Tony Sbarbaro
Encyclopedia
Antonio Sparbaro, better known as Tony Sbarbaro or Tony Spargo (June 27, 1897 – October 30, 1969) was an American jazz
drummer associated with New Orleans jazz
. He was the drummer of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band for over 50 years.
family. Early in his career he played with the Frayle Brothers Band (possibly as early as 1911) and the Reliance Band of Papa Jack Laine
. He did side work with Merritt Brunies
and Carl Randall. He joined the Original Dixieland Jazz Band for their initial recordings in 1917; he became its leader in the 1940s and remained a member of the ensemble until its dissolution in the 1960s. Indeed, he was the only founding member still in the group at that time. Sbarbaro also composed for the group, writing the tune "Mourning Blues" among others. He remained a fixture of Dixieland jazz
performance for most of his life, playing later in life in New Orleans with Miff Mole
, Big Chief Moore, Pee Wee Erwin
, and Eddie Condon
. He played at the New York World's Fair
in 1941 and with Connee Boswell
in the 1950s. He quit music in the 1960s due to the popularity of rock & roll, and died in 1969.
s, cowbells, and Chinese tom-toms, and used a custom arrangement for his bass
and snare drum
s. He used the technique known as "double-drumming", hitting the bass drum with the butt end of the drum stick
. Sbarbaro even put stuffed animal
s inside drums to change their sound. He also had a kazoo
attached to his set, providing some of the ODJB's trademark sound effects.
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...
drummer associated with 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...
. He was the drummer of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band for over 50 years.
Background
Sbarbaro was born in New Orleans to an immigrant SicilianSicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
family. Early in his career he played with the Frayle Brothers Band (possibly as early as 1911) and the Reliance Band of Papa Jack Laine
Papa Jack Laine
George Vital "Papa Jack" Laine was a pioneering band leader in New Orleans in the years from the Spanish-American War to World War I....
. He did side work with Merritt Brunies
Merritt Brunies
Merritt Brunies , was an American jazz trombonist and cornetist.Brunies was born into a well-known musical family in New Orleans, Louisiana; among its members were George Brunies and Albert Brunies...
and Carl Randall. He joined the Original Dixieland Jazz Band for their initial recordings in 1917; he became its leader in the 1940s and remained a member of the ensemble until its dissolution in the 1960s. Indeed, he was the only founding member still in the group at that time. Sbarbaro also composed for the group, writing the tune "Mourning Blues" among others. He remained a fixture of Dixieland jazz
Dixieland Jazz
Dixieland Jazz was a Canadian music television series which aired on CBC Television in 1954.-Premise:The series host was Trump Davidson, a cornet player. He also hosted a radio music series on CBC's Trans-Canada Network.-Scheduling:...
performance for most of his life, playing later in life in New Orleans with Miff Mole
Miff Mole
Irving Milfred Mole, better known as Miff Mole was a jazz trombonist and band leader. He is generally considered as one of the greatest jazz trombonists and credited with creating "the first distinctive and influential solo jazz trombone style." His major recordings included "Slippin' Around",...
, Big Chief Moore, Pee Wee Erwin
Pee Wee Erwin
Pee Wee Erwin was an American jazz trumpeter.-Biography:Erwin started on trumpet at age four. He played in several territory bands before joining the groups of Joe Haymes and Isham Jones...
, and Eddie Condon
Eddie Condon
Albert Edwin Condon , better known as Eddie Condon, was a jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in the so-called "Chicago school" of early Dixieland, he also played piano and sang on occasion....
. He played at the New York World's Fair
1939 New York World's Fair
The 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
in 1941 and with Connee Boswell
Connee Boswell
Constance Foore "Connee" Boswell was an American female vocalist born in Kansas City but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. With her sisters, Martha and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell, she performed in the 1930s as The Boswell Sisters and became a highly influential singing group during this period via...
in the 1950s. He quit music in the 1960s due to the popularity of rock & roll, and died in 1969.
Drumming techniques
Sbarbaro's drum set had a number of nonstandard qualities. He employed wood blockWood block
A woodblock is essentially a small piece of slit drum made from a single piece of wood and used as a percussion instrument. It is struck with a stick, making a characteristically percussive sound....
s, cowbells, and Chinese tom-toms, and used a custom arrangement for his bass
Bass drum
Bass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
and snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
s. He used the technique known as "double-drumming", hitting the bass drum with the butt end of the drum stick
Drum stick
A percussion mallet is an object used to beat drums and other percussion instruments. Some specialized mallets are called beaters, drumsticks.Note: See Rute .-Drum sticks:...
. Sbarbaro even put stuffed animal
Stuffed animal
A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw,...
s inside drums to change their sound. He also had a kazoo
Kazoo
The kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
attached to his set, providing some of the ODJB's trademark sound effects.