Beginning as a musical group during the late 1910's in spite of their name the members of this quintet were not from Indiana. Working mainly as a New York based studio band they adopted their regionally suggestive moniker to sound similar to other popular jazz ensembles of the period like the "Original Memphis Five", the "California Ramblers" or the "New Orleans Rhythm Kings". Led by percussionist Tom Morton the "Original Indiana Five" would also feature trumpeter Johnny Sylvester, (later replaced by Tony Tortomas), reed man Nick Vitalo, and Vincent Grande on trombone. The band's first recording session was held in Long Island as the "Original Indiana Syncopators" on May the 1st 1923.