American jazz trumpeter and bandleader (1901–1990)
Phil Napoleon
Jackie Gleason and Phil Napoleon on stage
Background information
Birth name
Filippo Napoli
Born
(1901-09-02)September 2, 1901 Boston, Massachusetts, US
Died
October 1, 1990(1990-10-01) (aged 89) Miami, Florida, US
Genres
Jazz
Instrument(s)
Trumpet
Years active
1910s–1980s
Musical artist
Phil Napoleon (born Filippo Napoli;[1] September 2, 1901 – October 1, 1990)[2][3] was an early jazz trumpeter and bandleader born in Boston, Massachusetts. Ron Wynn observed that Napoleon "was a competent, though unimaginative trumpeter whose greatest value was the many recording sessions he led that helped increase jazz's popularity in the mid-1920s."[2] Richard Cook and Brian Morton, writing for The Penguin Guide to Jazz, refer to Napoleon as "a genuine pioneer" whose playing was "profoundly influential on men such as Red Nichols and Bix Beiderbecke."[1]
Napoleon began with classical training, and was performing publicly by age five. In the 1910s, he was one of the first musicians in the northeastern United States to embrace the new "jass" style brought to that part of the country by musicians from New Orleans, Louisiana. With pianist Frank Signorelli he formed the group "The Original Memphis Five" in 1917. He became one of the most sought after trumpeters of the 1920s.[4] The group were very prolific, one of the most prolific in New York City at the time, and in 1922 to 1923 alone made over a hundred recordings.[4] Napoleon's 1927 version of "Clarinet Marmalade" was a particular success.[5] The Original Memphis Five split in 1928. During the 1930s, Napoleon mainly worked as a session trumpeter, working in the RCA Radio Orchestra in the early 1930s,[4] and in 1937 unsuccessfully tried to form his own orchestra.[6] He also worked as a network house conductor and trumpet soloist for NBC from around 1929 to 1937.[7] He recorded with the Cotton Pickers and the Charleston Chasers and also worked with blues singers Leona Williams and Alberta Hunter.[4]
Napoleon joined Jimmy Dorsey's then Los Angeles–based group in the mid-1940s, and he appeared with the band in the film Four Jills in a Jeep.[6] Parting with Dorsey in 1947, he moved back to New York and worked as a studio musician at NBC until 1949 to 1950 when he reformed The Original Memphis Five. During the early 1950s the group became noted for their performances at Nick's in New York City. He also worked frequently with his nephew Marty Napoleon, a jazz pianist. On July 3, 1959, Napoleon and The Five performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, later released as an album.[8] In 1966, he opened up his own club named "Napoleon's Retreat" in Miami, Florida, where he lived until his death, although continued to perform Dixieland jazz in the club up until the 1980s.[6]
^ abCite error: The named reference penguin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abCite error: The named reference wynn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference note was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcdBarnhart, Scotty (2005). The World of Jazz Trumpet: A Comprehensive History & Practical Philosophy. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 190. ISBN 978-1-61774-762-5.
^"Phil Napoleon Orch – Clarinet Marmalade 1927". National Archive. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
^ abc"Phil Napoleon". Redhotjazz.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
^ The Cumberland News
14 Aug 1939
^"Phil Napoleon And His Original Memphis Five". Concertvault.com. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
PhilNapoleon (born Filippo Napoli; September 2, 1901 – October 1, 1990) was an early jazz trumpeter and bandleader born in Boston, Massachusetts. Ron...
Memphis Five was an early jazz quintet founded in 1917 by trumpeter PhilNapoleon and pianist Frank Signorelli. Jimmy Lytell was a member from 1922 to...
from Frank Sinatra and Erroll Garner to George Lewis, Eddie Condon, PhilNapoleon, Papa Celestin, Alphonse Picou, Muggsy Spanier, Sharkey Bonano, and...
with his uncle PhilNapoleon, a trumpeter, in Phil's Original Memphis Five. In the 1950s he also worked with his brother Teddy Napoleon, a pianist, and...
Teddy Napoleon (January 23, 1914 – July 5, 1964) was an American swing jazz pianist. He was the nephew of PhilNapoleon and the older brother of Marty...
Band, The Chuck Wayne Quintet, The Don Elliott Quintet, Joe Wilder, PhilNapoleon and His Original Memphis Five, Sammy Spear (né Samuel Shapiro; 1909–1975)...
(drums) Glenn Miller (trombone, arranger) Chauncey Morehouse (drums) PhilNapoleon (trumpet) Adrian Rollini (bass sax) Arthur Schutt (piano) Frank Schumacher...
Blue of the Evening' (1943)." 1929: "You Can't Cheat a Cheater" with PhilNapoleon and Frank Signorelli 1932: "Three Moods"; NB. Dorsey recorded two takes...
blues shouter, balladeer, singer and pianist (died 1972). September 2 – PhilNapoleon, American trumpeter and bandleader (died 1990). 30 – Thelma Terry, American...
singer, songwriter, record producer, and talent agent. Under the pseudonym Napoleon XIV, he achieved one-hit wonder status with the #3 hit novelty song "They're...
during the 1930s and 1940s. He recorded with the California Ramblers and PhilNapoleon and other New York dance bands. He arranged music for popular radio...
Orchestra, Bunny Berigan, Muggsy Spanier, Pete Daily and his Chicagoans, PhilNapoleon, The Belgrade Dixieland Orchestra, and Vince Giordano, on both the 2011...
and sing all of the jazz choruses from the recordings made by Bix, PhilNapoleon, and the rest. Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the once-booming...
relocated to Florida in 1961, where he led his own band and worked with PhilNapoleon, Flip Phillips, Ira Sullivan, and Joe Diorio. He recorded sparsely throughout...
influence on such later jazz trumpeters as Red Nichols, Bix Beiderbecke and PhilNapoleon. Nick LaRocca's 1917 composition "Tiger Rag" was covered by Louis Armstrong...
touring the East Coast with his quartet. In 1954 he worked at Nick's with PhilNapoleon and later with Pee Wee Erwin. In 1957 Eddie Condon asked Johnny to play...
best known for his role as the title character of the 2004 comedy film Napoleon Dynamite. He has also appeared in the films Just Like Heaven, The Benchwarmers...
Out as Tonky. Cornwell will play Sanson 'The Bourreau' in the 2023 movie Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott. Nissan Almera GTi advert - spoof of "The Professionals"...
the 1927-1929 period by musicians such as Berlyn Baylor, Ted Lewis, PhilNapoleon, Lud Gluskin and Bill Carlsen. Frankie Trumbauer and his orchestra,...
radio and film industry. He came to prominence in the 1990s hosting The Phil Hendrie Show, a radio talk show where he portrayed both himself as a calm...
"Phil LaMarr". Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phil LaMarr. Speculative fiction portal Film portal Official website Phil LaMarr at IMDb Phil LaMarr...
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