Eddie Durham
| Eddie Durham | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Edward Durham |
| Born |
August 19, 1906 San Marcos, Texas, U.S. |
| Died |
March 6, 1987 (aged 80) New York City |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1920s–1980s |
| Labels | RCA |
| Associated acts | Walter Page, Benny Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie |
Eddie Durham (19 August 1906 – 6 March 1987) was an African American musician who pioneered the use of the electric guitar in jazz. He was a guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger for the orchestras of Benny Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, and Count Basie. With Edgar Battle he composed "Topsy", which was recorded by Count Basie and became hit for Benny Goodman. In 1938 Durham co-wrote "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", with Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus and Eddie Seiler.
Pioneer on the electric guitar
From 1929, Durham started experimenting to enhance the sound of his guitar using resonators and megaphones. In 1935 he was the first to record an electrically amplified guitar[1] with Jimmie Lunceford in 'Hittin' The Bottle' that was recorded in New York for the Decca label.[2]
Selected discography
As leader
As sideman
- Kansas City Five: "Good Mornin' Blues" (Commodore, 1938)
- Kansas City Six: "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" (Commodore, 1938)
- "Countless Blues" (Commodore, 1938)
- Eddie Barefield: Eddie Barefield (RCA, 1973)
- Count Basie: The Original American Decca Recordings (GRP, [1992])
Selected arrangements
- Benny Moten: "Moten Swing" (Victor, 1932)
- Jimmie Lunceford: "Avalon" (Decca, 1935)
- "Hittin' the Bottle" (Decca, 1935)
- "Harlem Shout" (Decca, 1936)
- "Lunceford Special" (Vocalion, 1935)
- Count Basie: "Time Out" (Decca, 1937)
- "Topsy" (Decca, 1937)
- "Swinging the Blues" (Decca, 1938)
- "Jumpin' at the Woodside" (Decca, 1938)[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Zelade, Richard (1987). Lone Star Travel Guide to Texas Hill Country. Plymouth: Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 260. ISBN 978-1-58979609-6.
- ↑ Abrams, Steve (September 5, 2015). "Decca (USA) 500 - 1000 Numerical Listing". The Online Discographical Project. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ↑ Vacher, Peter (2002). Kernfeld, Barry, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 1 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. p. 674. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.