Barney Bigard

American jazz clarinetist, tenor & alto saxophonist and composer, born March 03, 1906 in New Orleans, Louisiana, died June 27, 1980 in Culver City, California.

Bigard studied clarinet as a youth in New Orleans with Papa Tio & Lorenzo Tio, He first became known as a tenor saxophonist.
After playing in several groups in his hometown, he moved to Chicago where he played with Duke Ellington And His Orchestra, playing almost exclusively as a clarinetist.
Between 1927 & 1942 as a member of The Ellington Orchestra, he was featured on many of Ellington's classic recordings. "Mood Indigo" which Bigard co-composed, was perhaps the most successful of his compositions. His later work was varied and included hip between 1947 & 1955 with Louis Armstrong And His All-Stars.