# Please identify this piece of New Orleans style jazz **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771 "2012-05-03T16:51:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/1 "2012-05-03T16:51:41Z")
Please identify this piece of jazz dating apparently from the early 1940s. I would especially like to know the name of the band. I’ve recorded it from radio some years ago and have no other details. [http://www4.zippyshare.com/v/75713741/file.html](http://www4.zippyshare.com/v/75713741/file.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/2 "2012-05-05T16:20:33Z")
I see you’ve had a lot of views and nobody has answered this, which leads me to conclude that my initial impression is correct: It’s not a distinctive tune, and may be just a group riffing. I listened to it at least a half a dozen times: There’s a brief quote of “Saints” at the beginning, but it’s not followed by anything I recognize. They are in the style of The Five Pennies, or maybe The Dukes of Dixieland or the Firehouse Five Plus Two. They clearly know what they’re doing, but if it’s a jazz standard it’s one that’s gotten by me. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/3 "2012-05-06T19:20:50Z")
Thank you, **Sigmagirl**. I appreciate your answering. Apparently New Orleans jazz fans don’t swarm in SD. But like you say, it’s probably not a jazz standard. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/4 "2012-05-06T20:21:06Z")
I’m having trouble placing it as well. I’d recommend contacting somebody at [WWOZ-FM](http://www.wwoz.org/about/contact) in New Orleans. I bet they’d be able to pinpoint it for you. I love the track. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/5 "2012-05-06T22:49:24Z")
Obviously a large group. They have all the instruments. The clarinet player was world class . ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/6 "2012-05-07T00:43:18Z")
My wife says it’s a version of “Just a Closer Walk With Thee”. I tend to agree with her. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/7 "2012-05-07T00:48:19Z")
My first thought was “Saints,” too, but after that, it’s pretty generic. Good recording, tho. You might try contacting Cal State Long Beach, KKJZ, one of the few all-jazz/blues repositories. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/8 "2012-05-07T01:15:23Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > My first thought was “Saints,” too, but after that, it’s pretty generic. Good recording, tho. > > You might try contacting Cal State Long Beach, KKJZ, one of the few all-jazz/blues repositories. See my post, then listen to the opening bars again. It’s a more upbeat version of “Closer Walk”, but it’s definitely the song. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/9 "2012-05-07T01:27:45Z")
Yes, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee.” Maybe by [Bunk Johnson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wzszgr_AXA)? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/10 "2012-05-07T01:37:39Z")
Or maybe the [George Lewis Stompers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX69JJ-3D7s&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/11 "2012-05-08T13:19:55Z")
Thank you all for the title and suggestions. They’ll keep me busy for a few days rummaging in Youtube. I’m amazed at the number of interpretations of this beautiful gospel song. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/12 "2012-05-08T14:10:37Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Thank you all for the title and suggestions. They’ll keep me busy for a few days rummaging in Youtube. I’m amazed at the number of interpretations of this beautiful gospel song. As you probably know, this is a common tune for funerals in New Orleans. It always starts extremely slowly, but then becomes a joyous tune as the procession goes along. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-identify-this-piece-of-new-orleans-style-jazz/620771/13 "2012-05-08T15:51:31Z")
I found it ! Reunion Jazz Band, a Dutch group. Recorded in Amsterdam, 1966. Better quality: [http://www62.zippyshare.com/v/88782764/file.html](http://www62.zippyshare.com/v/88782764/file.html) Thanks again, **Chefguy** and all.