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Phil Napoleon
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Phil Napoleon
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Phil Napoleon (born Filippo Napoli;[1] September 2, 1901 – October 1, 1990)[2][3] was an early jazz trumpeter and bandleader born in Boston, Massachusetts. Ron Wynn observed that Napoleon "was a competent, though unimaginative trumpeter whose greatest value was the many recording sessions he led that helped increase jazz's popularity in the mid-1920s."[2] Richard Cook and Brian Morton, writing for The Penguin Guide to Jazz, refer to Napoleon as "a genuine pioneer" whose playing was "profoundly influential on men such as Red Nichols and Bix Beiderbecke."[1]

Napoleon began with classical training, and was performing publicly by age five. In the 1910s, he was one of the first musicians in the northeastern United States to embrace the new "jass" style brought to that part of the country by musicians from New Orleans, Louisiana. With pianist Frank Signorelli he formed the group "The Original Memphis Five" in 1917. He became one of the most sought after trumpeters of the 1920s.[4] The group were very prolific, one of the most prolific in New York City at the time, and in 1922 to 1923 alone made over a hundred recordings.[4] Napoleon's 1927 version of "Clarinet Marmalade" was a particular success.[5] The Original Memphis Five split in 1928. During the 1930s, Napoleon mainly worked as a session trumpeter, working in the RCA Radio Orchestra in the early 1930s,[4] and in 1937 unsuccessfully tried to form his own orchestra.[6] He also worked as a network house conductor and trumpet soloist for NBC from around 1929 to 1937.[7] He recorded with the Cotton Pickers and the Charleston Chasers and also worked with blues singers Leona Williams and Alberta Hunter.[4]

Napoleon joined Jimmy Dorsey's then Los Angeles–based group in the mid-1940s, and he appeared with the band in the film Four Jills in a Jeep.[6] Parting with Dorsey in 1947, he moved back to New York and worked as a studio musician at NBC until 1949 to 1950 when he reformed The Original Memphis Five. During the early 1950s the group became noted for their performances at Nick's in New York City. He also worked frequently with his nephew Marty Napoleon, a jazz pianist. On July 3, 1959, Napoleon and The Five performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, later released as an album.[8] In 1966, he opened up his own club named "Napoleon's Retreat" in Miami, Florida, where he lived until his death, although continued to perform Dixieland jazz in the club up until the 1980s.[6]

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Phil Napoleon

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''Phil Napoleon'' is an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader known for his pioneering contributions to early recorded jazz, particularly as the leader of the Original Memphis Five, one of the most prolific Dixieland ensembles of the 1920s. Born Filippo Napoli on September 2, 1901, in Boston, Massachusetts, he was classically trained on trumpet, made his first public appearance at age five, and became one of the earliest northern musicians to adopt the New Orleans-inspired "jass" style after a youthful trip to Louisiana. His melodic phrasing, warm tone, and precise lead playing set him apart from many contemporaries and influenced later trumpeters. In 1917, Napoleon co-founded the Original Memphis Five with pianist Frank Signorelli, and the group—often featuring trombonist Miff Mole and clarinetist Jimmy Lytell—recorded extensively during the acoustic era, producing over 100 sides as the Original Memphis Five in 1922-1923 alone, often under various band names, and helping popularize Dixieland jazz through danceable, tasteful performances. After the band's initial run ended in 1928, he worked primarily as a studio and radio musician through the 1930s, briefly led his own short-lived big band, and joined Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra in the mid-1940s, appearing in the film Four Jills in a Jeep. Napoleon experienced a Dixieland revival after World War II, reforming the Original Memphis Five for a long residency at Nick's in New York City during the late 1940s and early 1950s and performing at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1959. In 1956 he relocated to Miami, Florida. In 1966 he opened his own club, Napoleon's Retreat, and continued leading bands and performing into the 1980s. He died on October 1, 1990, remembered as a key figure in the transition from classical music to jazz and one of the most active early jazz trumpeters on record.

Early life

Birth and family background

Phil Napoleon was born Filippo Napoli on September 2, 1901, in Boston, Massachusetts. His birth name reflects his Italian-American heritage. He grew up in a deeply musical family environment, with several brothers who were also musicians: George and Joe, both saxophonists; Matthew, a guitarist; and Ted, a drummer. Napoleon was the uncle of jazz pianists Teddy Napoleon and Marty Napoleon.

Early musical training and influences

Phil Napoleon began playing the trumpet at an early age in Boston, making his first public appearance at just five years old. He grew up immersed in music within his family, where several brothers also pursued instruments, including saxophones, guitar, and drums. As a young teenager, Napoleon ventured beyond his local environment, running away from home at age twelve to New Orleans, where he experienced live music firsthand before returning. By age fifteen in 1916, he recorded cylinders as a classical cornetist, though his passion shifted toward jazz. His primary early influence came from the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, whose music and style shaped his developing approach to hot jazz playing. The band's cornet-led sound, pioneered by Nick LaRocca, became a key model for Napoleon's own early efforts in the genre.

Career

Formation and success of the Original Memphis Five

The Original Memphis Five was formed in 1917 by trumpeter Phil Napoleon and pianist Frank Signorelli. The quintet, which specialized in New Orleans-style jazz despite being composed of white musicians, featured trombonist Miff Mole, clarinetist Jimmy Lytell, and other rotating members during its early years. Phil Napoleon served as the band's primary cornet/trumpet soloist and contributed to its arrangements, helping define its crisp, energetic ensemble sound influenced by his self-taught approach. The group began recording prolifically in the early 1920s, with sessions starting around 1922 for labels including Gennett, Victor, and Edison. Their output included numerous sides throughout the decade, making them one of the first white jazz ensembles to achieve extensive commercial recording presence and helping popularize hot jazz on record. Recordings from 1922–1923, such as those later compiled in historical collections, captured the band's peak early form and contributed to its reputation as a leading force in the emerging recorded jazz scene.

Sideman and Studio Work (Late 1920s–1940s)

Phil Napoleon transitioned from the small-group jazz scene of the Original Memphis Five to more commercial work in the late 1920s and 1930s, primarily as a freelance studio musician and anonymous performer in radio orchestras. During the late 1920s, he contributed trumpet to numerous recording sessions with groups such as the California Ramblers, the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra, the Charleston Chasers, and various Sam Lanin-led ensembles, often under pseudonyms typical of the era's prolific studio scene. By the early 1930s, following the Original Memphis Five's final sessions in 1931, Napoleon's hot jazz recording activity largely ceased, and he spent most of the decade playing in radio orchestras without public attribution or notable jazz features. In 1937, he briefly formed his own big band, recording a single four-song session before the group disbanded due to lack of success. In the mid-1940s, he had a short stint with Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra and appeared with the band in the film Four Jills in a Jeep (1944). No documented evidence exists of Napoleon serving as a featured trumpeter in Ted Lewis' orchestra during the approximate 1929–1935 timeframe or at any other point, based on detailed jazz histories and discographies. This period marked a shift away from leading or prominently featuring in Dixieland-style groups toward steady but uncredited broadcast and studio employment.

Post-war revival and leadership of Dixieland groups

After World War II, Phil Napoleon returned to active performance and recording in the Dixieland style amid its growing popularity. In 1945, he recorded eight standards with Mike Lo Scalzo’s Dixieland Woodshedders. In 1946, he led his Emperors of Jazz, recording a dozen songs that included his longtime associate pianist Frank Signorelli and Original Dixieland Jazz Band drummer Tony Spargo. By 1949, Napoleon formed a new Dixieland edition of the Original Memphis Five, which performed regularly at Nick's in New York City for seven years. The group recorded eight songs for Columbia in 1950 and featured rotating personnel including trombonists such as Cutty Cutshall and Harry DeVito, clarinetists Phil Olivella and Gail Curtis, pianists Billy Maxted and Johnny Varro, and others. He also appeared with this Memphis Five lineup at the Newport Jazz Festival on July 3, 1959. In 1956, Napoleon permanently relocated to Florida and continued performing Dixieland as desired. He recorded three final albums for Capitol Records in 1959–1960 with a sextet including trombonist Harry DiVito, clarinetist Kenny Davern, pianist Johnny Varro, bassist Peter Rogers, and drummer Sonny Igoe, titled And The Memphis Five, In The Land Of Dixie, and Tenderloin Dixie. In 1966, he opened his own Miami club, Napoleon's Retreat, which served as his primary performance base for the next two decades and attracted a loyal local following. He remained active in Florida into the mid-1980s.

Television and media appearances

Guest spots on television programs

Phil Napoleon made several guest appearances on American television variety and talk shows during the 1950s and 1960s, primarily as a performer and bandleader showcasing Dixieland jazz with his group, often billed as Phil Napoleon and His Memphis Five or similar ensembles. His earliest documented television spot came in 1951 on the variety program Cavalcade of Stars, where he and the Memphis Five appeared as musical guests during a Christmas Party episode. He returned to television frequently in the early 1950s, serving as bandleader and performer on multiple episodes of The Kate Smith Hour between 1952 and 1954. In 1952, he also performed Dixieland material on The Jackie Gleason Show, credited as Self with Dixieland Jazz Vocalists alongside the Memphis Five. On May 6, 1955, Phil Napoleon & His Memphis Five were featured guests on The Tonight Show, performing traditional jazz alongside singer Dolores Hawkins in a musical segment typical of the program's variety format at the time. He later appeared on The Mike Douglas Show in 1963 as a musical performer. Additional spots included his role as bandleader on Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine in 1964, followed by guest performances with the group in episodes from 1965 to 1966, where they contributed Dixieland medleys and jazz numbers. These television guest spots provided national exposure for Napoleon's trumpet work and Dixieland style amid the post-war revival of traditional jazz.

Broadcasts and other media contributions

Phil Napoleon contributed to radio broadcasting across several periods of his career, particularly through sponsored series and session work. In the mid-1950s, he led his band on a series of transcribed radio broadcasts sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps, which promoted the service while featuring his Dixieland performances. These broadcasts highlighted his warm trumpet style and the band's ensemble playing, with surviving transcriptions later discussed in jazz literature for their musical value and historical significance. Earlier in his career, Napoleon participated in radio orchestra work during the 1930s, including session playing that supported live radio programming of the era. Broadcasts featuring his orchestras were numerous, though detailed records of specific programs remain limited outside of discographical notes. Some 1950s radio performances were subsequently compiled and released on vinyl, preserving examples of his later broadcast activity. No major film cameos or soundtrack contributions are documented for Napoleon beyond occasional band appearances in early media formats, with his primary non-television media presence centered on radio.

Personal life

Family and residences

Phil Napoleon was married to a woman named Vickie. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, where he spent his early years. He resided in the New York area for much of his adult life. In his later years, he lived in North Miami, Florida, where he spent his final years.

Later years in Florida

In his later years, Phil Napoleon resided in Florida after relocating to Miami in 1956, where he established a more localized presence in the jazz scene. He opened his own nightclub, Napoleon's Retreat, in Miami Beach, which served as his primary venue for leading his band and performing Dixieland jazz. Napoleon remained active at the club, playing regularly through the 1960s and 1970s, with the venue acting as his home base for nearly two decades. By the mid-1980s, his performance schedule had reduced amid declining years, though he continued to appear at his club on a more limited basis. He lived quietly in North Miami during this period, maintaining a lifestyle centered around his established venue and local music activities until his final years.

Death

Legacy

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