Recorded In New Orleans 1925-28 CD

 "Papa" Celestine Lives!
Before the broad spectrum of music loosely referred to as "Jazz", the original jazz was born in New Orleans and was nurtured up the banks of the Mississippi River. One of the men who was there to keep it alive and to create a whole new music form was Oscar "Papa" Celestine. His "Tuxedo Orchestra" was a sit-down dance band in formal dress, and played music for people to dance to as well as listen to. He was the mentor of Louis Armstrong and was a major exponent of restraint in jazz expression. While other trumpet players tried to see how loud or high they could make notes, or how many they could cram into a measure, "Papa" Celestine concentrated on the mood of the music. His trumpet was gentle and sweet and used a tongue like a mockingbird does. At six feet four inches and about 300 pounds, he didn't need to show off. But his style provided the model for the jazz that followed. Some people from the U.S. Archives managed to record some of the music he was playing back in the twenties and it is here, like a well-focused old photograph, to let us hear what early jazz was like. "Papa" lived a restrained life, and kept his day jobs, surviving the years and carrying his share of the load. He played the original jazz all the way into his eighties, and to hear the music he played is to hear the best and the original. I hadn't known about Sam Morgan, but was impressed with his solid style. His trumpet playing was different than Papa's but ushered in the more florid style that became associated with the upriver styles from Memphis to St. Louis to Chicago. Bix Beiderbecke probably heard him play on one of the river boats. He was one of the messengers and one of the originals. But I bought the record to hear Papa play. He recorded alot of records after that and they are all worth hearing. But this one is essential.
Submitted by a reviewer (Sarasota, Florida) 
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