Louis Barbarin (nickname Lil Barb; October 24, 1902 – May 12, 1997) was a New Orleans jazz drummer.

Early life

Barbarin was born in New Orleans on October 24, 1902. His father was Isidore Barbarin, and his brothers

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, Lucien, and William all became musicians. He studied under the drummer Louis Cottrell, Sr.

Later life and career

Barbarin "joined the first Onward Brass Band around 1918, when Manuel Perez was the leader. He played at dances with

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, the trombonist

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, and Punch Miller, and on excursion boats with Sidney Desvigne." He joined

Papa Celestin Oscar Phillip Celestin (January 1, 1884 – December 15, 1954) better known by stage name Papa Celestin was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Life and career Celestin was born in Napoleonville, Louisiana, to a Creole family, son of a s ...

's band in 1937 and stayed until Celestin's death. The band was then taken over by banjoist Albert French, and Barbarin remained as the drummer. He often recorded with each of the bands. Barbarin sang in a quartet, the Four Tones, after World War II, then worked with Miller in the 1950s and 1960s. He played in several bands in the mid-to-late 1960s, and toured extensively in the 1970s, including in Europe. He stopped playing in 1982, and died in New Orleans on May 12, 1997. He was interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery in New Orleans.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barbarin, Louis Jazz musicians from New Orleans American jazz drummers Louisiana Creole people African-American drummers 1902 births 1997 deaths 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Onward Brass Band members 20th-century African-American musicians