Listening to records featuring Kid Howard can be quite frustrating because his alcoholism led to some very erratic playing. Howard started playing drums when he was 14, gigged with Chris Kelly (who gave him cornet lessons), and a little later switched permanently to cornet and eventually trumpet. He worked in New Orleans with the Eureka Brass Band, Allen's Brass Band, and the Tuxedo Brass Band, among others. Howard led his own group in the late '20s and also played with Sam Morgan, in the pit orchestra of the Palace Theatre (1938-1943), with a variety of dance bands and with J...