Tony Spargo

• Born: June 27, 1897
• Died: October 30, 1969
• Active: '10s, '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, '60s
• Genres: Jazz
• Instrument: Kazoo, Drums

Biography

Of all the members of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, drummer Tony Spargo (who was known by his original name, Tony Sbarbaro, until the late 1920's) had the most significant and active career. Growing up in New Orleans, Spargo was part of the local scene, playing drums with the Frayle Brothers Band in 1911 and also working with Ernest Giardina and Papa Jack Laine. In 1915 he played with Merritt Brunies and Carl Randall. He left New Orleans in June 1916 to join the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in Chicago. Spargo would be with the ODJB through all of its years, appearing on the first jazz records ("Darktown Strutters Ball," "Indiana," "Livery Stable Blues" and "Original Dixieland One Step"), performing with the band in England and surviving all of the turnover until the historic group's official breakup in 1925. Easily the strongest improviser in the band, Spargo was a colorful player whose inventive use of the woodblock, cowbells and cymbals would be quite influential if overlooked by historians in later years. Spargo led a group under the name of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in New York into 1927, worked with Lacey Young's Orchestra (1927-28), freelanced in low profile jobs and was part of the ODJB reunion of 1936. The drummer would be part of most of the later ODJB recreations. In addition, he played dixieland regularly at Nick's off and on from 1939 into the late 1950's including with Phil Napoleon (with whom he recorded), Brad Gowans, Miff Mole, Tony Parenti, Eddie Condon and others, recording with Connee Boswell in the 1950's. Tony Spargo, who was also a colorful kazoo player, was active up until the early 1960's although he never led a recording session under his own name. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide