Arthur Briggs Question

[Brownian Motion]

Does anyone have information on whether trumpeter Arthur Briggs ever recorded again after WWII?

[brownie]

Arthur Briggs returned to the recording studio in Februay 1945 in Paris shortly after his release from an internment camp. The session was recorded for Eddie and Nicole Barclay's Blue Star label. Eddie Barclay led the orchestra that featured Briggs, Hubert Rostaing on clarinet, Andre Ekyan on sax, Jack Dieval on piano and others. Johnny Desmond was the singer on some of the six numbers that were released on 78s and never seem to have seen the light again.

Briggs also led a session for Blue Star again in April 1945. One 78 was released.

He later recorded under his name in Paris in May 1951 for the French Pathe label.

Ten tracks were recorded and issued on 78s.

Don't think any of these Briggs records have been reissued ever!

[Brownian Motion]

Thanks Brownie. I had a feeling you'd have the answer!

[brownie]

Brownian, trust you aware that Arthur Briggs is featured on pre-WWII sides on the Louis Armstrong And Friends volume 51 of the Jazz in Paris collection.

This one features a July 1933 date by the Freddy Johnson, Arthur Briggs & their All-Star Orchestra, plus a 'Wo Ist Der Mann? tune sung by Marlene Dietrich (with Briggs) and a June 1933 session by Briggs with Freddy Johnson on piano and singer Louis Cole.

[Brownian Motion]

Brownian, trust you aware that Arthur Briggs is featured on pre-WWII sides on the Louis Armstrong And Friends volume 51 of the Jazz in Paris collection.

This one features a July 1933 date by the Freddy Johnson, Arthur Briggs & their All-Star Orchestra, plus a 'Wo Ist Der Mann? tune sung by Marlene Dietrich (with Briggs) and a June 1933 session by Briggs with Freddy Johnson on piano and singer Louis Cole.

Yes, I know about those. Thank you.

One of the recordings that got me interested in jazz was Django's recording of Avalon, with Briggs on trumpet. My father had the 78. Briggs hot lyrical trumpet solo sounded so much like Bill Coleman that I thought it was Coleman for five years, until Prestige reissued it in the late 1960s and I learned the truth.

I'm interested in Briggs because he was a talented swing trumpet player, as his recordings attest, whose career has been all but hidden from American jazz fans. I think I own most of his pre-WWII Paris recordings.

I have no idea how well his spirited style survived his internment, but I would be interested to know.