Johnny Dodds

Among the all-time great clarinetists and arguably the most important from the 1920s, Johnny Dodds (whose younger sibling Baby Dodds was one of the primary important drummers) had a memorable firmness in both lower and top registers, was an excellent blues participant, and held his own with Louis Armstrong (zero mean feat) on his common Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. He didn’t start clarinet until he was 17 but captured on fast, getting mainly self-taught. Dodds was with Child Ory’s music group during the majority of 1912-1919, performed on riverboats with Destiny Marable in 1917, and became a member of Ruler Oliver in Chicago in 1921. Through the following decade, he documented with Oliver’s Creole Jazz Music group, Jelly Move Morton, Louis Armstrong, and by himself heated sessions, frequently making use of trumpeter Natty Dominique. He proved helpful frequently at Kelly’s Stables during 1924-1930. Although Dodds continuing playing in Chicago through the 1930s, area of the period was spent owning a cab firm. The clarinetist led documenting periods in 1938 and 1940, but passed away just before the brand new Orleans revival motion began.