Bob French

Bob French is an United States jazz drummer and a radio show host at WWOZ from New Orleans, Louisiana.He has led The Tuxedo Jazz Band since 1977. (The Tuxedo Jazz Band was formerly led by Oscar "Papa" Celestin and later by French's father, Albert "Papa" French from 1958 to 1977. )

As a child he took drumming lessons from Louis Barbarin. He organized a R&B band in high school that included James Booker, Art Neville, Charles Neville, and Kidd Jordan, Alvin Batiste. In the 1960s he recorded with Earl King and Fats Domino. He has also played and recorded with Dave Bartholomew (he is a relative on his mother's side). [http://offbeat.com/artman/publish/article_2162.shtml "BackTalk with Bob French", Alex Rawls, OffBeat Magazine] Bob French & Friends can be heard often on Frenchmen Street at the D.B.A. nightclub.

Marsalis Music Honors series

Infobox Album | Name = Marsalis Music Honors Bob French
Type = Album
Artist = Bob French


Released = flagicon|US April 10 2007
flagicon|Canada April 24, 2007 [http://umusic.ca/site/web/newreleases/]
flagicon|UK May 7 2007
Recorded = Avatar Studios, New York, NY
Jun 15-16 2006
Genre = Jazz
Length = 76 minutes
Label = Marsalis Music/Rounder Records
Producer = Branford Marsalis
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hpfexzy5ldae link]
*The Gazette Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html?id=ad4d5885-5529-4ac9-9dcd-f55f7bc9cf68 April 19, 2007]
*New York Times (Favorable) [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/16/arts/music/16choi.html April 16, 2007]
*offBeat (Favorable) [http://offbeat.com/artman/publish/article_2151.shtml link]
*Philadelphia Daily News A [http://www.philly.com/dailynews/features/20070410_Singer_songwriters__jazz___more.html April 10, 2007] | Last album =
This album =
Next album =
In 2007 the album "Marsalis Music Honors Bob French" was released, as part of the Marsalis music Honors series. The album's musicians include Harry Connick, Jr. on piano and Branford Marsalis on saxophone.

Track listing

# "Bourbon Street Parade" (Paul Barbarin) - 8:20
# "Basin Street Blues" (Spencer Williams) - 5:58
# "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (Henry Creamer, Turner Layton) - 5:58
# "Milenburg Joys" (Paul Mares, Walter Melrose, Fred "Jelly Roll" Morton, Leon Roppolo) - 8:28
# "You Are My Sunshine" (Jimmie Davis) - 3:54
# "Burgundy Street Blues" (George Lewis) - 6:30
# "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" (Clarence Muse, Leon Rene, Otis South Rene) - 9:21
# "Royal Garden Blues" (Clarence Williams, Spencer Williams) - 5:41
# "Do You Know What It Means (To Miss New Orleans)" (Louis Alter, Eddie DeLange) - 6:54
# "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" (traditional) - 7:51
# "When the Saints (Go Marching In)" (traditional) - 7:23

Personnel

* Bob French - drums, vocals
* Troy Andrews - trombone
* Leonard Brown - trumpet
* Harry Connick, Jr. - piano
* Edward Huntington - banjo
* Branford Marsalis - saxophone
* Chris Severin - bass
* Ellen Smith - vocals

References

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/bobfrenchtuxedojb Bob French] at MySpace
* [http://www.donnasbarandgrill.com/bobfrench.htm Bob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band]
* [http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kbfwxqy5ldfe Bob French profile, at All Music Guide]
*imdb name|id=2283814|name=Bob French
* [http://publicity.rounder.com/media/album/MARS0008/bio/Bob%20French%20Bio.pdf Bob French biography] at Rounder Records (pdf file)
* [http://www.nola.com/rose/show_video/?/rose/show_video/content_ws.ssf/jazzfest03 Video: Chris Rose Show featuring: Bob French]