Lou Blackburn (November 12, 1922 – 7 June 1990) 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 majo ...

trombonist.

Biography

Blackburn was born in Rankin, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his work in the

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

genre but he also performed in the West Coast jazz and soul jazz mediums. During the 1950s, he played

swing music Swing music is a style of jazz that developed in the United States during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It became nationally popular from the mid-1930s. The name derived from its emphasis on the off-beat, or nominally weaker beat. Swing bands ...

with

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...

, and also Charlie Ventura. In the early 1960s, he began performing with musicians like Cat Anderson, among others. He also appears on the album '' Mingus at Monterey'' by Charles Mingus. He also did crossover work with The Beach Boys and The Turtles, among others. From 1970, he lived in Germany, where he toured successfully with his ethno jazz band ''Mombasa''. Blackburn died in

Berlin Berlin is Capital of Germany, the capital and largest city of Germany, both by area and List of cities in Germany by population, by population. Its more than 3.85 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European U ...

in 1990.

Discography

As leader

* ''Jazz Frontier'' (Imperial, 1963) * ''Two Note Samba'' (Imperial, 1963) * ''

The Complete Imperial Sessions ''The Complete Imperial Sessions'' is a CD compilation of the two albums led by American jazz trombonist/composer Lou Blackburn, ''Jazz Frontier'' and ''Two Note Samba'', which were recorded in 1963 and originally released on the Imperial label. ...

'' (Blue Note, 2006)

As sideman

With Duke Ellington * '' Paris Blues'' (United Artists, 1961) * '' First Time! The Count Meets the Duke'' (Columbia, 1971) * '' The Girl's Suite and The Perfume Suite'' (Columbia, 1982) With others * Steve Allen, ''Soulful Brass #2'' (Flying Dutchman, 1969) *

John Braheny John Braheny (December 9, 1938 – January 19, 2013) was an American author and singer-songwriter. He released a solo album in 1968, ''Some Kind of Change'', on the Pete label. He was born in 1938 in Iowa. He also wrote songs for others, incl ...

, ''Some Kind of Change'' (By Pete 1968) * Bobby Bryant, ''Swahili Strut'' (Cadet, 1971) * Bumble Bee Slim, ''Back in Town'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) *

June Christy June Christy (born Shirley Luster; November 20, 1925June 21, 1990) was an American singer, known for her work in the cool jazz genre and for her silky smooth vocals. Her success as a singer began with The Stan Kenton Orchestra. She pursued a sol ...

, '' Something Broadway, Something Latin'' (Capitol, 1965) * Bobby Darin, '' Venice Blue'' (Capitol, 1965) * Gil Fuller, '' Night Flight'' (Pacific Jazz, 1966) * Roosevelt Grier, ''Soul City'' (Recording Industries, 1964) *

Chico Hamilton Foreststorn "Chico" Hamilton (September 20, 1921 – November 25, 2013) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He came to prominence as sideman for Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and Lena Horne. Hamilton became a bandleade ...

, '' Chic Chic Chico'' (Impulse!, 1965) *

, ''Hamp's Big Band'' (Audio Fidelity, 1959) * Tricky Lofton, Carmell Jones, ''Brass Bag'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) * Onzy Matthews, ''Blues with a Touch of Elegance'' (Capitol, 1964) * Charles Mingus, '' Mingus at Monterey'' (Jazz Workshop, 1965) *

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk (, October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including " 'Round Midnight", ...

, '' Monk's Blues'' (Columbia, 1968) * The Monkees, '' Listen to the Band'' (Rhino, 1991) * Oliver Nelson, '' Live from Los Angeles'' (Impulse!, 1967) * Esther Phillips, ''Confessin' the Blues'' (Atlantic, 1976) *

Lou Rawls Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1933 – January 6, 2006) was an American record producer, singer, composer and actor. Rawls released more than 60 albums, sold more than 40 million records, and had numerous charting singles, most notably his s ...

, ''Black and Blue and Tobacco Road'' (Capitol, 2006) *

Nelson Riddle Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many world-famous vocalists at Capitol Records ...

, ''Contemporary Sound of Nelson Riddle'' (United Artists, 1968) * The Righteous Brothers, ''Back to Back'' (Philles, 1965) * The Three Sounds, ''

Coldwater Flat ''Coldwater Flat'' is an album by jazz group The Three Sounds featuring performances with an orchestra arranged by Oliver Nelson recorded in 1968 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label.Mason Williams, ''The Mason Williams Ear Show'' (Warner Bros., 1968) * Gerald Wilson, '' Moment of Truth'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962) * The Yellow Balloon, ''The Yellow Balloon'' (Canterbury, 1967)

References

* Kampmann, Wolf (ed.) ''Reclams Jazzlexikon''. Stuttgart 2003; * 1922 births 1990 deaths People from Rankin, Pennsylvania American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Cool jazz trombonists Soul-jazz trombonists Swing trombonists West Coast jazz trombonists Duke Ellington Orchestra members The Wrecking Crew (music) members 20th-century American musicians Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century trombonists American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians {{US-jazz-trombonist-stub