"In the 1920'a, two of the best-known dance restaurants were at Spanish Fort...the most popular of the two locations was Tranchina's Restaurant with its genteel atmosphere and its much admired, infectiously swinging music by Armand J. Piron's Society Orchestra. The decor at Tranchina's included large potted palms in front of the raised bandstand, with a Japanese style door brightened with paper lanterns on the wall behind them." -- From A Trumpet Around the Corner by Samuel Charters
Jazz musician Barney Bigard, who played in Amos White's band at the Spanish Fort pavilion, said that master clarinetist Lorenzo Tio, also, played at Tranchina's. "Lorenzo Tio was playing at Tranchina's Restaurant at Spanish Fort on the same nights we were playing. We would wind up before them, so I would be able to go over to Tranchina's and hear Tio play every night." -- From With Louis and the Duke by Barney Bigard
Many other early jazz greats, such as Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Orchestra, played at Tranchina's, as well. Tokyo Gardens Ballroom was another popular venue for jazz at Spanish Fort.
The date of the photograph above is unknown. |
