HJA. Hogan Jazz Archive

Record Group

Identifier: HJA

Staff Only

The Hogan Jazz Archive is the leading research center for the study of New Orleans jazz and related musical genres, including New Orleans ragtime, gospel, blues, rhythm and blues, and Creole songs. It was founded as the Archive of New Orleans Jazz in 1958 when Richard B. Allen, a Tulane graduate student (and later curator of the Archive), embarked on a jazz oral history fieldwork project for his thesis. William Ransom Hogan, the chair of the Department of History at the time, wrote the initial Ford Foundation grant proposal that funded the project. Today, the Archive has over 2,000 reels of taped oral history interviews with musicians, family members, and observers that document the stories surrounding the emergence of jazz in New Orleans from the late 19th century forward. It is the largest collection of jazz oral history extant. With jazz historian William Russell as its first curator, Tulane University administered the Archive of New Orleans Jazz through its early collecting and cataloging phase. In that period, it held space in the History Department where Dr. Hogan then served as chairman. In 1965, the Archive moved to the library where it began operation as a research center. Cofounder and oral historian Richard Allen became curator under the administrative supervision of the Director of Tulane University Libraries and the Archive changed its name to the Hogan Jazz Archive in 1974 after the death of William Ransom Hogan.

Creator: Hogan Jazz Archive

Found in 16 Collections and/or Records:

Al Hirt papers

Collection

Identifier: HJA-003

Scope and Contents

This collection comprises materials donated by the family of trumpeter and band leader Al Hirt documenting his musical career between 1959 and 1977. It includes programs and brochures, scripts, photographs, correspondence, fan mail, business papers and press clippings.

Dates: 1959-1977

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Al Hirt papers

Allison Miner papers

Collection

Identifier: HJA-039

Scope and Contents

The Allison Miner papers span the years 1971-1995. The collection features business and financial files pertaining to New Orleans blues singer and pianist, Professor Longhair, whose career Miner managed from the late 1970s until his death in 1980. It also includes research materials for a biography she intended to pen and publish about him.

Dates: 1971-1995

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Allison Miner papers

American Federation of Musicians Local 174-496

Collection

Identifier: HJA-001

Scope and Contents The American Federation of Musicians Local 174-496 Records include members' records, former president Dave Winstein's correspondence, meeting minutes, financial and property records, legal documents, publications, photographs and scrapbooks. These records date from 1904 to 1992, but are not complete. Membership applications for 1921-1922 are missing, as are the board minutes for 1918-1922. Other types of information might be duplicated in several ledgers, and still other bits of...

Dates: Other: Majority of material found within 1904-1992

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / American Federation of Musicians Local 174-496

Antonia Compass Picou papers

Collection

Identifier: HJA-013

Abstract

Antonia Compass was the third wife of jazz clarinetist, Alphonse Picou. This small collection of her personal papers from 1942-1961 includes incoming correspondence addressed to both Antonia and Alphonse Picou, financial and legal documents for several properties that she owned (including Picou’s Bar) as well as some personal documents. Of note is a letter from Lizzie Miles addressed to “Tony” (Antonia) and “Pic” (Alphonse).

Dates: 1942-1961

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Antonia Compass Picou papers

Dominic James "Nick" LaRocca papers

Collection

Identifier: HJA-007

Scope and Contents

The collection contains newspaper clippings, fliers, posters, programs and other publicity materials, along with photographs, books, test pressings of O.D.J.B. records, correspondence and sheet music. The collection also includes five scrapbooks, created by Nick LaRocca.

Dates: 1885-1961; Other: Majority of material found within 1915-1961

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Dominic James "Nick" LaRocca papers

Don Ewell Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-005

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, LP records, performance cassette tapes, books, and other papers of Don Ewell.

Dates: 1950s-1990s, bulk range 1950s-1970s

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Don Ewell Collection

Don Marquis Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-002

Scope and Contents The Don Marquis Collection is primarily comprised of the research materials that Marquis generated in connection with his book, In Search of Buddy Bolden, First Man of Jazz (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1978). These include letters, interviews, photographs, material on venues associated with Bolden (Odd Fellows Hall, Union Sons [Funky Butt] Hall, Lincoln Park, Johnson Park), notes on Bolden's sidemen and contemporaries, and material on East...

Dates: Undated

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Don Marquis Collection

Hogan Jazz Archive Oral Histories Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-033

Abstract The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University was established with Ford Foundation funding in 1958 as the Archive of New Orleans Jazz and was posthumously renamed in honor of William Ransom Hogan, the chair of the Department of History who wrote the initial grant proposal. Ford funding enabled an oral history fieldwork project with pioneers of New Orleans jazz under the direction of William Russell, the archive's first curator, and his successor, Richard B. Allen. This generated nearly 2,000...

Dates: 1943-2002

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Hogan Jazz Archive Oral Histories Collection

Laurraine Goreau collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-059

Scope and Contents The Laurraine Goreau collection contains audio cassettes and reel to reel tapes of recorded interviews and performances, interview transcripts, photographs, publications, research files, ephemera, and manuscript material related to Goreau's research into the life of Mahaliah Jackson for her 1975 authorized biography of Jackson, 'Just Mahalia, Baby.' This collection also contains Goreau's personal photographs, clippings from her regular column in the New Orleans States-Item, ephemera, and...

Dates: 1940-1985

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Laurraine Goreau collection

Lynn Abbott collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-092

Scope and Contents This collection contains recorded interviews of New Orleans gospel quartet singers and musicians interviewed by Lynn Abbott in the early 1980s to 1995 as research for his 2013 publication about gospel quartets. This collection also contains vinyl LP records ranging from 1960 to 1980 collected by Abbott of local New Orleans church choirs and other religious or gospel groups from the city. Abbott’s interviews document the Black acapella gospel quartet singing tradition in New Orleans, Alabama,...

Dates: 1960-1995

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Lynn Abbott collection

Mina Lea Crais papers

Collection

Identifier: HJA-060

Scope and Contents

The Mina Lea Crais papers include the records of various businesses run by Mina Lea Crais and her husband, Bill Crais, including the Vieux Carre Music Shop, Carnival Records and Mecca Magazine. The collection also contains the personal papers and scrapbooks of Bill Crais, photographs of friends and events, numerous clippings, programs and brochures (primarily jazz related) as well as materials documenting the New Orleans Jazz Club (NOJC), of which both Mina and Bill were longtime members.

Dates: 1953-2005

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Mina Lea Crais papers

Paul Barbarin Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-011

Scope and Contents

This collection was found in and separated from the Danny Barker Collection, which was salvaged from Danny and Blue Lu Barker’s flooded Seventh Ward home in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Dates: 1921-1969

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Paul Barbarin Collection

Ray Bauduc Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-035

Scope and Contents The Ray Bauduc Collection contains over 400 sheet music compilations; personal and professional photographs from his performances and tours, including reproductions for his proposed manuscript and other publications; over 200 personal and commercial albums and tapings of live performances and milestones; scrapbooks and assorted clippings; instructional manuals that he authored or referenced when studying and reading music in the 1950s; an unpublished manuscript and extensive tour logs;...

Dates: 1900-1987

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Ray Bauduc Collection

Robert Palmer Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-027

Scope and Contents The Robert Palmer Collection at Hogan Jazz Archive, still in process, includes: some 8,000 LPs; 900 books; 300 interview transcriptions, 250 interviews on cassette tape; 1200 commercial and promostional music cassette tapes; 200 photographs; appointment calendars for 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996; 10 linear feet of vertical files; 3 linear feet of letters and correspondence; 4 linear feet of manuscripts and rough drafts; 20 linear feet of...

Dates: 1975-1996

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Robert Palmer Collection

Tad Jones Rhythm and Blues Collection

Collection

Identifier: HJA-056

Scope and Contents

Multiple boxes of 45-7" Phonodiscs, 33-12" Phonodiscs, Album Covers

Dates: Other: Date acquired: 04/05/1990

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Tad Jones Rhythm and Blues Collection

Tim Kelly papers

Collection

Identifier: HJA-012

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of materials related to Kelly’s music career and his career in music industry sales from 1923-1982. It includes scrapbook pages, clippings, correspondence, telegrams, photographs and some ephemeral material. Most of the telegrams were sent from listeners to the Buddies Blue Melody Boys via Radio WFAA in Dallas, Texas, however several personal telegrams can be found interspersed throughout Series II of the collection.

Dates: 1923-1982; Other: Date acquired: 06/02/2012

Found in: Tulane University Special Collections / Tim Kelly papers