Noel Rockmore (American/New Orleans, 1928-1995) , "Chicken Henry No. 4", 1963, oil on canvas, signed, titled and dated lower left, signed, titled and dated en verso, 2 partial labels on stretcher, 52 in. x 40 in., unframed. Note: Larry Borenstein commissioned Noel Rockmore in 1962 to create a portrait series of the musicians who played at the recently opened Preservation Hall on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. Dedicated to New Orleans jazz, Preservation Hall was managed by the young jazz enthusiasts, Allan and Sandra Jaffe, who drew from the large pool of talented local and nationally recognized musicians for nightly performances. Working in his distinctive style, Rockmore painted the portraits of notable Preservation Hall musicians, often with instruments in hand. Sitters included Jim Robinson, "Chicken" Henry, "Kid Sheik" Cola, "Fats" Houston, Willie and Percy Humphrey as well as numerous others associated with the music scene such as Jazz historian Bill Russell.In painting the portrait of Oscar Joseph “Chicken” Henry, Rockmore developed a friendship with the musician. Trained as a skilled plasterer, Henry considered himself to be both an artist and musician and consequently enjoyed his frequent sittings for Rockmore. An appealing character, Henry had a warm sense of humor and was an engaging storyteller; he was known to use a combination of voodoo and astrology to handicap the horse races. This colorful and magnetic portrait serves as a fitting tribute to the larger-than-life Henry. Ref.: Borenstein, Larry and Bill Russell. Preservation Hall Portraits: Paintings by Noel Rockmore. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1968.

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