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New Orleans Rhythm Kings NORK
New Orleans Rhythm Kings Left to Right: Leon Roppolo, Jack Pettis, Elmer Schoebel, Arnold Loyacano, Paul Mares, Frank Snyder, George Brunies.

The New Orleans Rhythm Kings Gennett recordings were a big influence on many of the white bands and musicians of the 1920s.

In 1920, Paul Mares and George Brunies were working on the Mississippi riverboat S.S. Capitol when it stopped in Davenport, Iowa, where they teamed with Leon Roppolo on clarinet. They eventually added Elmer Schobel on piano, Frank Snyder on drums, Alfred Loyacano on bass and Louis Black played banjo. They got a gig at the Friar’s Club in Chicago in 1922.

At first they called themselves The Friar’s Society Orchestra, after the club the Friars Inn at 1834 Wabash Street at Van Buren in Chicago, but they changed their name to The New Orleans Rhythm Kings in 1923 after losing that gig.

Unlike Nick LaRocca, the leader of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Paul Mares did not try to deny the African-American roots of Jazz. The New Orleans Rhythm Kings were heavily influenced by King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band and became the first group to put out a “racially mixed” Jazz record in 1923 with “Sobbin’ Blues”, featuring Jelly Roll Morton. Morton went on to record five more tunes with the band.

The New Orleans Rhythm Kings were in existence from 1922 to 1925 when Paul Mares left the music business and went back to New Orleans to work at the family fur business. In 1934 and 1935 two recording sessions took place that revived the New Orleans Rhythm Kings name, but George Brunies was the only original member of the band to take part in the sessions.

The complete recordings of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings were recently restored by Rivermont

discography

TitleRecording DateRecording LocationCompany
Angry
(George Brunies / Jules Cassard / Abbie Brunies / Mecum)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5219-B
Baby
(Santo Pecora / Newman)
1-23-1925New OrleansOkeh
40422
Baby Brown
Vocal Chorus by Red McKenzie

(Alex Hill)
2-20-1935New York, New YorkDecca
401 A
Bluin’ The Blues
(Henry Ragas)
9-26-1934New York, New YorkDecca
464
Bugle Call Rag
Direction – Husk O’Hara

(Snyder / Jack Pettis / George Brunies)
8-29-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
4967-B
Starr
9304
Clarinet Marmalade (1)
(Nick LaRocca / Eddie Edwards / Tony Sparbaro / Larry Shields)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5220-B
Clarinet Marmalade (2)
(Nick LaRocca / Eddie Edwards / Tony Sparbaro / Larry Shields)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5220-B
Discontented Blues
Direction – Husk O’Hara

(Elmer Schoebel / Billy Meyers / Miller)
8-29-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
4967-A
Eccentric
(J. Russel Robinson)
8-29-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
5009-B
Everybody Loves Somebody Blues (1)
(Paul Mares / Red Long / Santo Pecora)
1-26-1925New OrleansVictor
19645-B
Everybody Loves Somebody Blues (2)
(Paul Mares / Red Long / Santo Pecora)
1-26-1925New OrleansBluebird
B-10956-B
Farewell Blues
(Paul Mares / Leon Roppolo / Elmer Schoebel)
8-29-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
4966-A
Gold Leaf Strut
(Paul Mares / Leon Roppolo)
1-23-1925New OrleansOkeh
I Never Knew What A Girl Could Do
(Elmer Schoebel)
1-23-1925New OrleansOkeh
40422
Jazz Me Blues
(Tom Delaney)
9-12-1934New York, New YorkDecca
162 B
Livery Stable Blues
(Alcide Nuņez / Ray Lopez)
8-30-1922Richmond, IndianaParamount
14028
London Blues
(Jelly Roll Morton)
7-18-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5221-A
Mad
(Jimmy McHugh / Heath)
7-18-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5221-B
Maple Leaf Rag
(Scott Joplin)
3-13-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5102-B
Marguette
(Pierce / Novak)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5217-B
Milenberg Joys (1)
(Jelly Roll Morton)
7-18-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
3076-A
Milenberg Joys (4)
(Jelly Roll Morton)
7-18-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5217-A
Mr. Jelly Lord (2)
(Jelly Roll Morton)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5220-A
Mr. Jelly Lord (4)
(Jelly Roll Morton)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5220-A
No Lovers Allowed
Vocal Chorus by Red McKenzie

(Shad / Lange / Jones)
2-20-1935New York, New YorkDecca
401 B
(Oh! Susanna) Dust Off The Old Piano (A)
(Caesar / Lerner / Marks)
2-20-1935New York, New YorkDecca
388
(Oh! Susanna) Dust Off The Old Piano (B)
(Caesar / Lerner / Marks)
2-20-1935New York, New YorkDecca
388
Ostrich Walk
(Nick LaRocca / Larry Shields)
9-26-1934New York, New YorkDecca
229
Oriental
(Elmer Schoebel / Meyers)
8-30-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
4966-B
Starr
9303
Original Dixieland One-Step
(J. Russel Robinson / Jordan)
9-26-1934New York, New YorkDecca
229
Panama
(William H. Tyers)
8-30-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
4968-A
Panama
(William H. Tyers)
9-12-1934New York, New YorkDecca
162 A
San Antonio Shout
(Sidney Arodin)
9-12-1934New York, New YorkDecca
161 A

38606
Sensation
(Eddie Edwards)
9-26-1934New York, New YorkDecca
464
She’s Crying For Me (1)
(Santo Pecora)
1-26-1925New OrleansBluebird
B-10956-A
She’s Crying For Me Blues (4)
(Santo Pecora)
1-26-1925New OrleansVictor
19645-A
Shimmeshawabble
(Spencer Williams)
3-13-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5106-A
Since We Fell Out Of Love
(Shand / De Lange / Bernard)
2-20-1935New York, New YorkDecca
388
Sobbin’ Blues
(Art Kassell / Vic Berton)
7-17-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5219-A
Sweet Lovin’ Man
(Lil Hardin / Walter Melrose)
3-12-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5104-A
That’s A Plenty
(Lew Pollack / Ray Gilbert)
3-12-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5105-B
That Da Da Strain
(Medina / Dowell)
3-13-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5106-B
Tiger Rag
(Nick LaRocca)
8-30-1922Richmond, IndianaGennett
4968-B
Tin Roof Blues
(New Orleans Rhythm Kings)
3-13-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5105-A
Tin Roof Blues
(New Orleans Rhythm Kings)
9-12-1934New York, New YorkDecca
161 B

38606
Weary Blues
(Artie Mattews)
3-12-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5102-B
Wolverine Blues
(Benjamin Spikes / John Spikes / Jelly Roll Morton)
3-13-1923Richmond, IndianaGennett
5102-A

ArtistInstrument
Sidney ArodinClarinet
Lou BlackBanjo
Steve BrownBass
George BruniesTrombone
Charlie CordellaTenor Saxophone
Bill EastwoodBanjo
Bob GilletteBanjo
Gene KrupaDrums
Red LongPiano
Wingy ManoneTrumpet
Paul MaresCornet
Red McKenzieVocals
Chink MartinBass
Eddie MillerClarinet
Jelly Roll MortonPiano
Don MurrayClarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Santo PecoraTrombone
Jack PettisTenor Saxophone
Ben PollackDrums
Benny PottleBass
Kyle PiercePiano
Leon RoppoloClarinet
Elmer SchoebelPiano
Glenn ScovilleAlto and Tenor Saxophone
Terry ShandPiano
Mel StitzelPiano
Frank SnyderDrums
Bob WhiteDrums

 

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