HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Bill Coleman

Birth of Jazz: Bill Coleman

Bill Coleman

Source: Jazz Rhythm


Born on 4 August 1904 in Paris, Kentucky, trumpeter, Bill Coleman's career spanned from early jazz well into modern. He roamed through several bands before traveling to New York City in 1927 where he met Luis Russell. Coleman's first known recording on 6 September 1929 was 'The New Call of the Freaks' with Russell. Though Henry Red Allen was Russell's main trumpet player Coleman plays solo on 'Feeling the Spirit', below. Coleman also recorded with Cecil Scott & His Bright Boys in 1929.

 

'Feelin' the Spirit'   Bill Coleman w Luis Russell and His Orchestra

Coleman's 2nd known recording

Recorded 6 Sep 1929 in NYC   Matrix 402939-C   Okeh 8766

Trumpet: Henry Red Allen / Bill Coleman   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham (vocal)

Clarinet / sax: Albert Nicholas   Sax: Charlie Holmes / Teddy Hill

Piano: Luis Russell   Guitar / banjo: Will Johnson

Bass: Pops Foster   Drums: Paul Barbarin

Composition: Luis Russell

 

'In a Corner'   Bill Coleman w Cecil Scott and His Bright Boys

Recorded 19 Nov 1929 in NYC   Matrix 57710-1   Victor V-38098

Trumpet: Bill Coleman / Frankie Newton   Trombone: Dicky Wells

Clarinet / sax: Cecil Scott   Alto sax: John Williams / Harold McFerran

Piano: Don Frye   Banjo: Rudolph Williams

Tuba: Mack Walker   Drums: Lloyd Scott

Composition: Cecil Scott

 

During Coleman's first trip to Europe with Lucky Millinder in 1933 he met swing guitarist, Django Reinhardt. Upon returning to the States he recorded with Benny Carter, then Fats Waller in 1935, after which he returned to Paris to put down tracks with Reinhardt the same year.

 

'Rosetta'   Bill Coleman w Garnet Clark and His Hot Club's Four

Recorded 25 Nov 1935 in Paris   Matrix OLA-730-1   HMV K7618

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   Clarinet / alto sax:  George Johnson

Piano: Garnet Clark   Guitar: Django Reinhardt   Bass: June Cole

Composition: Earl Hines / Henri Woode

 

'The Object of My Affection'   Bill Coleman w Garnet Clark and His Hot Club's Four

Recorded 25 Nov 1935 in Paris   Matrix OLA-732-1   HMV K7618

Trumpet: Bill Coleman (vocal)   Clarinet / alto sax: George Johnson

Piano: Garnet Clark   Guitar: Django Reinhardt   Bass: June Cole

Composition: Jimmie Grier / Pinky Tomlin / Coy Poe

 

'Georgia on My Mind'   Bill Coleman Trio

Recorded 24 Jan 1936 in Paris   Matrix 77625   Ultraphon AP-1235

Piano: Herman Chittison   Bass: Eugene d'Hellemmes

Music: Hoagy Carmichael   Lyrics: Stuart Gorrell   1930

 

'I'm in the Mood for Love'   Bill Coleman   Duet w Herman Chittison (piano)

Recorded 31 Jan 1936 in Paris   Matrix OLA-849-1   His Master's Voice K-7764

Music: Jimmy McHugh   Lyrics: Dorothy Fields   1935

 

In 1937 Coleman traveled to Bombay, returned to Paris, then headed for Cairo before returning to the States in 1940. Coleman then performed with numerous big names before returning to Paris permanently in 1948. Like not a few black musicians, Coleman confronted less racism in Europe than in the United States. During the fifties he ramrodded various bands in Paris, also touring in Switzerland and Denmark. He toured to the UK, Belgium and Denmark in the sixties. He played in Italy and Switzerland again in the seventies. Coleman's final titles were recorded in Toulouse, France, on 15 May 1980, toward the album, 'Really I Do'.

 

'Big Boy Blues'   Bill Coleman Orchestra

Recorded 19 Nov 1937 in Paris   Matrix OLA-1981-1   Swing 32

Trumpet: Bill Coleman (vocal)   Clarinet: Christian Wagner

Tenor sax: Frank "Big Boy" Goudie

Piano: Emil Stern   Guitar: Django Reinhardt

Bass: Lucien Simoens   Drums: Jerry Mengo

Composition: Frank "Big Boy" Goudie

 

'Swing Guitars'   Bill Coleman Orchestra

Recorded 19 Nov 1937 in Paris   Matrix OLA-1982-1   Swing 32

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   Clarinet: Christian Wagner

Tenor sax: Frank "Big Boy" Goudie

Piano: Emil Stern   Guitar: Django Reinhardt

Bass: Lucien Simoens   Drums: Jerry Mengo

Composition: Django Reinhardt / Stéphane Grappelli

 

'Bill Coleman Blues'   Bill Coleman   Duet w Django Reinhardt (guitar)

Recorded 19 Nov 1937 in Paris   Matrix OLA-1983-1   Swing 42

Composition: Bill Coleman

 

'I'm Fer It Too'   Bill Coleman w Dickie Wells and His Orchestra

Recorded 21 Dec 1943 in NYC

1 of 2 takes issued on either Signature 90002 or Jazz Selection EPL-7001

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   Trombone: Dickie Wells

Tenor sax: Lester Young   Piano: Ellis Larkins   Guitar: Freddie Green

Bass: Al Hall   Drums: Papa Jo Jones

Composition: Dickie Wells

 

'Stardust'   Bill Coleman Quartet

Recorded 9 June 1945 at Town Hall in NYC   Commodore FL 20,027

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   Piano: Billy Taylor

Bass: Matty Chapin   Drums: Specs Powell

Composition: Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish

 

'Come On a' My House'   Bill Coleman Orchestra

Recorded 9 Nov 1951 in Paris

1 of 3 takes issued on either Philips 72043H or EmArcy 983413-0 (CD)

Trumpet: Bill Coleman (vocal)   Trombone: Bill Tamper (arrangement)

Alto sax: Jay Cameron   Baritone sax: William Boucaya   Piano: Art Simmons

Guitar: Jean-Pierre Sasson   Bass: Guy DeFatto   Drums: Gerard "Dave" Pochonet

Composition: Ross Bagdasarian / William Saroyan   1939

 

'From Boogie to Funk'   Bill Coleman   Album

Recorded 21 & 22 Jan 1960 in Paris   Brunswick 87905 / 1960

Trumpet: Bill Coleman (vocal)   Trombone: Quentin Jackson

Tenor sax: Budd Johnson   Piano: Patti Bown

Guitar: Les Spann   Bass: Buddy Catlett   Drums: Joe Harris

Compositions: Bill Coleman

 

''S Wonderful'   Bill Coleman w Michel Attenoux (alto sax)   Television

 Taped at the Trois Mailletz cabaret in Paris  16 July 1960

Flute: Dominique Chamson   Piano: André Persiany

Bass: Pascal Groffe   Drums: Charles Saudrais

Composition: George & Ira Gershwin   1927

 

'I've Gotta Right to Sing the Blues'   Bill Coleman   Television

 Unknown venue for unknown station sometime 1960

Music: Harold Arlen   Lyrics: Ted Koehler    1932

 

'Perdido' ('Lost')   Bill Coleman w the Roman New Orleans Jazz Band   Television

 Unknown venue for unknown station sometime 1960

Composition: Juan Tizol   1941   First recorded by Duke Ellington in 1942

 

'For Max'   Bill Coleman

Recorded 27 April 1967 in London

From the album 'Ben Webster Meets Bill Coleman'

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   Tenor sax: Ben Webster   Piano: Fred Hunt

Guitar: Jim Douglas   Bass: Ronnie Rae   Drums: Lennie Hastings

Composition: Ben Webster / Bill Coleman

 

'Satin Doll'   Bill Coleman

Recorded 27 April 1967 in London

From the album 'Ben Webster Meets Bill Coleman'

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   (Webster out)   Piano: Fred Hunt

Guitar: Jim Douglas   Bass: Ronnie Rae   Drums: Lennie Hastings

Composition: Billy Strayhorn / Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer

 

'I Want a Little Girl'   Bill Coleman   French television

 'Jazz Harmonie' sometime 1972

Piano: Marc Hemmeler   Guitar: Jimmy Gourley

Bass: Pierre Sim   Drums: Michel Silva

Composition: Billy Moll / Murray Mencher

 

'Sunday'   Bill Coleman   French television

 'Jazz Harmonie' sometime 1972

Piano: Marc Hemmeler   Guitar: Jimmy Gourley

Bass: Pierre Sim   Drums: Michel Silva

Music: Chester Conn 1926   Lyrics: Jule Styne / Bennie Krueger / Ned Miller

 

'Really I Do'   Bill Coleman   Album

Coleman's final recordings

 Recorded 15 May 1980 in Toulouse     Black And Blue 33.162 / 1982

Tenor sax: Guy Lafitte   Piano: Red Richards

Bass: Bill Pemberton   Drums: Panama Francis

 

Coleman died in Toulouse, France, on 24 August 1981 [obit].

 

Sources & References for Bill Coleman:

Last.fm

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia

Scott Yanow (All Music)

Associates Musical:

Michel Attenoux (saxophone / 1930-88):

Discogs   SHS   Wikipedia

Roman New Orleans Jazz Band:

Artist Info (configuration 1st / 1948)

Artist Info (configuration 2nd / 1952)

Discogs

Second Hand Songs

Treccani

Wikipedia (configuration 1st / 1948)

Wikipedia (configuration 2nd / 1952)

Audio of Coleman: Internet Archive

Autobiography: Trumpet Story (Cana Editions / 1981)

Recordings: Catalogs: 45 Worlds   Discogs   RYM   SHS

Recordings: Compilations:

Bill Coleman in Paris 1935/38 (w Django Reinhardt / Disques Swing 8402 / 1985)

The Chronological Bill Coleman 1940-49 (Chronological Classics / 2002)

Recordings: Select:

Ben Webster Meets Bill Coleman (Black Lion Records BLCD 760141 / 1989)

From Boogie to Funk (Brunswick 87905 / 1960)

Really I Do (final recordings / Black And Blue 33.162 / 1982)

Recordings: Sessions:

DAHR (1929-49)

Jan Evensmo (solography 1929-53)

Tom Lord (leading 58 of 151 sessions 1929-80)

Repertoire: Music Brainz (alphabetical w personnel & composers)

Further Reading: Hot Club De Belgique (Coleman w Jump College in 1951)

Authority Search:  BNF Data   VIAF

Other Profiles:

Columbia University New York

Joshua Farrington (Kentucky African American Encyclopedia / University Press of Kentucky / 2015)

Jazz Rhythm

Riverwalk Jazz

 

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