Morand, Herb

Morand, Herb, early jazz trumpeter, singer; b. New Orleans, La., 1905; d. there, Feb. 23, 1952. His brother was Maurice (drums); their stepsister was singer Lizzie Miles. Morand began playing trumpet at the age of 13. At 18, he did first his professional work with Nat Towle’s Creole Harmony Kings, and worked in O.K. with this New Orleans Band for almost a year. After a brief return to New Orleans he left to tour Mexico in a band he co-led with bassist Charlie Towles (Nat’s father). Around 1924–25, he settled in N.Y., playing jobs accompanying Lizzie Miles and spent several months in Cliff Jackson’s Krazy Cats. Later in the decade, he returned to New Orleans, working with Chris Kelly’s band, and also leading his own small groups and playing in parade bands. He moved to Chicago in the late 1920s to join J. Frank Terry’s Chicago Nightingales. From 1932–34, he was a member of W. McDonald and his Chicago Ramblers, and then began nearly a year- long job with pianist William Barbee and drummer “Little” Joe Lindsey playing at Tony’s Tavern. From 1936, Morand played regularly in the Harlem Hamfats (mostly in Chicago); this group made many recordings over the next two years. During this period, he also played on the lake steamer S.S. North Shore and at Bratton’s Rendezvous with Meade “Lux” Lewis. In 1941, Morand teamed up with Jimmy Bertrand for residency at The Firehouse, Chicago, then returned to New Orleans. He led his own band through the 1940s, including residencies at Mama Lou’s, Lake Pontchartrain, and at the Rainbow Inn, but also gigged with George Lewis, becoming a regular member of his band in spring 1948 for job at Manny’s Tavern. He continued to be active until 1950, when ill health caused his retirement. For most of his later life he was beset by weight problems—at one time he tipped the scales at over 300 pounds.

Discography

Herb Morand and His New Orleans Band (1950).

—John Chilton Who’s Who of jazz/Lewis Porter