Cootie Williams
Encyclopedia
Charles Melvin "Cootie" Williams (July 10, 1911 – September 15, 1985) was an American
jazz
, jump blues
, and rhythm and blues
trumpeter.
, United States
, Williams began his professional career with the Young Family band, which included saxophonist Lester Young
, when he was 14 years old. In 1928, he made his first recordings with pianist James P. Johnson
in New York, where he also worked briefly in the bands of Chick Webb
and Fletcher Henderson
. He rose to prominence as a member of Duke Ellington
's orchestra, with which he performed from 1929 to 1940. He also recorded his own sessions during this time, both freelance and with other Ellington sidemen. In 1940 he joined Benny Goodman
's orchestra, then in 1941 formed his own orchestra, in which over the years he employed Charlie Parker
, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
, Bud Powell
, Eddie Vinson
, and other important young players.
In 1947, Williams wrote the song "Cowpox Boogie" while recuperating from a bout with smallpox
. He contracted the disease from a vaccination
he insisted all band members receive.
He began to play more rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. In the 1950s, he toured with small groups and fell into obscurity. In 1962, he rejoined Ellington and stayed with the orchestra until 1974, after Ellington's death. In 1975, he performed during the Super Bowl IX
halftime show.
Cootie Williams was renowned for his growling "jungle" style trumpet playing (in the tradition of trumpeter Bubber Miley and trombonist Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton) and for his use of the plunger mute, and was reputed to have inspired Wynton Marsalis
's use of it.
Williams also sang occasionally, a notable vocal collaboration with Ellington was the piece, Echoes of the Jungle.
Williams is a 1991 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
.
Cootie Williams died in New York
on September 15, 1985, at age 74.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
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...
, jump blues
Jump blues
Jump blues is an up-tempo blues usually played by small groups and featuring horns. It was very popular in the 1940s, and the movement was a precursor to the arrival of rhythm and blues and rock and roll...
, and rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
trumpeter.
Biography
Born in Mobile, AlabamaMobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Williams began his professional career with the Young Family band, which included saxophonist Lester Young
Lester Young
Lester Willis Young , nicknamed "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He also played trumpet, violin, and drums....
, when he was 14 years old. In 1928, he made his first recordings with pianist James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson was an American pianist and composer...
in New York, where he also worked briefly in the bands of Chick Webb
Chick Webb
William Henry Webb, usually known as Chick Webb was an American jazz and swing music drummer as well as a band leader.-Biography:...
and Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Henderson
James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. His was one of the most prolific black orchestras and his influence was vast...
. He rose to prominence as a member of Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
's orchestra, with which he performed from 1929 to 1940. He also recorded his own sessions during this time, both freelance and with other Ellington sidemen. In 1940 he joined Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
's orchestra, then in 1941 formed his own orchestra, in which over the years he employed Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Eddie Davis (saxophonist)
Edward Davis , who performed and recorded as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:...
, Bud Powell
Bud Powell
Earl Rudolph "Bud" Powell was an American Jazz pianist. Powell has been described as one of "the two most significant pianists of the style of modern jazz that came to be known as bop", the other being his friend and contemporary Thelonious Monk...
, Eddie Vinson
Eddie Vinson
Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson was an American jump blues, jazz, bebop and R&B alto saxophonist and blues shouter. He was nicknamed Cleanhead after an incident in which his hair was accidentally destroyed by lye contained in a hair straightening product.-Biography:Vinson was born in Houston, Texas...
, and other important young players.
In 1947, Williams wrote the song "Cowpox Boogie" while recuperating from a bout with smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. He contracted the disease from a vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
he insisted all band members receive.
He began to play more rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. In the 1950s, he toured with small groups and fell into obscurity. In 1962, he rejoined Ellington and stayed with the orchestra until 1974, after Ellington's death. In 1975, he performed during the Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
halftime show.
Cootie Williams was renowned for his growling "jungle" style trumpet playing (in the tradition of trumpeter Bubber Miley and trombonist Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton) and for his use of the plunger mute, and was reputed to have inspired Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
's use of it.
Williams also sang occasionally, a notable vocal collaboration with Ellington was the piece, Echoes of the Jungle.
Williams is a 1991 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and distinctive art form indigenous to America...
.
Cootie Williams died in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 15, 1985, at age 74.
Discography
- Cootie Williams and His Orchestra 1941-44Cootie Williams and His Orchestra 1941-44Cootie Williams and His Orchestra 1941-1944 is a compilation album of recordings from 1941, 1942 and 1944 that jazz trumpeter Cootie Williams made with his orchestra and in smaller groups, released on Classics in 1995...
(ClassicsChronological ClassicsThe Chronological Classics CD series is a collection of 965 compact discs that were compiled by Gilles Pétard in France from 1989. The original Classics music label never had a website, and it is hard to find reliable information about the history of the company and its series of recordings.The...
, 1995) - Cootie Williams and His Orchestra 1945-46 (Classics, 1999)
- Cootie Williams and His Orchestra 1946-49 (Classics, 2000)
External links
- [ Allmusic biography]
- Official website of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame