Tommy Ladnier

Tommy Ladnier stood out as a dynamic trumpeter whose approach formed a stylistic link between King Oliver and Louis Armstrong. He began performing in New Orleans and relocated to Chicago in 1917. A stint in St. Louis followed, where he performed alongside Charlie Creath, after which he immersed himself in the Chicago jazz community of the early 1920s. During that period he appeared with Ollie Powers in 1923, worked with Fate Marable, and joined King Oliver from 1924 to 1925. Additional sessions found him accompanying assorted blues vocalists as well as Lovie Austin’s Blues Serenaders. In 1925 he traveled to Europe in the company of Sam Wooding, then rose to prominence as a featured soloist in Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra from 1926 to 1927, where he contributed to numerous standout recordings. He rejoined Wooding for another European tour spanning 1928–1929 and later collaborated with Benny Peyton and Noble Sissle between 1930 and 1931. In 1932 Ladnier reunited with Sidney Bechet for a notable date credited to the New Orleans Feetwarmers. Steady employment proved elusive afterward, prompting the pair to operate a tailor shop from 1933 to 1934 whose back-room jam sessions drew more attention than its sewing services. Ladnier remained largely absent from major scenes for several years while leading ensembles in New Jersey and Connecticut, only to be rediscovered in 1938. He participated in the Panassie Sessions alongside Bechet and Mezz Mezzrow before suffering a fatal heart attack in 1939.