One of the oldest active jazz trumpeters (playing nearly to the end of his life), Andy Blakeney never became a major name but was well respected in the world of New Orleans jazz. Blakeney's first major job was a brief one, two weeks in Chicago with King Oliver in 1925. He worked with Doc Cook and then in 1926 moved to California, recording with Sonny Clay and Reb Spikes in 1926. Blakeney freelanced in L.A. (including with Les Hite and Lionel Hampton) and spent time in Hawaii, playing in 1935-39 with Monk McFay's Five Clouds and leading his own band. After returning to the mainland in 1941, Blakeney worked with Ceele Burke's big band (1942-46), Horace Henderson (1946) and Kid Ory (1947). From that point on, Blakeney mostly led his own Dixielandoriented bands in California, all of which unfortunately never recorded. He was with the "Young Men Of New Orleans" in 1960 and in the mid-1970's toured with the Legends Of Jazz. Andy Blakeney recorded with the Eagle Brass Band in 1984 and was still playing as he passed his 90th birthday in 1988. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi