Arthur Herbert
Encyclopedia
Arthur Herbert was an American jazz
drummer.
Both of Herbert's parents were of Trinidad
ian heritage. He worked in a silver and gold refinery
as a young man, playing local gigs in New York nightclub
s and hotel
s in his spare time. He left industry in 1935 to join Eddie Williams
's band, and soon after started his own band, the Rhythm Masters. In the 1930s and 1940s he worked as a sideman with musicians such as Pete Brown
, Coleman Hawkins
, Hot Lips Page, and Sidney Bechet
.
In the 1950s Herbert went into semiretirement as a musician and started up his own pest extermination business. He played in various swing jazz revival ensembles, and toured with Lem Johnson
in Poland
in the 1960s.
Herbert taught his nephew
, drummer Herb Lovelle, whom he insisted should know how to read sheet music, something black musicians were then not held to know. He got his nephew his first gig with Hot Lips Page. He also taught drummer Shelly Manne
, according to Herb Lovelle.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
drummer.
Both of Herbert's parents were of Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian heritage. He worked in a silver and gold refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
as a young man, playing local gigs in New York nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s and hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s in his spare time. He left industry in 1935 to join Eddie Williams
Eddie Williams
Edward Laquan Williams is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and third baseman....
's band, and soon after started his own band, the Rhythm Masters. In the 1930s and 1940s he worked as a sideman with musicians such as Pete Brown
Pete Brown (jazz musician)
James Ostend "Pete" Brown was an American jazz alto saxophonist and bandleader....
, Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
, Hot Lips Page, and Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
.
In the 1950s Herbert went into semiretirement as a musician and started up his own pest extermination business. He played in various swing jazz revival ensembles, and toured with Lem Johnson
Lem Johnson
Lemuel Charles "Lem" Johnson was an American jazz saxophonist who played both tenor and soprano saxophones.Johnson was born in Oklahoma City. He played clarinet in local ensembles in the 1920s and picked up saxophone in 1928, playing with Walter Page's Blue Devils...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in the 1960s.
Herbert taught his nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
, drummer Herb Lovelle, whom he insisted should know how to read sheet music, something black musicians were then not held to know. He got his nephew his first gig with Hot Lips Page. He also taught drummer Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
, according to Herb Lovelle.