James Henry Harrison (October 17, 1900,

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...

– July 23, 1931, New York City) 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 major ...

trombonist. Harrison began on trombone at age 15, playing locally in the

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

area. He played semi-pro

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

, but chose music over a career in sports when he joined a traveling minstrel show in the late 1910s. He led his own jazz ensemble in

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

by 1919, and played in the bands of Charlie Johnson and

Sam Wooding Samuel David Wooding (17 June 1895 – 1 August 1985) was an American jazz pianist, arranger and bandleader living and performing in Europe and the United States. Career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, between 1921 and 1 ...

. He then moved to Detroit and played with

Hank Duncan Hank Duncan ''(né'' Henry James Duncan; 26 October 1894 – 7 June 1968) was an American dixieland jazz pianist born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, probably better known for his work with Fess Williams, King Oliver, Tommy Ladnier, Sidney Bechet, C ...

and Roland Smith. After returning to Toledo, he played gigs with

June Clark June Clark may refer to: * June Clark (nurse) (born 1941), British nurse, educator, and academic * June Clark (artist) (born 1941), Canadian artist * June Clark (musician) Algeria Junius "June" Clark (March 24, 1900 in Long Branch, New Jersey &nd ...

and

James P. Johnson James Price Johnson (February 1, 1894 – November 17, 1955) was an American pianist and composer. A pioneer of stride piano, he was one of the most important pianists in the early era of recording, and like Jelly Roll Morton, one of the key ...

, and followed this with a stint in New York City with Fess Williams. In 1924, June Clark took over leadership of Harrison's ensemble, though he continued to perform in it. In 1925 he began working with

Billy Fowler Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a youn ...

, where he remained for several years. He also played with

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

in the mid-1920s. Later in the decade Harrison played with Elmer Snowden and

Fletcher Henderson James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. He was one of the most prolific black musi ...

. While on tour with Henderson in 1930, he took ill with a digestive ailment, and though he continued to play for several months with

Chick Webb William Henry "Chick" Webb (February 10, 1905 – June 16, 1939) was an American jazz and swing music drummer and band leader. Early life Webb was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to William H. and Marie Webb. The year of his birth is disputed. ...

, he died of stomach cancer in 1931, aged 30.

References

;Footnotes ;General references *

Jimmy Harrison James Henry Harrison (October 17, 1900, Louisville, Kentucky – July 23, 1931, New York City) was an American jazz trombonist. Harrison began on trombone at age 15, playing locally in the Toledo, Ohio area. He played semi-pro baseball, but ...

AllMusic 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 ...

1900 births 1931 deaths American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Musicians from Louisville, Kentucky Duke Ellington Orchestra members 20th-century American musicians Jazz musicians from Kentucky 20th-century trombonists American male jazz musicians The Chocolate Dandies members 20th-century American male musicians Deaths from stomach cancer in New York (state) {{Louisville-stub