I first discovered Edward "Kid" Ory back in 1954 while I was still at school in Dublin, Ireland.

A fellow pupil had, under guidance from a kind uncle, built up a small jazz record collection, I used to call by his house on my way home to listen to his latest acquisitions, LPs of Jelly Roll Morton, Muggsy and Louis Armstrong.

I remember him buying the 10" Phillips album "The Great New Orleans Trombonist, " and being so impressed by Ory's 1950 band with Teddy Buckner, Joe Darensbourg et al when hearing them for the first time.

Shortly after this I got myself a record player and started to build my own record collection. I also managed to purchase around this time, a narrow bore, slightly bent slide trombone.

I wanted to find out more about this jazz legend who laid the ground rules for the traditional tailgate ensemble style. All I could find was a chapter in Martin William's "Jazz Masters of New Orleans," and a booklet from the British National Jazz Federation.

Many other New Orleans musicians had had autobiographies and biographies published, but I could find nothing on the Kid, so I started to compile a scrap book of cuttings and listings from magazines and other sources purely for my own enjoyment.

I had wondered about the idea of a discography for some years, and when a experienced typist Linsey Marshall, who had already worked on books on Willie The Lion Smith and Don Ewell offered her assistance and encouragement we got the project together.

With a foreword written by American critic Floyd Levin and financial assistance of fellow trombonist Malc Webb the book was finally printed in 1997. and sold over 300 copies..

I am at present updating the 4th edition of this discography and hope to have it available in printed form in the near future.

Sid Bailey