John Simmons (musician)
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John Simmons | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Haskell, Oklahoma, U.S. | June 14, 1918
Died | September 19, 1979 Orange, New York, U.S. | (aged 61)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Bass |
Years active | 1937–1960 |
John Simmons (June 14, 1918 – September 19, 1979)[1] was an American jazz bassist.
Life
Simmons played trumpet at first, but a sports injury prevented him from continuing on the instrument.[1] He picked up bass instead, landing his first professional gigs a mere four months after starting on the instrument. Early on he played with Nat King Cole and Teddy Wilson (1937), then moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he played with Jimmy Bell, King Kolax, Floyd Campbell, and Johnny Letman.[1] He played with Roy Eldridge in 1940 and spent 1941-42 playing at various times with Benny Goodman, Cootie Williams, and Louis Armstrong.[1] In 1942-43, he played in the CBS Blue Network Orchestra, then played with Duke Ellington (1943), Eddie Heywood (1945), and Illinois Jacquet (1946), in addition to doing much studio work.
He continued to work as a studio musician for much of the 1950s, and also played with
In addition to the above, Simmons also recorded with
He died in September 1979, at the age of 61.[1]
He is the father of Joan Simmons, Kathleen Simmons, Addie Simmons, and NBC New York newscaster Sue Simmons.
Discography
With
- Skin Deep (Norgran, 1953)
With Tadd Dameron
- Fontainebleau (Prestige, 1956)
- Mating Call (Prestige, 1957)
With Roy Eldridge and Benny Carter
- Urbane Jazz (Verve, 1955)
With Maynard Ferguson
- Jam Session featuring Maynard Ferguson (EmArcy, 1954)
With Matthew Gee
- Jazz by Gee (Riverside, 1956)
With Milt Jackson
- Wizard of the Vibes(Blue Note, 1948)
With
- Piano Portraits by Phineas Newborn (Roulette, 1959)
- I Love a Piano (Roulette, 1959)
With Buddy Rich
- Buddy and Sweets (Norgan, 1955)
- The Wailing Buddy Rich (Norgran, 1955)
References
- Footnotes
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- General references