Ten Knights of Syncopation -- April 12, 2025

Lexington Herald-Leader, 23-April-1925

Lois Deppe (a male) was a popular baritone singer. He played in Lexington, Kentucky with his Ten Knights of Syncopation. The ad mentions Edgar Hayes, "piano artist." A few years before, Deppe's pianist was Earl Hines. They made a few records together. Edgar Hayes became a successful big band leader during the Swing Era. He made the original recording of "In the Mood."

Sarah Vaughn 100 -- March 27, 2024

listal.com

Sarah Vaughn, one of the greatest voices of all time, was born 100 years ago today on 27-March 1924. She sang in the bands of Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine. She was present at the birth of bebop. 

Sarah Vaughan - Tenderly (Live from Sweden) Mercury Records 1958

Sarah Vaughan - Speak Low (Live @ The London House) Mercury Records 1958

Sarah Vaughan - Embraceable You (EmArcy Records 1954)

Sarah Vaughan - Misty (Live from Sweden) Mercury Records 1964

Billy Eckstine 100 -- July 9, 2014

Yesterday would have been the 100th birthday of Mr B, Billy Eckstine.  What a voice. 

He sang and played trumpet with Earl Hines.  He met Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, who had some new ideas about music.  When Mr B left the Hines orchestra to start his own, he brought them along and hired other progressive jazz players.  Mr B didn't like the word, but they were the first bebop big band. 

As the big band era ended, Billy Eckstine performed as a solo act.  He was very successful until he ran into racist attitudes, but he carried on. 

Herb Jeffries 100 -- September 24, 2013

 

Herb Jeffries, the Bronze Buckaroo, sang with Duke Ellington and Earl Hines  and starred in a series of western "race movies."  Some sources claim that he was a white man who passed as black, while others claim that his Sicilian father was of partly Ethiopian descent. Does it matter? 

Nickname #23 -- February 17, 2013

Earl Hines was a wonderful pianist who had a  wonderfully long career.  I almost went to his last show in San Francisco in 1983.  I first learned about him from a record of his early piano solos from the Anza Branch library and from the book Jazz Masters of the Twenties by Richard Hadlock, also from the Anza Branch.  I just about memorized the album.  "A Monday Date" is one of my favorites.  Then I found the Hot Sevens with Louis Armstrong, his big band work from the 1930s, his time playing traditional jazz in San Francisco, and his late revival.  By then I had enough money to buy his tributes to Gershwin and Ellington and others.  His nickname, Fatha, was perfectly appropriate.