Barney Bigard

Dixieland, Musical Artist

1906 – 1980

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Who was Barney Bigard?

Albany Leon Bigard, aka Barney Bigard, was an American jazz clarinetist who also played tenor saxophone.

Bigard was born in New Orleans to a family of Creoles and studied music and clarinet with Lorenzo Tio. He moved to Chicago in the early 1920s, where he worked with 'King' Oliver and others. During this period, much of his recording with Oliver and others, including clarinetist Johnny Dodds, was on tenor saxophone, an instrument he played often with great lyricism, as on Oliver's hit recording of "Someday Sweetheart".

In 1927 he joined Duke Ellington's orchestra in New York, where he remained until 1942. With Ellington, he was the featured clarinet soloist, while also doing some section work on tenor. After leaving Ellington's Orchestra, he moved to Los Angeles, California and did sound track work, including an onscreen featured role with an allstar band led by Louis Armstrong in the film New Orleans.

He began working with trombonist Kid Ory's group during the late 1940s, and later worked with Louis Armstrong's touring band, the All Stars, and others. He appeared and played in the movie St. Louis Blues, with Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey and Eartha Kitt.

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Born
Mar 3, 1906
New Orleans
Also known as
  • B. Bigard
  • Barny Bigard
  • Bigard, Barney
Ethnicity
  • African American
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Died
Jun 27, 1980
Culver City

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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