Lu Watters and his Yerba Buena Jazz Band

This recording was made in California during 1949 by the Yerba Buena Jazz Band led by, trumpeter Lu Watters.

Lucius Watters was born December 19, 1911 in Santa Cruz, California. By the age of 11 he got his first job playing trumpet on board a cruise ship. He worked for Bob Crosby for a time before deciding to form a Dixieland-style band. In 1939 he founded the Yerba Buena Jazz Band a leading force in the Dixieland revival for the next 11 years, with a small off-period during the 1940’s due to the war. In 1950 he broke up the band and in 1957 he retired from full-time playing.

In his life after music, he studied geology and lectured on the subject at Sonoma State University. His main area of interest was coastal earthquake conditions and also became a chef.

In 1963 he made a bit of a return by playing with Turk Murphy at anti-nuclear rallies. He opposed building a nuclear plant on the San Andreas Fault. This related to his interest in geology and study of earthquakes. After this he returned to his life as a geologist and chef.

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