Earl Bowman Swope (August 4, 1922 – January 3, 1968) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

trombonist.

Early life

Swope was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, on August 4, 1922. His family was musical: his parents, a sister and two brothers were all musicians. One of his brothers was

Rob Swope George Robert "Rob" Swope (December 2, 1926, Washington, D.C. - January 9, 1967, Washington, D.C.) was an American jazz trombonist. He was the brother of Earl Swope. Swope played with Buddy Rich in 1947 and Chubby Jackson in 1948-49, and also re ...

Later life and career

When he was 20, Swope played with

Sonny Dunham Elmer "Sonny" Dunham (November 16, 1911 – July 9, 1990) was an American trumpet player and bandleader. A versatile musician, he was one of the few trumpet players who could double on the trombone with equal skill. Biography Born in Brockton, ...

; he was then with Boyd Raeburn (1943–44),

Georgie Auld Georgie Auld (May 19, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was a jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. Early years Auld was born John Altwerger in Toronto, Canada, and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. Before the family left Canada, Au ...

(1945), and

Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, ...

(1945–47). From 1947 to 1949 he worked with

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

and also recorded in small groups with Stan Getz and

Serge Chaloff Serge Chaloff (November 24, 1923 – July 16, 1957) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. The first and greatest bebop baritonist, Chaloff has been described as 'the most expressive and openly emotive baritone saxophonist jazz has ever ...

. In 1950–51 he was with Elliot Lawrence, then worked freelance in New York and Washington, D.C. Later in the 1950s he returned to big band work, playing with

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peop ...

(1957) and Louie Bellson (1959). In the 1960s he played locally in Washington, D.C.; he died there on January 3, 1968.

Playing style

"He was one of the few trombonists in the 1940s to develop a style that was not influenced by J. J. Johnson; he played in a modern barrelhouse style".

Discography

With Louie Bellson *'' The Brilliant Bellson Sound'' (Verve, 1959) With Charlie Byrd *'' Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros'' (Riverside, 1962) With Dizzy Gillespie *'' One Night in Washington'' (Elektra/Musician, 1955

983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byza ...

With

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most ...

*'' Lester Young In Washington, D.C. 1956, Vol. 5'' (Pablo, 1999)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swope, Earl 1922 births 1968 deaths American jazz trombonists American male trombonists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century trombonists Jazz musicians from Maryland 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians