Walter 'Foots' Thomas

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Walter 'Foots' Thomas (b.1907) was a saxophonist and arranger in Cab Calloway's orchestra.

Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, he moved to New York City in 1927, and played for a time with Jelly Roll Morton. He then joined the Missourians in 1929, just before Calloway took it over.

In 1943 he left to work with Don Redman, and towards the end of his life tutored Jackie McLean.

[edit] References

Schuller, Gunther. The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945 (1991), Oxford Paperbacks ISBN10: 0-19-507140-9