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New Orleans Owls

The New Orleans Owls (active 1922–29) were an early jazz band from New Orleans that descended from The Invincibles String band and recorded 23 sides for Columbia from 1925 to 1927 on 78 rpm phonograph record. They are reportedly the first group to record by the electric system operating from a mobile recording van. They played principally for the dancers in the ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. The replaced Abbie Brunies' Halfway House Orchestra at the Halfway House dancehall in the late 1920s.

Members included Bill Padron (very much in the Paul Mares school) (ct), Benjie White (cl, as, leader), Lester Smith (ts), Mose Farrar (p), Rene Gelpi (bjo, g), Dan LeBlanc (tu), Earl Crumb (d), Frank Netto (tb), Pinky Vidacovitch (cl, as) and Sigfre Christensen (p). Their records are not as collectible as those of similar bands like the New Orleans Rhythm Kings or the Friar's Society Orchestra, but will still fetch a hundred dollars or more at auction if they are in excellent condition.

Birth and Death Data: Born Founded 1922, Died Ceased 1929

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1927

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W140992 10-in. 9/24/1925 Stomp off—let's go New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W140993 10-in. 9/24/1925 Oh me! Oh my! New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W140994 10-in. 9/24/1925 The owls' hoot New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W140995 10-in. 9/24/1925 Zero New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W142018 10-in. 4/14/1926 Spaghetti New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W142019 10-in. 4/14/1926 Piccadilly New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W142020 10-in. 4/14/1926 Tampeekoe New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W142021 10-in. 4/14/1926 Dynamite New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W142022 10-in. 4/14/1926 Pretty baby New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W142023 10-in. 4/14/1926 West End romp New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143110 10-in. 11/8/1926 Blowin' off steam New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143111 10-in. 11/8/1926 Boneyard shuffle New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143112 10-in. 11/8/1926 White ghost shivers New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143113 10-in. 11/8/1926 The nightmare New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143114 10-in. 11/8/1926 Brotherly love New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143115 10-in. 11/8/1926 Eccentric New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143979 10-in. 4/15/1927 So long, Joe New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143980 10-in. 4/15/1927 Killing time New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143981 10-in. 4/15/1927 That's a plenty New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W143982 10-in. 4/15/1927 Meat on the table New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W145022 10-in. 10/26/1927 The new twister New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W145023 10-in. 10/26/1927 Goose pimples New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Columbia W145024 10-in. 10/26/1927 Throwin' the horns New Orleans Owls Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet Musical group  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "New Orleans Owls," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111351.

New Orleans Owls. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111351.

"New Orleans Owls." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/111351

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