Wardell Quezergue dies at 81

Nicknamed the "Creole Mozart" for his wide-varying arrangement work, New Orleans-based arranger, bandleader, composer and producer Wardell Quezergue died Tuesday within the Crescent City. He was 81 coupled with experienced decreasing health.As they obtained his greatest hits with Jean Dark night ("Mr. Large Stuff") and also the Dixie Cups ("Iko Iko"), he was equally well noted for his make use of a murderer's row of Large Easy music artists, including Professor Longhair, Fats Domino, Dr. John and Aaron Neville.Elevated inside a musical family in New Orleans' seventh Ward, Quezergue obtained his first professional gig, like a trumpeter, when he was 12. Following a stint within the Military throughout the Korean War -- he met his wife of six decades while positioned in Tokyo, japan -- Quezergue offered as bandleader from the Royal Dukes of Rhythm after which founded Nola Records in 1964.Scoring his first hit on Nola with Robert Parker's "Barefootin'," in addition to subsequent singles from Willie Tee, Quezergue notched a couple of his most long lasting works best for Malaco Records, notoriously helming periods for Knight's "Mr. Large Stuff" and King Floyd's "Groove Me" on the day that. Quezergue's participation reinvigorated Malaco, which in fact had been facing closure, and through the '70s he worked with with the kind of Paul Simon, B.B. King, Willie Nelson and also the Staples Performers. He offered as arranger for Dr. John's Grammy-winning "Goin' To New Orleans" in 1992, and also on Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's large-band album "American Music, Texas Style" in 1999.In 2000 he composed "A Creole Mass," a number of orchestral pieces based on his encounters within the military. Quezergue was granted an honorary doctoral from Loyola U. New Orleans last year and was feted having a tribute concert organized through the Ponderosa Stomp Foundation in New You are able to that summer time. His music continues to be featured conspicuously in HBO's "Treme."Quezergue is made it by five sons, eight kids, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com