[Dixielandjazz] Lorenzo Tio in NYC

[Ken Mathieson]

Ulf wrote,
>snip
I was wondering what views you have (if any) in respect of the following: on
July 30, 1923, Chas. A Matson's Creole Serenaders recorded Tain 't Nobody's
business If I Do (mx9104-A) and I Just Want A Daddy (mx 9105-B). Both were
released on Edison 51222 and 51224 respectively. Those two recordings were
reissued on the Frog's latest release "Stop & Bar" Rare and Hot Black Tape
recordings. FROG CD DGF79. However I just received the first title on
Rivermonts CD "The Big Broadcast, vol 4 with better sound quality than Frog.
After listening, I am prepared to say that I am convinced that the
clarinetist is Lorenzo Tio. But, in all honesty, I can only be sure that I
think it is he - I was not on spot. Are there any of you who have no idea
about this notion, for or against? Pirons band played in New York in the
spring of 1923, and returned to N.O in the fall of 1923.  I have seen
information that Tio did not join the band back to New Orleans but stayed in
New York. That has always confused me because he can be heard with Pirons in
"Red Man Blues" recorded in N.O.  But if he stopped, not 1924 but 1923? 
<snip

Hi Ulf

I've had a listen to both tracks and find it impossible to say whether it was Tio on clarinet or not. However Gunther Schuller's book Early Jazz states that the Piron band was in NYC in 1922 and 1923, while Ray Smith's liner notes to the Azure CD of the complete recordings of the Piron band state that "in May of 1923, Piron secured a job at the Cotton Club in New York." So it is possible that Tio was in NYC at the end of July 1923 when the Matson sides were recorded. Ray Smith's liner notes go on to state that the Piron band returned to its residency in Tranchina's in New Orleans (unfortunately he doesn't state when they returned to New Orleans) before returning to NYC to record for Victor between early December 1923 and mid February 1924. The Piron band recorded again in New Orleans in March 1923, but the Azure CD's liner notes state "..unknown clarinet replaces Tio.." so perhaps he remained in NYC for a spell. I've got a note (unfortunately I didn't record the source) that Tio was the only member of the Piron band who elected to remain in New York and I suspect this might have been after the February 1923 recordings.

Another source, Samuel B Charters' book New Orleans Jazz 1885 - 1963, gives a slightly different chronology stating: "In May 1923 the Werlein Music Company arranged for the group (meaning Piron's band) to record for Victor in New York City. Once in New York Piron talked them into taking a job at the Cotton Club. The house band stayed around, just in case they couldn't make it, but they went through the show without any difficulty. Piron had hired Celestin to replace him at Tranchina's and when they returned a few months later the job was still there for them. They returned to New York the next year, recorded again, and opened at the Roseland Ballroom."

Various sources state that he worked with Piron until 1928. John Chilton's Who's Who of Jazz states that he later returned to New York, doing free-lance gigging and arranging, as well as playing for a spell on the Albany - New York steamboats. Thereafter he returned to New Orleans where he played again with Piron, before returning again to NYC to play a residency at the Nest Club, where he was joined for a spell in 1932 by Sidney Bechet. He died in NYC 24 Dec 1933 and his funeral was in New Orleans.

In addition to the Piron records, he is reputed to have recorded with Clarence Williams in May 1924 (Ghost of the Blues) and Jelly Roll Morton in 1930. Here's a link to some biographical info on the Tios:
http://ml.islandnet.com/pipermail/dixielandjazz/2007-August/048732.html  There's further info at:
http://musicrising.tulane.edu/uploads/transcripts/l.%20tio%2010-26-1960.pdf  This document suggests that Tio wrote not just Mood Indigo, but Sophisticated Lady and Moonglow too.

Sorry I can't offer an opinion on Chas A Matson's clarinettist, but here's a further snippet about Tio: Harold Dejan of the Olympia Brass Band told me that Russell Procope had been a pupil of Tio's when he was in New York. I've never seen anything in print to support this, but it might explain why Procope (a New Yorker) played the way he did on clarinet.

Regards,

Ken Mathieson