Art Landry

Equally adept with alto saxophone, clarinet, and violin, Art Landry led a jazzy little dance band during the 1920s that made records which are comparable with the best offerings from bandleaders Sam Lanin, Isham Jones, Jean Goldkette, and Paul Specht. Landry was born in Montreal in 1896. Classically trained as a violinist, he served in the U.S. Marines with saxophonist Rudy Wiedoeft. In 1918, they took themselves to San Francisco where they performed with bands led by Art Hickman and Paul Whiteman. Landry also made a point of sitting in with African-American groups in the dist...