Italian Hall

Status: Closed

Parish: Orleans

Location: New Orleans

1020 Esplanade Avenue: From the New Orleans Jazz History Central Vieux Carre Walking Tour brochure: “This imposing complex was assembled out of old buildings (one by architect James Gallier, dating to 1835) and new construction from between 1912 and 1920. As the Unione Italiana, which combined many Italian benevolent societies, it was the home of both the Contessa Entellina Society Band, made up of Albanian-Sicilian Italian-Americans and the Roma Band, of Sicilian Italian-Americans. During their rivalry a musician could be in one, not both. Many jazz bands played here for dances including the New Orleans Rhythm Kings upon their return to New Orleans. In 1929, it housed the Jones-Collins Astoria Hot Eight recording session, the first racially-integrated recording in New Orleans; Westwego-born clarinetist Sidney Arodin (Arnondin) jumped the color barrier.”