Johnny Lytle
Encyclopedia
Johnny Lytle was a jazz
drummer and vibraphonist.
, and was a successful Golden Gloves champion. During the late '50s, Lytle continued to box, but landed jobs as a drummer for Ray Charles
, Jimmy Witherspoon
and Gene Ammons
. Then he switched from drums to vibraphone
and toured with organist Hiram "Boots" Johnson from 1955 to '57. He formed his first group in 1957 with saxophonist Boots Johnson, organist Milton Harris and drummer William "Peppy" Hinnant. He impressed the Grammy award-winning producer Orrin Keepnews
who signed him to his Jazzland
label in 1960.
Lionel Hampton
, considered one of the top vibes players in the world, said Lytle was "the greatest vibes player in the world." Lytle was known for his great hand speed and showmanship. He was also a songwriter, penning many of his own hits, including "The Loop," "The Man," "Lela," "Selim," and the jazz classic "The Village Caller." Lytle recorded more than 30 albums for various jazz labels including Tuba, Jazzland, Solid State and Muse. Throughout his career he performed and recorded with jazz greats including Louis Armstrong
, Lionel Hampton
, Miles Davis
, Nancy Wilson
, Bobby Timmons
and Roy Ayers
. Lytle was such an admirer of the music of Miles Davis that he wrote "Selim" (Miles spelled backwards) in honor of Davis. He also featured his son, Marcel Lytle, on several recordings, as a vocalist and drummer.
Lytle never recorded with any of the major record labels and that could be why he never gained the status of a jazz icon like some of his peers. Feeling he would lose control of his music and creative development; he played what came natural to him, and being with a major label might not have afforded him that opportunity.
He found success early in his career with chart-topping albums like A Groove, The Loop, and Moonchild. From his swinging uptempo tracks to his soul-satisfying ballads, Lytle knew how to keep a groove. And with a nickname like "Fast Hands," he could always keep the attention of an audience. In addition to his musicianship, his gregarious personality made him a popular attraction on the jazz circuit. Even though he did not experience the same success he was privileged to during the '60s, he did continue to record and build a respectable catalog of music with recordings in the '70s,'80s and '90s.
Lytle remained a popular concert attraction in the U.S. and Europe; his last performance was with the Springfield (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra in his hometown on November 18, 1995. He was survived by his wife Barbara Jean Lytle, his son Marcel Anthony (of Atlanta), Michael-Lamont (of Toronto), and daughter Ayo Michelle Hagans (of Springfield) At the time of his death, Lytle was scheduled to begin recording a new CD on the Muse label. In his hometown of Springfield, Ohio
, the street where he used to live was renamed Johnny Lytle Avenue in his honor.
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 and vibraphonist.
Biography
Johnny Lytle grew up in Springfield, Ohio in a family of music, the son of a trumpeter father and an organist mother. He began playing the drums and piano at an early age. Before studying music in earnest, he was a boxerBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, and was a successful Golden Gloves champion. During the late '50s, Lytle continued to box, but landed jobs as a drummer for Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon was an American jump blues singer.-Early life and career:James Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. He first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during...
and Gene Ammons
Gene Ammons
Eugene "Jug" Ammons also known as "The Boss," was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, and the son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons.-Biography:...
. Then he switched from drums to vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
and toured with organist Hiram "Boots" Johnson from 1955 to '57. He formed his first group in 1957 with saxophonist Boots Johnson, organist Milton Harris and drummer William "Peppy" Hinnant. He impressed the Grammy award-winning producer Orrin Keepnews
Orrin Keepnews
Orrin Keepnews is an American writer and jazz record producer. In June 2010, he received a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.- Career :...
who signed him to his Jazzland
Jazzland
Jazzland can refer to the following:* Jazzland, an amusement park later known as Six Flags New Orleans.* Jazzland Records - a US-based company.* Jazzland Records - a Norwegian-based company....
label in 1960.
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
, considered one of the top vibes players in the world, said Lytle was "the greatest vibes player in the world." Lytle was known for his great hand speed and showmanship. He was also a songwriter, penning many of his own hits, including "The Loop," "The Man," "Lela," "Selim," and the jazz classic "The Village Caller." Lytle recorded more than 30 albums for various jazz labels including Tuba, Jazzland, Solid State and Muse. Throughout his career he performed and recorded with jazz greats including Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, Nancy Wilson
Nancy Wilson (singer)
Nancy Wilson is an American singer with more than 70 albums, and three Grammy Awards. She has been labeled a singer of blues, jazz, cabaret and pop; a "consummate actress"; and "the complete entertainer." The title she prefers, however, is song stylist...
, Bobby Timmons
Bobby Timmons
Robert Henry "Bobby" Timmons was an African American jazz pianist and composer.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is best known for his role as sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the composition of "Moanin'", "Dat Dere", and "This Here", each of which are typical of his...
and Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
. Lytle was such an admirer of the music of Miles Davis that he wrote "Selim" (Miles spelled backwards) in honor of Davis. He also featured his son, Marcel Lytle, on several recordings, as a vocalist and drummer.
Lytle never recorded with any of the major record labels and that could be why he never gained the status of a jazz icon like some of his peers. Feeling he would lose control of his music and creative development; he played what came natural to him, and being with a major label might not have afforded him that opportunity.
He found success early in his career with chart-topping albums like A Groove, The Loop, and Moonchild. From his swinging uptempo tracks to his soul-satisfying ballads, Lytle knew how to keep a groove. And with a nickname like "Fast Hands," he could always keep the attention of an audience. In addition to his musicianship, his gregarious personality made him a popular attraction on the jazz circuit. Even though he did not experience the same success he was privileged to during the '60s, he did continue to record and build a respectable catalog of music with recordings in the '70s,'80s and '90s.
Lytle remained a popular concert attraction in the U.S. and Europe; his last performance was with the Springfield (Ohio) Symphony Orchestra in his hometown on November 18, 1995. He was survived by his wife Barbara Jean Lytle, his son Marcel Anthony (of Atlanta), Michael-Lamont (of Toronto), and daughter Ayo Michelle Hagans (of Springfield) At the time of his death, Lytle was scheduled to begin recording a new CD on the Muse label. In his hometown of Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
, the street where he used to live was renamed Johnny Lytle Avenue in his honor.
As Leader
- Blue Vibes (Jazzland 22, 1960)
- Happy Ground (Jazzland 44, 1961) later reissued on Riverside 9470
- Nice and Easy (Jazzland 67, 1962)
- Moonchild (Jazzland 81, 1962)
- Got that Feeling (Riverside 456, 1963)
- The Village Caller (Riverside 480, 1963)
- The Loop (Tuba 5001, 1964)
- New and Groovy (Tuba 5002, 1966)
- Done it Again (Pacific Jazz 10125, 1967)
- Swinging at the Gate (Pacific Jazz 10129, 1967)
- A Man and a Woman (Solid State 18014, 1968)
- The Sound of Velvet Soul (Solid State 18026, 1968)
- Be Proud (Solid State 18044, 1969)
- Close Enough for Jazz (Solid State 18056, 1969)
- Los Grandes del Jazz (Sarpe Spain, 1970)
- The Soulful Rebel (Milestone 9036, 1971)
- People and Love (Milestone 9043, 1972)
- Everything Must Change (Muse 5158, 1977)
- Fast Hands (Muse 5185, 1980)
- Good Vibes (Muse 5271, 1981)
- Happy Ground (Muse 5387, 1989)
- Moonchild (Muse 5431, 1991)
- Possum Grease (Muse 5482, 1992)
Further reading
- Richard CookRichard CookRichard David Cook was a British jazz writer, magazine editor and former record company executive.Sometimes credited as R. D. Cook, Cook was born in Kew, Surrey and lived in west London as an adult. He was co-author, with Brian Morton, of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings , now in its ninth...
& Morton, Brian: The Penguin Guide To Jazz on CD, 6th Edition, London, Penguin, 2002 ISBN 0-14-017949-6 - Andrew Scott, Fast hands, Wax Poetics #40
External links
- Discography
- http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/entertainment/music/the-real-johnny-lytle-good-vibes-bad-business-361135.html Springfield News-Sun article, The real Johnny Lytle: Good vibes, bad business
- http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/entertainment/music/mcginn-how-a-local-music-icon-ended-up-in-an-unmarked-grave-432241.html Springfield News-Sun article, "How a local music icon ended up in an unmarked grave" Andrew McGinn
- http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/entertainment/music/homegrown-jazz-great-finally-gets-a-headstone-for-his-resting-place-744681.html Springfield News-Sun article, "Homegrown jazz great finally gets a headstone for his resting place" Andrew McGinn