Jimmy Noone

Jimmie Noone
Jimmie Noone c. 1920
Background information
Born	(1895-04-23)April 23, 1895 Stanton Plantation, Cut Off, Louisiana, USA
Origin	New Orleans
Died	April 19, 1944(1944-04-19) (aged 48) Los Angeles, California
Genres	Jazz, Dixieland
Occupation(s)	Session musician, bandleader
Instruments	Clarinet
Years active	1912–1944
Labels	Vocalion, Decca
Associated acts	Freddie Keppard, Buddie Petit, Lorenzo Tio, Papa Celestin, Joe "King" Oliver, Doc Cook, Kid Ory

Jimmie Noone (April 23, 1895 – April 19, 1944) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. After beginning his career in New Orleans he led Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra, an influential Chicago band that recorded for Vocalion and Decca Records. Maurice Ravel acknowledged basing his Boléro on a Jimmie Noone improvisation. At the time of his death Noone had his own quartet in Los Angeles and was part of an all-star band that was an important force in reviving interest in traditional New Orleans jazz in the 1940s.

Jimmie Noone was born April 23, 1895, on a farm in Cut Off, Louisiana, to Lucinda (née Daggs) and James Noone. He grew up in Hammond, Louisiana, where he started playing guitar. In 1910, Noone's family moved to New Orleans. Noone switched to the clarinet and studied with Lorenzo Tio and the young Sidney Bechet.

In 1913 Noone was playing professionally with Freddie Keppard in Storyville, replacing Bechet. In 1916, when Keppard went on tour, Noone and Buddie Petit formed the Young Olympia Band, and Noone also led a small ensemble (clarinet, piano and drums) unusual for its time.

In 1917, Noone played with Kid Ory and Oscar Celestin until the Storyville district was permanently closed. He rejoined Keppard and the Original Creole Orchestra on the vaudeville circuit until the group broke up the following year.