Kid Ory Band LaPlace #JazzTuesday

by nolahistoryguy | Feb 2, 2021 | 1811/Kid Ory House, Jazz, Plantations

Kid Ory Band LaPlace from around 1910.

Kid Ory Band Laplace

Photo from around 1910 of Edward “Kid” Ory and his band. They’re in a field in LaPlace, Louisiana, where Ory grew up. The band members include (l-r) Ed Robinson (drums), Ory, Lewis Matthews (cornet), Emile Bigard (violin). Stonewall Matthews (guitar). The bassist is only identified as “Foster.”

Ory’s band travled into New Orleans on Saturday mornings. They “tailgated,” riding in wagons, promoting their gigs. Additionally, the band busked for tips around the fishing camps in Milneburg. Ory later moved to New Orleans. He lived with his sister. King Bolden tried to recruit the Kid to play in his band, but his sister insisted he finish school first.

1811/Kid Ory House

Kid Ory lived on the land formerly occupied by Woodland Plantation in LaPlace. The main house re-opens today as the 1811/Kid Ory House. From the press release for today’s event:

GRAND OPENING TUESDAY!

1811 Kid Ory Historic House Announces Grand Opening
River Parishes Newest Museum to Officially Open to the Public

LAPLACE, LA January 26, 2021. After a year of planning and installing exhibits, the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House opens on Tuesday, February 2, 2021; this will mark the first time the house has opened to the public. Formerly known as the Woodland Plantation, or Montegut House, the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House dates back over two centuries to the Spanish colonial era.

Two permanent exhibits tell the stories of the 1811 German Coast uprising of enslaved people and the life of jazz pioneer Kid Ory, born on the plantation in 1886. Exhibit Room I features Stomping Grounds: Mules at Work in Southeast Louisiana, also explores the role of draft animals and sugar production in the area after the Civil War. Exhibit Room II features photographs of regional culture. Patrons can find a selection of Kid Ory’s music on vinyl, CD, and 78rpm recordings as well as books, handmade string instruments, vintage phonographs, cards, photographs, and art.

Staff

The executive team consists of museum founder, Kid Ory biographer, former Times-Picayune photojournalist John McCusker, non-profit founder and history practitioner Charlotte Jones, and scholar-in-residence Daniel Senentez, Jr.

45-minute tours of the 4,000 sq. ft. historic home begins at 11 am. Admission into the museum is $15. While the ribbon-cutting ceremony is outside, masks and social distancing are strongly encouraged. Masks are required inside the building, and tour size is limited to four.

Who: 1811 Kid Ory Historic House
What: Grand Opening
Where: 1128 LA-HWY 628, LaPlace, LA 70068
When: Tuesday, February 2, 2021 – 10 am

The Photo

Kid Ory Band LaPlace is part of the Louisiana State Museum/New Orleans Jazz Museum Collection.