Curtis Mosby
Encyclopedia
Curtis J. Mosby was an American jazz
drummer, bandleader, and businessman.
Mosby toured with the Tennessee Ten in the 1910s, and also led his own ensemble in Chicago
. He then moved to California
early in the 1920s, where he opened a record store and then toured with Mamie Smith
. He also led a band called the Blue Blowers in California. He took an extended residency in 1924 at Solomon's Dance Pavilion in Los Angeles
; this ensemble recorded privately, and some of these cuts have survived. The band recorded for Columbia Records
in 1927, and included Jake Porter
, Les Hite
, and Henry Starr
as sidemen. In 1927 they played at the Bronx Palm Gardens and in 1928 at the Lincoln Theater.
Mosby opened his own nightclub
, the Apex, in 1928, and his band appeared in the films Thunderbolt and King Vidor
's Hallelujah
the next year. Late in 1929 a police raid shut the club down, but he reopened after an acquittal soon after. He opened another club in San Francisco at the end of 1930. He went bankrupt
in 1931, and moved to San Francisco. Over the course of the 1930s he opened several clubs, not all of them successful, along the California coastline; musicians who appeared in his bands included Lawrence Brown, Marshal Royal, Wilbert Baranco
, Baron Moorehead, and Buck Clayton
. His successful Club Alabam featured Harlan Leonard
in 1943, Roy Milton
in 1944, and Johnny Otis
in 1945, all in succession. He was jailed for tax evasion
from 1947 to 1949 and lost control of his clubs; after serving his time, he reopened some of them and then permanently moved to San Francisco.
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, bandleader, and businessman.
Mosby toured with the Tennessee Ten in the 1910s, and also led his own ensemble in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He then moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
early in the 1920s, where he opened a record store and then toured with Mamie Smith
Mamie Smith
-External links:* African American Registry* with photos* with .ram files of her early recordings* NPR special on the selection on "Crazy Blues" to the 2005...
. He also led a band called the Blue Blowers in California. He took an extended residency in 1924 at Solomon's Dance Pavilion in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; this ensemble recorded privately, and some of these cuts have survived. The band recorded for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1927, and included Jake Porter
Jake Porter
Jake Vernon Haven Porter was an American jazz trumpeter and record producer.Porter started playing violin at age seven and switched to cornet at nine...
, Les Hite
Les Hite
Les Hite was an American jazz bandleader.Hite attended the University of Illinois and played saxophone with family members in a band in the 1920s. Following this, he played with Detroit Shannon and then the Helen Dewey Show, but when this group disbanded abruptly, Hite relocated to Los Angeles...
, and Henry Starr
Henry Starr
Henry Starr was an American outlaw: specifically, a horse thief and train robber. He was also convicted of murder once, of U.S. Deputy Marshal on December 13, 1892. Henry Starr claimed in court to not have known he was a U.S. Marshal and only to know that a man had opened fire on him without...
as sidemen. In 1927 they played at the Bronx Palm Gardens and in 1928 at the Lincoln Theater.
Mosby opened his own nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, the Apex, in 1928, and his band appeared in the films Thunderbolt and King Vidor
King Vidor
King Wallis Vidor was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose career spanned nearly seven decades...
's Hallelujah
Hallelujah! (1929 film)
Hallelujah! is a 1929 MGM musical directed by King Vidor, starring Daniel L. Haynes and the then unknown Nina Mae McKinney.Filmed in Tennessee and Arkansas and chronicling the troubled quest of a sharecropper, Zeke Johnson , and his relationship with the seductive Chick , Hallelujah! was one of the...
the next year. Late in 1929 a police raid shut the club down, but he reopened after an acquittal soon after. He opened another club in San Francisco at the end of 1930. He went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1931, and moved to San Francisco. Over the course of the 1930s he opened several clubs, not all of them successful, along the California coastline; musicians who appeared in his bands included Lawrence Brown, Marshal Royal, Wilbert Baranco
Wilbert Baranco
Wilbert Baranco was an American jazz pianist and bandleader.Baranco played with Curtis Mosby in the early 1930s and then put together his own bands in the 1930s and 1940s, including several military bands during World War II. He recorded with Ernie Andrews in Los Angeles in 1945, and led a trio...
, Baron Moorehead, and Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton
Buck Clayton was an American jazz trumpet player who was a leading member of Count Basie’s "Old Testament" orchestra and a leader of mainstream-oriented jam session recordings in the 1950s. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong...
. His successful Club Alabam featured Harlan Leonard
Harlan Leonard
Harlan Leonard was an American jazz bandleader and clarinetist from Kansas City, Missouri.A professional musician from the age of 17, he joined Benny Moten's orchestra in 1923, where he led the reed section until 1931. In 1931 he and Thamon Hayes formed the Kansas City Skyrockets, which included...
in 1943, Roy Milton
Roy Milton
Roy Milton was an American R&B and jump blues singer, drummer and bandleader.-Career:Milton's grandmother was a Chickasaw. He was born in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, United States, and grew up on an Indian reservation before moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma...
in 1944, and Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis is an American singer, musician, talent scout, disc jockey, composer, arranger, recording artist, record producer, vibraphonist, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and impresario.He is commonly referred to as The Godfather Of Rhythm And Blues.-Personal life:Otis, the son of Alexander...
in 1945, all in succession. He was jailed for tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
from 1947 to 1949 and lost control of his clubs; after serving his time, he reopened some of them and then permanently moved to San Francisco.