In New Orleans, he played with the Imperial, Indiana, Henry Allen senior's Olympia Brass Band, and Jack Carey's dance band; early in his career he was sometimes known as "Sonny" Celestin.
ɪn nˈuː ˈɔːɹliənz, hiː plˈeɪd wɪððɪ ɪmpˈɪɹiəl, ˌɪndiːˈænə, hˈɛnɹi ˈælən sˈiːnjɚz əlˈɪmpiə bɹˈæs bˈænd, ænd dʒˈæk kˈɛɹiz dˈæns bˈænd; ˈɜːli ɪn hɪz kɚɹˈɪɹ hiː wʌz sˈʌmtaɪmz nˈoʊn æz "sˈʌni" səlˈɛstɪn.