Celestin's Tuxedo Jazz Band - New Orleans Bandwagon RWP-9,10,11,12 (1950s)

I recently called a lady in New Orleans who had advertised that she had 100 78s for sale. (I always get my hopes up when a stash is listed from The Big Easy)

I asked her if she could tell me what a few of the labels and artists were that she had and, nice lady as she was, proceeded to name each and every one. About halfway through, I didn't have the heart to tell her, that so far, everything was run of the mill big-band, classical or 50's pop.

Still patiently listening, I heard her say, "Oh...here is the last one...it looks a lot older...Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra...Papa's Got The Jim-Jams." 

Finally hearing what I had always anticipated when I call a New Orleans ad...I realized there was no way to justify the 7 hour round trip drive for just ONE record. Thanking her for her time, I informed her of the approximate value of the Columbia and wished her luck in her effort to sell off the entire collection.

Oh, if gas prices weren't so darn high!

Anyway, here we have 2 clean 78s I recently found of Oscar Papa Celestin recorded within a few years of his passing at the age of 70. These were recorded on local New Orleans' DJ Roger Wolfe's New Orleans Bandwagon label in the early 1950s. (See Sharkey Bonano's recording on the same label here.)

Oscar Papa Celestin t / Bill Matthews tb / Alphonse Picou cl / Octave Crosby p / Christopher 'Black Happy' Goldston d / Ricard Alexis b.

I do believe that each member was born in the 1800's and was around for the earliest days of jazz in New Orleans. Also read that Alphonse Picou played off and on with Buddy Bolden!