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| Freddie Keppard |
 1890-1933 A legendary cornet player who was on the New Orleans scene , after Bolden but before King Oliver.He co-ledThe Original Creole Orchestra in 1912 which was the top band of it''s time but declined an opportunity to record in 1915.This was a year before The Original Dixieland Jazz Band made the first jazz records.Keppard was afraid that imitators would copy his style and in public he played a handkerchief over his fingers.He settled in Chicago in 1920 where he recorded with Doc Cook''s Dreamland Orchestra and Erskine Tate''s Orchestra.He played a powerful but somewhat ragged cornet as can be heard on his recording of Stockyard Strut and Salty Dog although by this time he was past his prime. Keppardcontinued to work uptil 1928 when he contracted tuberculosis.This and his alcoholism caused his death in 1933. |
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