Alcide Patrick Nunez (March 17, 1884 â€" September 2, 1934), also
known as Yellow Nunez and Al Nunez, was an American jazz clarinetist.
He was one of the first musicians of New Orleans to make audio
recordings.Alcide Patrick Nunez was born in St. Bernard Parish,
Louisiana. His parents were Victor Nunez and Elisa Nunez Chalaire and
were of Isleño and French Creole descent respectively. The family
moved to New Orleans when he was a child.He grew up amid the Marigny
and Bywater districts of New Orleans. For a time, Nunez lived at 1340
Arts Street in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans. He played
guitar, then switched to clarinet about 1902. He soon became one of
the top hot clarinetists in the city. By 1905 he was a regular in Papa
Jack Laine's band, in addition to playing with Tom Brown and sometimes
leading bands of his own. Nunez could play several instruments, but
mainly played the clarinet. In addition, he was able to improvise
variations on the songs he heard. Before he was able to make music a
full-time profession, Nunez worked for a while driving a mule-drawn
wagon with fellow musician "Chink" Martin Abraham.In early 1916 he
went north to Chicago with Stein's Dixie Jass Band, which was to
become famous as the Original Dixieland Jass Band, but Nunez left the
band shortly before they made their first recordings. In 1917 the
Dixieland Jass Band achieved great success with their recording of the
instrumental "Livery Stable Blues" under the direction of Nick
LaRocca; however, Nunez and Ray Lopez filed copyright for a sheet
music version of the tune before LaRocca. Nick LaRocca and the band
sued Nunez for $10,000. In the end the lawsuit was thrown out without
decision; the judge denied that any "musicians" who could not read
written music could be said to have written anything.
known as Yellow Nunez and Al Nunez, was an American jazz clarinetist.
He was one of the first musicians of New Orleans to make audio
recordings.Alcide Patrick Nunez was born in St. Bernard Parish,
Louisiana. His parents were Victor Nunez and Elisa Nunez Chalaire and
were of Isleño and French Creole descent respectively. The family
moved to New Orleans when he was a child.He grew up amid the Marigny
and Bywater districts of New Orleans. For a time, Nunez lived at 1340
Arts Street in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans. He played
guitar, then switched to clarinet about 1902. He soon became one of
the top hot clarinetists in the city. By 1905 he was a regular in Papa
Jack Laine's band, in addition to playing with Tom Brown and sometimes
leading bands of his own. Nunez could play several instruments, but
mainly played the clarinet. In addition, he was able to improvise
variations on the songs he heard. Before he was able to make music a
full-time profession, Nunez worked for a while driving a mule-drawn
wagon with fellow musician "Chink" Martin Abraham.In early 1916 he
went north to Chicago with Stein's Dixie Jass Band, which was to
become famous as the Original Dixieland Jass Band, but Nunez left the
band shortly before they made their first recordings. In 1917 the
Dixieland Jass Band achieved great success with their recording of the
instrumental "Livery Stable Blues" under the direction of Nick
LaRocca; however, Nunez and Ray Lopez filed copyright for a sheet
music version of the tune before LaRocca. Nick LaRocca and the band
sued Nunez for $10,000. In the end the lawsuit was thrown out without
decision; the judge denied that any "musicians" who could not read
written music could be said to have written anything.
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