the 1920s, and played with the Jones and Collins Astoria Hot Eight in 1928...
- trombone (does not play on the recording) - Big Eye Louis Nelson - clarinet (does not play on the recording)
- Sidney ArodinSidney ArodinSidney Arnandan or Arnondrin, better known as Sidney Arodin was an American jazz clarinetist and songwriter, best known for co-writing the pop standard "Lazy River" with Hoagy Carmichael.Arodin began playing clarinet at age 15 and played at local New Orleans gatherings and on riverboats...
- clarinet; substituting for Nelson on the recording session. - Theodore Purnell - alto saxophone
- Joseph Robichaux - piano
- Emanuel SaylesEmanuel SaylesEmanuel Sayles was an American jazz banjoist chiefly active in the New Orleans jazz scene.Sayles played violin and viola as a child, then taught himself banjo and guitar. He went to high school in Pensacola, Florida, then relocated to New Orleans and played with William Ridgely's Tuxedo Orchestra...
- banjo - Al MorganAl Morgan (musician)Albert Morgan was an American jazz double-bassist.Morgan came from a musical family; Sam Morgan and Isaiah Morgan were both bandleaders and trumpeters, and Andrew Morgan was a jazz reedist. Morgan started on clarinet, then learned baritone sax, tuba, and bass...
- double bass - Joe Strode (Joe Stouger) - drums