Armand J. Piron

Armand J. Piron
Birth name Armand John Piron
Born (1988-08-16)August 16, 1988
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Died August 16, 1988(1988-08-16) (aged 45)
New Orleans
Genres Jazz, Dixieland
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Violin
Years active 1904–1935


Armand John "A.J." Piron (August 16, 1888 – February 17, 1943) was an American jazz violinist who led a dance band during the 1920s.[1]

Biography

In 1915, Piron and Clarence Williams started the Piron and Williams Publishing Company. In their first year of business they published Piron's composition, "I Wish That I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate", which became his biggest hit. After touring briefly with W.C. Handy in 1917, Piron started an orchestra which included Lorenzo Tio, Steve Lewis[2], John Lindsay, and Peter Bocage.[3] Piron's New Orleans Orchestra became the best paid African American band in New Orleans, for Piron landed regular jobs at both the Spanish Fort amusement park and the exclusive white New Orleans Country Club. The theme song of the orchestra was "The Purple Rose of Cairo", written by Piron and Steve Lewis.[4][2]

In 1923, Piron took his band to New York City[3] to make the group nationally known. He found work at the Roseland Ballroom and recorded for Okeh, Victor and Columbia. The influence of Piron's band can be heard in the records of other New York bands of that time, such as Fletcher Henderson's (although Piron's influence on New York music would be eclipsed a year later when Louis Armstrong arrived in the city). In early 1924, some of Piron's band members were finding the cold northern winter and unfamiliar food and culture objectionable. Piron put the matter to a vote and, to Piron's frustration, the majority of the band voted to return home.

Back in New Orleans, he again lined up good jobs, returning to the Country Club, playing at Tranchina's Restaurant and on the excursion steamships Capital and President into the 1930s; in about 1935, he changed the sound of his orchestra to swing in line with popular taste.

References

  1. ↑ Morton, Brian; Cook, Richard (4 November 2010). The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1000 Best Albums. Penguin. pp. 81–. ISBN 978-0-14-195900-9. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  2. 1 2 "French Creoles". www.frenchcreoles.com. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  3. 1 2 Yanow, Scott. "Armand Piron". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "Purple Rose of Cairo | Tulane University Digital Library". digitallibrary.tulane.edu. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
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