1920 in jazz

1920 in jazz
Sheet music cover of Al Jolson's "Avalon"
Decade	1920s in jazz
Music	1920 in music
Standards	List of 1920s jazz standards
See also	1919 in jazz – 1921 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1920.

Jazz musicians born that year included Peggy Lee, Dave Bartholomew and Dave Brubeck.

Jazz scene[edit]

In 1920 the jazz age was underway and was indirectly fuelled by prohibition of alcohol.^[1]

In Chicago, the jazz scene was developing rapidly, aided by the migration of over 40 prominent New Orleans jazzmen to the city, continuous throughout much of the 1920s, including the New Orleans Rhythm Kings who began playing at Friar's Inn.^[1] However, in 1920, the cabaret business began in New York City and the growing number of speakeasies developing in the cellars of New York City provided many aspiring jazz musicians with new venues which gradually saw many musicians who had moved to Chicago ending up in on the east coast.^[1] It is important to note that Classic Blues became very prominent from 1920 after Mamie Smith recorded Crazy Blues and grew in popularity along with jazz.^[1]

In 1920, Paul Whiteman and his band recorded Whispering in New York City, in a subgenre known as symphonic jazz. Meanwhile, in New York City Adrian Rollini began playing bass saxophone with the California Ramblers and would later in the decade play with Bix Beiderbecke.^[1] Duke Ellington had developed in a successful band leader and Louis Armstrong began to amaze audiences with New Orleans Jazz.^[1]

Standards[edit]

• Standards published in 1920 included Al Jolson's "Avalon" and the popular hit Margie.

Births[edit]

George Handy, ca. January 1947

January

• 17 – George Handy, American pianist (died 1997).
• 22 – Bob Hames, American jazz guitarist (died 1998).
• 23 – Ray Abrams, American tenor saxophonist (died 1992).
• 24 – Jimmy Forrest, American saxophonist (died 1987).
• 27 – Helmut Zacharias, German violinist (died 2002).

February

• 2 – Joe Mondragon, American bassist (died 1987).
• 3 – Alfred "Chico" Alvarez, American trumpeter (died 1992).
• 14 – Jack Lesberg, American upright bassist (died 2005).
• 21 – Sam Ranelli, American big band drummer (died 1999).
• 23
  • Gene Leis, American guitarist (died 1993).
  • Hall Overton, American composer and pianist (died 1972).
• 27 – José Melis, Cuban pianist (died 2005).

March

• 3 – Hubert Giraud, French composer and lyricist (died 2016).
• 10 – Boris Vian, French polymath: writer, poet, musician, and singer (died 1959).
• 23 – Bea Booze, American R&B and jazz singer (died 1986).
• 27 – Carl-Henrik Norin, Swedish saxophonist (died 1967).

April

• 3 – Stan Freeman, American composer, lyricist, and musician (died 2001).
• 8 – Carmen McRae, American singer, composer, pianist, and actress (died 1994).
• 9 – Art Van Damme, American accordionist (died 2010).
• 13 – John LaPorta, American clarinetist and saxophonist (died 2004).
• 14 – Gil Fuller, American arranger (died 1994).
• 22
  • Alfred Burt, American composer and trumpeter (died 1954).
  • Buzzy Drootin, American drummer (died 2000).

May

• 2 – Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson, British pianist (died 1980).
• 3 – John Lewis, American pianist and composer (died 2001).
• 11 – Beryl Bryden, English jazz singer (died 1998).
• 21 – Bill Barder, American tuba player (died 2007).
• 26
  • Peggy Lee, American singer and songwriter (died 2002).
  • Roland Shaw, English composer and band leader (died 2012).

June

• 4
  • Britt Woodman, American jazz trombonist (died 2000).
  • Ginger Smock, American violinist (died 1995).
• 5 – Kurt Edelhagen, German big band leader (died 1982).
• 11
  • Hazel Scott, Trinidad and Tobago pianist and singer (died 1981).
  • Shelly Manne, American drummer (died 1984).

July

• 2 – Herbie Harper, American trombonist (died 2012).
• 12 – Paul Gonsalves, American tenor saxophonist (died 1974).
• 16 – Elizete Cardoso, Brazilian singer and actress (died 1990).

August

• 3 – Charlie Shavers, American trumpeter (died 1971).
• 7 – Harry Arnold, Swedish jazz saxophonist (died 1971).
• 8 – Jimmy Witherspoon, American blues singer (died 1997).
• 12 – Sam Ulano, American drummer and teacher (died 2014).
• 15 – Tommy Pederson, American trombonist and composer (died 1998).
• 16 – Lennie Felix, British pianist (died 1980).
• 17 – George Duvivier, American upright bassist (died 1985).
• 18 – Don Lamond, American drummer (died 2003).
• 25 – Leonard Gaskin, American bassist (died 2009).
• 28 – Rowland Greenberg, Norwegian trumpeter (died 1994).
• 29 – Charlie Parker, American alto saxophonist (died 1955).

September

• 7 – Al Caiola, American guitarist (died 2016).
• 10 – Ken Rattenbury, English trumpeter, pianist and composer (died 2001).
• 11 – Bob Enevoldsen, American tenor saxophonist and valve trombonist (died 2005).
• 28 – Alan Davie, Scottish tenor saxophonist (died 2014).

October

• 4 – Charlie Norman, Swedish pianist and entertainer (died 2005).
• 9 – Yusef Lateef, American saxophonist (died 2013).
• 20 – Ray Linn, American trumpeter (died 1996).
• 24 – Wendell Marshall, American upright bassist (died 2002).

December

• 2 – Géo Voumard, Swiss jazz pianist (died 2008).
• 5 – Kay Davis, American singer (died 2012).
• 6 – Dave Brubeck, American pianist (died 2012).
• 11 – Eddie Johnson, American tenor saxophonist (died 2010).
• 14 – Clark Terry, American swing and bop trumpeter (died 2015).
• 21 – Marshall Brown, American trombonist (died 1983).
• 25 – Jerome Richardson, American saxophonist and fautist (died 2000).
• 29 – Irving Ashby, American jazz guitarist (died 1987).

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• The New Real Book, Volume I. Sher Music. 1988. ISBN 0-9614701-4-3. 
• The New Real Book, Volume II. Sher Music. 1991. ISBN 0-9614701-7-8. 
• The New Real Book, Volume III. Sher Music. 1995. ISBN 1-883217-30-X. 
• The Real Book, Volume I (6th ed.). Hal Leonard. 2004. ISBN 0-634-06038-4. 
• The Real Book, Volume II (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2007. ISBN 1-4234-2452-2. 
• The Real Book, Volume III (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06136-4. 
• The Real Jazz Book. Warner Bros. ISBN 978-91-85041-36-7. 
• The Real Vocal Book, Volume I. Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06080-5. 

External links[edit]

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1920 at All About Jazz