Barney Bigard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barney Bigard
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Bigard in 1947
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Albany Leon Bigard |
| Born | March 3, 1906 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Died | June 27, 1980 (aged 74) Culver City, California |
| Genres | Swing, Dixieland |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader |
| Instruments | Clarinet, tenor saxophone |
| Associated acts | Duke Ellington Louis Armstrong King Oliver |
Albany Leon "Barney" Bigard (born March 3, 1906 – died June 27, 1980) was an American jazz musician. He was famous for playing the clarinet. He spent 15 years playing with the famous bandleader Duke Ellington. Barney Bigard also played the tenor saxophone.
Contents
Barney Bigard's Life Story
Bigard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His parents, Alexander and Emanuella Bigard, were Creole. He had two brothers, Alexander Jr. and Sidney. His uncle, Emile Bigard, was a jazz violinist. Barney went to local schools and learned music. He studied the clarinet with a teacher named Lorenzo Tio.
In the early 1920s, Barney moved to Chicago. There, he played with King Oliver and other musicians. During this time, he often played the tenor saxophone on recordings. He played it with a beautiful, flowing style. One example is on King Oliver's song "Someday Sweetheart".
In December 1927, Bigard joined Duke Ellington's orchestra in New York. He played with Ellington's band until 1942. They often performed at the Cotton Club until 1931. After that, they toured almost all the time for over ten years. With Ellington, Barney was the main clarinet player. He also played tenor saxophone in the band.
After leaving Ellington's orchestra, Bigard moved to Los Angeles. He worked on music for Hollywood movies. He even appeared in the movie New Orleans (1947). In this film, he played with a famous band led by Louis Armstrong. In the late 1940s, he started working with Kid Ory's group. Later, he joined Armstrong's touring band, the All Stars. Bigard also appeared and played in the movie St. Louis Blues (1958). In this movie, he was alongside stars like Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald.
Barney Bigard wrote a book about his life called With Louis and The Duke. He also helped write several songs. One of the most famous is the Duke Ellington classic "Mood Indigo".
Barney Bigard and His Jazzopaters
Barney Bigard led his own group called Barney Bigard and His Jazzopaters. They recorded the first version of the song "Caravan". This song was written by Juan Tizol and later made famous by Duke Ellington. The recording happened in Hollywood on December 18, 1936. It was an instrumental song, meaning it had no singing.
The band members for this recording were all from the Duke Ellington Orchestra. They included Cootie Williams (trumpet), Juan Tizol (trombone), Barney Bigard (clarinet), Harry Carney (baritone sax), Duke Ellington (piano), Billy Taylor (bass), and Sonny Greer (drums). Even though Duke Ellington was there, Bigard was the leader for this recording session.
Duke Ellington often formed smaller groups using his main soloists. Bigard continued to record under his own name with these smaller groups. He recorded for labels like Variety, Vocalion, and OKeh until 1940. When Ellington signed with Victor Records in 1940, Bigard also recorded for Bluebird Records. He also played with the Glenn Miller Orchestra on some of their biggest hits. These included "Moonlight Serenade", "Little Brown Jug", and "Tuxedo Junction". Bigard was also a member of Louis Armstrong's All Stars. You can see Bigard with the All Stars in the movie The Glenn Miller Story (1954).
Bigard performed with Louis Armstrong and his All Stars. Velma Middleton sang vocals at the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert. This concert was held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on June 7, 1953. Other famous musicians also performed that day.
After World War II, Bigard recorded albums under his own name. He recorded for labels like Signature Records, Rex Records, Black & White Records, and Keynote Records. In 1957, he recorded an album for Liberty. In 1966, he recorded an album in France with the "Barney Bigard-Claude Luter Quintet". In 1968, he recorded "Bucket's Got A Hole In It" with Art Hodes in Chicago.
Death
Barney Bigard passed away on June 27, 1980. He was 74 years old. He died in Culver City, California. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in that city.
Discography
- Barney Bigard 1944-1945 (Classics Records, 1997)
- Bucket's Got A Hole In It (Delmark, recorded 1968)
- BBB & Co. (Swingville, 1962)
Images for kids
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From left: Jack Teagarden, Sandy DeSantis, Velma Middleton, Fraser MacPherson, Cozy Cole, Arvell Shaw, Earl Hines, and Barney Bigard at the Palomar Supper Club, Vancouver, March 17, 1951
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"Caravan" on Variety
See also
In Spanish: Barney Bigard para niños
