Britt Woodman (June 4, 1920 – October 13, 2000) was an American jazz trombonist.

Career

Woodman was a childhood friend of

Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians an ...

, but first worked with Phil Moore and

Les Hite Les Hite (February 13, 1903 – February 6, 1962) was an American jazz bandleader. Life and career Born in DuQuoin, Illinois, United States, Hite attended the University of Illinois and played saxophone with family members in a band in the 1920s. ...

. After service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

he played with Boyd Raeburn before joining with Lionel Hampton in 1946. During the 1950s he worked with Ellington. As a member of Ellington's band he can be heard on '' Such Sweet Thunder'' (1957), ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book'' is a 1957 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by Duke Ellington and his orchestra, focusing on Ellington's songs. Part of Fitzgerald's "Song Book" series, ...

'' (also 1957), '' Black, Brown, and Beige'' (1958) and '' Ellington Indigos'' (1958). In 1960 he left Ellington to work in a pit orchestra. Later he worked with Mingus and can be heard on the album ''

Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus ''Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus'' is a studio album by the American jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus which was released on January 9, 1964. Background Mingus collaborated with arranger/orchestrator Bob Hammer to score the music for ...

'' (1963). In the 1970s, he led his own octet and worked with pianist

Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese–American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Akiyoshi received fourteen Grammy Award nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in '' Down Beat'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. ...

. In 1989, he was in the personnel for the album ''

Epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

'' dedicated to the previously unrecorded music of Charles Mingus. He died in

Hawthorne, California Hawthorne is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. It is part of a seventeen-city region commonly called the South Bay. As of the 2020 US census, Hawthorne had a population of 88, ...

at the age of 80, having suffered severe respiratory problems.

Discography

As sideman

With

Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band The Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band was a 16 piece jazz big band created by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi and tenor saxophone/flutist Lew Tabackin in Los Angeles in 1973. In 1982 the principals moved from Los Angeles to New York City a ...

* ''Long Yellow Road'' (RCA, 1975) * ''Tales of a Courtesan'' (RCA Victor, 1976) * ''Insights'' (RCA, 1976) With Bill Berry * ''Hot & Happy'' (Beez, 1974) * ''Hello Rev'' (Concord Jazz, 1976) * ''For Duke'' (M&K RealTime 1978) With Duke Ellington * ''Ellington Uptown'' (Columbia, 1951) * ''Seattle Concert'' (RCA Victor, 1954) * ''Ellington '55'' (Capitol, 1954) * ''Dance to the Duke!'' (Capitol, 1954) * ''Ellington Showcase'' (Capitol, 1955) * ''Historically Speaking'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * ''Duke Ellington Presents...'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * '' Such Sweet Thunder'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''A Drum Is a Woman'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''Ellington at Newport'' (Columbia, 1957) * '' Indigos'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Newport 1958'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''The Cosmic Scene'' (Columbia, 1958) * '' Black, Brown, and Beige'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Ellington Moods'' (Sesac, 1959) * ''Ellington Jazz Party'' (Columbia, 1959) * ''The Nutcracker Suite'' (Columbia, 1960) * ''Solitude'' (Philips, 1960) * ''Piano in the Background'' (Philips, 1960) * ''Selections from Peer Gynt Suites'' (Columbia, 1960) * ''Concert at Carnegie Hall'' (DJM, 1976) * ''The Elegant Mister Ellington'' (Swing House, 1978) * ''Jungle Triangle'' (Black Lion, 1983) * ''

All Star Road Band ''All Star Road Band'' is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded at Sunset Ballroom in Carrolltown, Pennsylvania for radio broadcast and first released as a double LP on Bob Thiele's Doctor Jazz label in ...

'' (Doctor Jazz, 1983) * ''

Hot Summer Dance ''Hot Summer Dance'' is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded at Mather Air Force Base in California and first released as a CD on Bob Thiele's Red Baron label in 1983.

'' (Red Baron, 1991) With

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

* ''

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook Ella may refer to: * Ella (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Places United States * Ella, Kentucky, an unincorporated community * Ella, Oregon, an unincorporated community * Ella, Pennsylvania, an unincorporat ...

'' (Verve, 1958) * ''Rhythm Is My Business'' (Verve, 1962) * ''Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook Vol. One'' (Verve, 1975) * ''Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It)'' (Reprise, 1971) With Lionel Hampton * ''In Concert'' (Durium, 1975) * ''Hamp's Big Band Live!'' (Glad-Hamp 1979) * ''Leapin' with Lionel'' (Affinity, 1983) * ''Newport Uproar!'' (RCA Victor, 1968) With

Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...

* ''

Ellingtonia '56 ''Ellingtonia '56'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges featuring performances with members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra recorded in 1956 and released on the Norgran label.The Big Sound'' (Verve, 1957) * ''Everybody Knows'' (Impulse!, 1964) With

* ''Mingus'' (Candid, 1961) * ''

'' (Impulse!, 1964) * ''

'' (Columbia, 1990) * '' The Complete Town Hall Concert'' (United Artists, 1962) With Jimmy Smith * ''Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith'' (Verve, 1962) * ''Plays Walk On the Wild Side and the Preacher'' (Verve, 1963) * ''Peter and the Wolf'' (Verve, 1966) * ''

Hoochie Coochie Man "Hoochie Coochie Man" (originally titled "I'm Your Hoochie Cooche Man") is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1954. The song makes reference to hoodoo folk magic elements and makes novel use of a sto ...

'' (Verve, 1966) With others * Gene Ammons, '' Free Again'' (Prestige, 1972) * Ray Brown, ''With the All-Star Big Band'' (Verve, 1962) * Ruth Brown, '' Ruth Brown '65'' (Mainstream, 1965) * Ruth Brown, ''Softly'' (Mainstream, 1972) *

Frank Capp Francis Cappuccio (August 20, 1931 – September 12, 2017), known professionally as Frank Capp, was an American jazz drummer. Capp also played on numerous rock and roll sessions and is considered to be a member of The Wrecking Crew. Biography ...

Nat Pierce Nathaniel Pierce Blish Jr., known professionally as Nat Pierce (July 16, 1925 – June 10, 1992) was an American jazz pianist and prolific composer and arranger, perhaps best known for being pianist and arranger for the Woody Herman band from 195 ...

, ''Juggernaut'' (Concord Jazz, 1977) * Frank Capp & Nat Pierce, ''Live at the Century Plaza'' (Concord Jazz, 1978) *

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

, ''Live and Well in Japan!'' (Pablo, 1978) * Benny Carter, ''

Central City Sketches ''Central City Sketches'' is an album by saxophonist/composer Benny Carter recorded in 1987 and released by the MusicMasters label as a double LP.

'' (MusicMasters, 1987) * Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington, ''Blue Rose'' (Columbia, 1956) *

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...

, '' Africa Brass'' (Impulse!, 1961) *

Randy Crawford Veronica "Randy" Crawford (born February 18, 1952) is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a solo artist. However, she has ap ...

, ''Everything Must Change'' (Warner Bros. 1976) *

Tadd Dameron Tadley Ewing Peake Dameron (February 21, 1917 – March 8, 1965) was an American jazz composer, arranger, and pianist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dameron was the most influential arranger of the bebop era, but also wrote charts for swin ...

, '' The Magic Touch'' (Riverside, 1962) *

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

, ''

Blue Moods ''Blue Moods'' is the second studio album by Miles Davis, released on Charles Mingus' Debut Records label in late 1955. It brings Miles Davis on trumpet together with Charles Mingus on bass, trombonist Britt Woodman, vibraphonist Teddy Charles, ...

'' ( Debut, 1955) * Booker Ervin, ''Booker 'n' Brass'' (Pacific Jazz, 1967) * John Fahey, ''Old Fashioned Love'' (Takoma, 1975) * Dizzy Gillespie, ''

Gillespiana ''Gillespiana'' is an album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie featuring compositions by Lalo Schifrin recorded in 1960 and released on the Verve label.

'' (Verve, 1960) * Dizzy Gillespie, '' Carnegie Hall Concert'' (Verve, 1961) * Benny Golson, '' Killer Joe'' (Columbia, 1977) * Chico Hamilton, '' The Gamut'' (Solid State, 1968) *

Jimmy Hamilton Jimmy Hamilton (May 25, 1917 – September 20, 1994) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Biography Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in ...

, '' It's About Time'' (Prestige Swingville, 1961) * Hank Jones &

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album ''The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signifi ...

, ''

Happenings A happening is a performance, event, or situation art, usually as performance art. The term was first used by Allan Kaprow during the 1950s to describe a range of art-related events. History Origins Allan Kaprow first coined the term "happen ...

'' (Impulse!, 1966) *

Philly Joe Jones Joseph Rudolph "Philly Joe" Jones (July 15, 1923 – August 30, 1985) was an American jazz drummer. Biography Early career As a child, Jones appeared as a featured tap dancer on ''The Kiddie Show'' on the Philadelphia radio station WIP. He wa ...

, ''

To Tadd with Love ''To Tadd with Love'' is an album by drummer Philly Joe Jones' Dameronia which was recorded and released on the Uptown label in 1982. Biography Ridley was born and reared in Indianapolis, Indiana. He began performing professionally while still i ...

'' (Uptown, 1982) *

Jon Lucien Lucien Leopold Harrigan (January 8, 1942 – August 18, 2007), known professionally as Jon Lucien, was a singer from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. His parents were Eric "Rico" Lucien Harrigan and Eloise Turnbull Harrigan of Tortolan famil ...

, ''Premonition'' (Columbia, 1976) *

Galt MacDermot Arthur Terence Galt MacDermot (December 18, 1928 – December 17, 2018) was a Canadian-American composer, pianist and writer of musical theater. He won a Grammy Award for the song " African Waltz" in 1960. His most-successful musicals were '' Ha ...

, ''Hair Pieces'' (Verve, Forecast 1968) *

Teo Macero Attilio Joseph "Teo" Macero (October 30, 1925 – February 19, 2008) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer. He was a producer at Columbia Records for twenty years. Macero produced Miles Davis' '' Bitches Brew'', and ...

, ''Impressions of Charles Mingus'' (Palo Alto, 1983) *

Junior Mance Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. (October 10, 1928 – January 17, 2021), known as Junior Mance, was an American jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early life (1928–1947) Mance was born in Evanston, Illinois. When he was five years old, Mance st ...

, '' The Soul of Hollywood'' (Jazzland, 1962) * The Manhattan Transfer, ''Pastiche'' (Atlantic, 1978) *

Wade Marcus Wade Marcus was a music producer and arranger associated with the Motown sound during the 1970s. He composed the music to the film ''The Final Comedown'' with Grant Green. He also produced albums by The Blackbyrds, Gary Bartz, A Taste of Honey, T ...

, ''Metamorphosis ABC'' (Impulse!, 1976) *

Blue Mitchell Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and ...

, '' Smooth as the Wind'' (Riverside, 1961) *

Grover Mitchell Grover Mitchell, born Grover Curry Mitchell (March 17, 1930 – August 6, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist who led the Count Basie Orchestra. Biography Mitchell was born in Whately, Alabama, but he moved with his parents to Pittsburgh, Pen ...

, ''Meet Grover Mitchell'' (Jazz Chronicles 1979) * James Moody, '' The Blues and Other Colors'' (Milestone, 1969) * Maria Muldaur, ''Sweet Harmony'' (Reprise, 1976) *

, ''Afro/American Sketches'' (Prestige, 1962) * Oliver Nelson, '' Impressions of Phaedra'' (United Artists, 1962) *

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...

, ''Bursting Out with the All-Star Big Band'' (Verve, 1962) *

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

, ''Passion Flower'' (Pablo, 1980) *

Billy Taylor Billy Taylor (July 24, 1921 – December 28, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and from 1994 was the a ...

, ''

Taylor Made Jazz ''Taylor Made Jazz'' is an album by American jazz pianist Billy Taylor. It was recorded in Chicago on November 17, 1957 and released by the Argo label. The album includes members of Duke Ellington's orchestra performing arrangements by Johnny Pa ...

'' (Argo, 1959) * Billy Taylor, ''Right Here, Right Now!'' (Capitol, 1963) * Clark Terry, '' Duke with a Difference'' (Riverside, 1957) * Clark Terry, ''Cruising'' (Milestone, 1975) * Clark Terry, '' Squeeze Me!'' (Chiaroscuro, 1989) *

Teri Thornton Teri Thornton, born Shirley Enid Avery (September 1, 1934 – May 2, 2000) was an American jazz singer. Thornton first performed in local Detroit clubs in the 1950s. She moved to New York City in the 1960s, where she found work singing for telev ...

, '' Devil May Care''(Riverside, 1961) *

Jimmy Woode James Bryant Woode (September 23, 1926 – April 23, 2005) was an American jazz bassist. He played and/or recorded in bands with Flip Phillips, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Nat Pierce, Sidney ...

, '' The Colorful Strings of Jimmy Woode'' (Argo, 1957)

References

* * *

External links

Interview of Britt Woodman
part o
Central Avenue Sounds Oral History Project
Center for Oral History Research, UCLA Library Special Collections, University of California, Los Angeles. *

All Music AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodman, Britt 1920 births 2000 deaths American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Duke Ellington Orchestra members Musicians from Hawthorne, California Musicians from Los Angeles Swing trombonists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century trombonists American male jazz musicians Dameronia members The Capp-Pierce Juggernaut members American Jazz Orchestra members 20th-century American male musicians Jazz musicians from California