Tio, Lorenzo, Jr
Tio, Lorenzo, Jr
Tio, Lorenzo, Jr., early jazz clarinetist, tenor saxophonist, arranger, oboist; b. New Orleans, April 21, 1893 (from his draft registration); d. N.Y, Dec. 24, 1933. His father, Lorenzo Sr. (1866-c. 1920), and his uncle, Luis “Papa” (1863-1927), were renowned clarinetists and teachers. From c. 1910 he played with the Onward Brass Band and began regular teaching, some of his pupils included: Barney Bigard (who was also said to have studied with his uncle), Albert Burbank, Johnny Dodds, Albert Nicholas, Jimmie Noone. He played with Papa Celestin from c. 1913, and then worked in Chicago with Manuel Perez in 1916. A year later he returned to New Orleans, rejoined Papa Celestin, and from 1918-28 worked mainly with Armand Pirón (including N.Y. residencies). He worked in New Orleans with the Tuxedo Brass Band, then returned to N.Y, where he freelanced and played for a period on the Albany, N.Y, steamboats. He returned to New Orleans again and worked regularly with Armand Pirón. During the last few months of his life he played at the Nest Club in N.Y After his death, his body was taken back to New Orleans for burial.
Discography
JELLY ROLL MORTON: 1929-30 (1996); New York: 1928-30: Great Original Performances (2000).
Bibliography
Charles Kinzer, The Tio Family: Four Generations of New Orleans Musicians, 1814-1933 (LSU, 1993).
—John Chilton/Lewis Porter