Albert "Little Abbie" Brunies

There were two New Orleans jazz musicians named Albert Brunies, and enough players with that surname to pack the front half of one of that city's famous streetcars. While most of these romping and stomping Brunies were either siblings or the musical parents that created them, this Albert Brunies was a cousin, who came to be known as "Little" Abbie Brunies in order to know who was who, at least off the bandstand. He was born, like his relatives, in New Orleans, but later relocated to New York City. Nonetheless, he was mostly known for gigging in the former territory, and worked in the band of Sharkey Bonano through the early '50s. He also gigged and recorded with Irving Fazola in the'40s.



The family hailed from the "Irish Channel" neighborhood of New Orleans, the source of practically a mob of early jazz players from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Most famous among musicians bearing the surname of Brunies was trombonist and bandleader George Brunies, who wound up clipping a couple of letters of his name to become Georg Brunis, a fate that might have befell "Little Abbey" Brunies if he hadn't been so young and short. There were also Merritt Brunies and the other Albert Brunies, both of whom led bands, the guitarist Ada Brunies, cornet player Richard Brunies and Rudy Brunies, who played the "slap" bass style and made beer for a living. That's the whole gang except for Henry "Henny" Brunies, also known as Harry Brunies, yet another trombone player. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide