Norman Mapp

Norman Mapp, b. John Norman Mapp, (1928–1988) was a jazz vocalist, composer and recording artist.

Biography

Mapp was born and raised in Corona/East Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, New York. He was married to Marilyn Patricia Folk Lewis Mapp, and was the father of four sons, one daughter and one stepson, David, John, Brian, Eric, Robin and Norman respectively. He started his music career as a singer with the U.S. Army band, while serving in uniform during World War II stationed in Europe, and continued his music career once he returned home, with his honorable discharge.

Dinah Washington, after an evening of performing, went into a Harlem night club to hear Mapp sing at his debut, and she adopted him as her protégé, encouraged him to continue singing and song writing, and helped him launch his career as a soloist and big-band musician.

Norman Mapp's noted songs

• "Jazz Ain't Nothin' But Soul" (title song of his album recorded for Epic Records)
• "I Worry 'Bout You"
• "Mr. Ugly"
• "In The Night"
• "Free Spirits"
• "Foul Play"

In February 1988, Anthony Scaduto wrote Mapp's obituary for New York Newsday, and quoted his best friend and fellow musician jazz trumpeter Clark Terry saying: "He was the warmest human being who ever lived. Very beautiful, very talented." In the same obituary, Norman Mapp was quoted from a previous Newsday interview in 1986 as saying he "never regretted making music his career,...because it brought him a wealth of experience, plus the opportunity to know and work with people such as Count Basie, Dinah Washington, Sy Oliver." On learning of his passing, Arthur Prysock said, "I thought he was a great fellow. He's going to be missed."^[1]

Artists performing Norman Mapp's songs

• Arthur Prysock
• Marvin Gaye
• Peggy Lee
• Count Basie
• Betty Carter
• Gigi Gryce

References