John and Joseph Streckfus hired him to replace their piano player, Charles Mills, who had accepted an engagement in New York City.

To prepare himself for playing the loud machine that spewed steam and water, Marable wore gloves, stuffed his ears with cotton,[4] and donned raingear.

There he discovered Louis Armstrong blowing cornet, and recruited him to play for his band on evening riverboat excursions cruising around the Crescent City.

Streckfus Steamers' alumni went on to play with bandleaders such as Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Fats Waller, and Chick Webb.

Marable was a strict bandleader, demanding musical proficiency and rigid discipline from all his bandmembers, yet allowing them to develop their individual strong points.

Marable's band served as an early musical education for many other players who would later become prominent in jazz, including Red Allen, Baby Dodds, Johnny Dodds, Pops Foster, Erroll Garner, Narvin Kimball, Al Morgan, Jimmy Blanton, Elbert Pee Wee Claybrook, Joe Poston [de], and Zutty Singleton.