Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra - When I'm With You

Oscar "Papa" Celestin (1884-1954) was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist and vocalist. In his youth he worked on rural Louisiana plantations. Later he worked as a cook for the Texas & Pacific Railroad, saved up money and bought used musical instruments. He played guitar and trombone before deciding on cornet as his main instrument. He took music lessons from Claiborne Williams and played with the Algiers Brass Band by the early 1900s, and with various small town bands before moving to New Orleans in 1904. In New Orleans he played with the Imperial, Indiana, Henry Allen senior's Olympia Brass Bands, and Jack Carey's dance band; early in his career he was sometimes known as "Sonny" Celestin. About 1910 he became the leader of the house band at the Tuxedo Dance Hall on North Franklin St. He kept the name "Tuxedo" for the name of the band after the dance hall closed. Dressing the band in tuxedos, the Tuxedo became one of the most popular bands hired for society functions, both black and white. For years Celestin co-led the Tuxedo Band with trombonist William Ridgely. They made their first recordings during the Okeh Records field trip to New Orleans in 1925. Shortly after Ridgely and Celestin had a falling out and for about 5 years led competing "Tuxedo" bands. Celestin's Original Tuxedo Orchestra made an additional series of recordings for Columbia Records through the rest of the 1920s. Besides, Celestin also led the Tuxedo Brass Band, one of the top brass bands in the city. Along with other famous jazzmen, Louis Armstrong played in the Original Tuxedo Orchestra with Celestin. In 1932 Celestin was forced out of the business by depression economics, working in a shipyard until he formed another band after World War II. The new Tuxedo Brass Band proved tremendously popular and was hailed as a key New Orleans tourist attraction. In 1953, Papa Celestin appeared leading his band in the big-budget travelogue Cinerama Holiday. His band became a regular feature at the Paddock Lounge on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, and made regular radio broadcasts, television appearance and more recordings. In 1953 Celestin gave a command performance for President Eisenhower at the White House. In view of the tremendous contribution Celestin made in jazz throughout his lifetime, the Jazz Foundation of New Orleans had a bust made and donated to the Delgado Museum in New Orleans. Near the end of his life, he was honored as one of the greats of New Orleans music. After his death Tuxedo Brass Band leadership was briefly taken over by trombonist Eddie Pierson until his death in 1958. The leadership of the band then fell to banjo player Albert "Papa" French. As for this great record, it was made in 1927.