Lem Winchester (March 19, 1928 – January 13, 1961) 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 ...

vibraphone The vibraphone is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a ''vibraphonist,'' ''vibraharpist,' ...

player.

Early life

Lemuel Winchester was born in Wilmington, Delaware. His parents were politician William J. Winchester and Alverta Winchester.

Career

Formerly a police officer, Winchester pursued music as a hobby in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

. He turned to music full-time after an appearance at the 1958

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hire ...

.Yannow, Scott
Lem Winchester Biography

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 ...

, accessed 09 October 2014 He was soon working with some of the top names in jazz, making his debut recording with pianist

Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five RIAA certification, gold records and three Grammy Awards ...

. Winchester recorded a handful of albums as a leader, and made sideman appearances with the likes of saxophonist

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 ...

, and organists

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...

and

Shirley Scott Shirley Scott (March 14, 1934 – March 10, 2002) was an American jazz organist. Her music was noted for its mixture of bebop, blues and gospel elements. She was known by the nickname "Queen of the Organ". Life and career Scott was born in Phi ...

. Most of his recordings were with

Prestige Records Prestige Records is a jazz record company and label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock in New York City which issued recordings in the mainstream, bop, and cool jazz idioms. The company recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz music ...

. Critic

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author.Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles an ...

has suggested that while Winchester's playing was strongly influenced by

Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging solo ...

, but he "did not stick around long enough to carve out his own original voice" on the vibraphone.

Death

Winchester died at the age of 32 as a result of a handgun accident in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Discography

As leader

* 1958: '' New Faces at Newport'' ( Metrojazz)

split album A split album (or split) is a music album that includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There are also singles and EPs of the same variety, which are often called "split singles" and "split EPs" respectively. Split albums differ from "var ...

with

Randy Weston Randolph Edward "Randy" Weston (April 6, 1926 – September 1, 2018) was an American jazz pianist and composer whose creativity was inspired by his ancestral African connection. Weston's piano style owed much to Duke Ellington and Thelonious M ...

* 1958: '' Lem Winchester and the Ramsey Lewis Trio'' (

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of sour ...

) with

* 1959: ''

Winchester Special ''Winchester Special'' is an album by vibraphonist Lem Winchester with saxophonist Benny Golson recorded in 1959 and released on the New Jazz label.New Jazz) with

Benny Golson Benny Golson (born January 25, 1929) is an American bebop/hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a performer, before launch ...

* 1960: ''

Lem's Beat ''Lem's Beat'' is an album by vibraphonist Lem Winchester's Sextet with saxophonist Oliver Nelson recorded in 1960 and released on the New Jazz label.Another Opus ''Another Opus'' is an album by vibraphonist Lem Winchester which was recorded in 1960 and released on the New Jazz label.Lem Winchester with Feeling ''Lem Winchester with Feeling'' is an album by vibraphonist Lem Winchester which was recorded in 1960 and released on the Moodsville label the following year.Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...

, ''

Tough 'Duff ''Tough 'Duff'' is the second album by organist Jack McDuff recorded in 1960 and released on the Prestige label.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 ...

, '' Taking Care of Business'' (New Jazz) * 1960:

, ''

Nocturne A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. History The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...

'' (Moodsville) * 1960:

, '' Soul Sister'' (Prestige) * 1960:

Etta Jones Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 – October 16, 2001) was an American jazz singer. Her best-known recordings are "Don't Go to Strangers" and "Save Your Love for Me". She worked with Buddy Johnson, Oliver Nelson, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Gene A ...

, '' Something Nice'' (2 cuts only) (Prestige) * 1961:

Johnny "Hammond" Smith John Robert "Johnny Hammond" Smith (December 16, 1933 – June 4, 1997) was an American soul jazz and hard bop organist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was a renowned player of the Hammond B-3 organ so earning "Hammond" as a nickname, whi ...

, '' Gettin' the Message'' (Prestige) * 1963:

, ''

Hollar! ''Hollar!'' is an album by jazz vocalist Etta Jones which was recorded at three separate sessions between 1960 and 1962 and released on the Prestige label in 1963.1928 births 1961 deaths American jazz vibraphonists Prestige Records artists Firearm accident victims in the United States 20th-century American musicians Musicians from Wilmington, Delaware Accidental deaths in Indiana Deaths by firearm in Indiana