Thomas Morris was an American

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...

 cornetist. Born in New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 in 1898, jazz critic Scott Yanow

Scott Yanow

Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...

 noted that Morris's primitive style was "an excellent example of how New York brass players sounded before the rise of Louis Armstrong." Morris' many recordings include dates with Clarence Williams, Charlie Johnson

Charlie Johnson (bandleader)

Charlie "Fess" Johnson was an American jazz bandleader and pianist.Johnson led an ensemble called the Paradise Ten, who played at Small's Paradise from 1925–1935 and recorded five times between 1925 and 1929. Though Johnson was a capable pianist, he rarely soloed on his recordings...

, Fats Waller

Fats Waller

Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...

 and many jazz and blues singers including 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...

, Eva Taylor and Sippie Wallace

Sippie Wallace

Sippie Wallace was an American singer-songwriter. Her early career in local tent shows gained her the billing "The Texas Nightingale". Between 1923 and 1927, she recorded over 40 songs for Okeh Records, many written by herself or her brothers, George and Hersal Thomas...

. His most notable dates were with his band, the Seven Hot Babies, resulting in eight songs in 1923 and ten in 1926. For a time, Morris served as a porter at Grand Central Station. In the last few years of his life, Morris became associated with Father Divine

Father Divine

Father Divine , also known as Reverend M. J. Divine, was an African American spiritual leader from about 1907 until his death. His full self-given name was Reverend Major Jealous Divine, and he was also known as "the Messenger" early in his life...

's strict religious movement, changing his name to Brother Pierre. 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...

 recalled an encounter with Morris in a radio interview with Wynne Paris, stating "I happened to be walking down 132nd Street near Seventh Avenue when I saw Thomas Morris, and I was tickled to death to see him. I say, 'Hello Thomas.' He said, 'Not no more. I'm St. Peter.' I said, 'You might be St. Peter to Father Divine, but you're Thomas Morris to me.'"

Morris died in 1945 in 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...

. He was the uncle of pianist Marlowe Morris

Marlowe Morris

Marlowe Morris was an American jazz pianist and Hammond organist. He was the nephew of Thomas Morris.Morris also learned drums, harmonica, and ukulele as a child. He accompanied June Clark from 1935 to 1937, then played solo for a few years before playing with Coleman Hawkins in 1940-41...

.

External links

• Red Hot Jazz: Thomas Morris
• [ Thomas Morris at Allmusic]