Freddie Keppard who rejected an offer to record for the world’sfirst Jazz record was the master of cornet and trumpet, and it is natural that everybody calls him “king.”

He started playing Jazz at March Band or Story Ville around 1906. He had been performing far superior to ODJB even before they recorded their music.

In 1912, Keppard organized a band on the request of Bill Johnson who was brother-in-law of Jelly Roll Morton.

Then he moved to Los Angels and spread New Orleans Jazz over there. People later called that band “Original Creole Orchestra.”  The band toured around the US until 1918, and they finally settled in Chicago.

[translated by Mariko Ukawa]