Rafael "Ralph" Escudero (July 16, 1898 in
Manatí, Puerto Rico
Manatí () is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico on the northern coast, north of Morovis and Ciales; east of Florida and Barceloneta; and west of Vega Baja. Manatí is spread over 8 barrios and Manatí barrio-pueblo (the downtown area and ...
– April 10, 1970 in Puerto Rico) was a bassist and tubist active on the early 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 ...
scene.
Escudero began playing bass in a school band at the age of 12, and moved to New York City, playing with the
New Amsterdam Musical Association in 1920–21. In 1923 he was playing with
Wilbur Sweatman
Wilbur Coleman Sweatman (February 7, 1882 – March 9, 1961) was an American ragtime and dixieland jazz composer, bandleader and clarinetist. Sweatman was one of the first African-American musicians to have fans nationwide. He was also a trail ...
at the
Howard Theater
The Howard Theatre is a historic theater, located at 620 T Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. Opened in 1910, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
In its heyday, the theater was known for catering to an African- ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
when
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 ...
overheard his playing and offered him a job. He remained in Henderson's employ until 1926, when he joined
McKinney's Cotton Pickers
McKinney's Cotton Pickers were an American jazz band, founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1926, and led by William McKinney, who expanded his Synco Septet to ten players. Cuba Austin took over for McKinney on drums, with the latter bec ...
, where he played and recorded until 1931. In the 1930s he played with
Kaiser Marshall
Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall (June 11, 1902 in Savannah, Georgia – January 2, 1948 in New York City) was an American jazz drummer.
Marshall was raised in Boston, where he studied under George L. Stone. He played with Charlie Dixon before movin ...
, the
Savoy Bearcats
The Savoy Bearcats were an eleven-piece jazz band, led by Leon Abbey, which was the house band at the Savoy Ballroom in New York City from its opening in 1926 to 1928. The band's name was changed from the Charleston Bearcats while they were at the ...
, and
W.C. Handy
William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. Handy was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musici ...
, then returned to Puerto Rico, playing there into the 1960s.
References
*
Leonard Feather
Leonard Geoffrey Feather (13 September 1914 – 22 September 1994) was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, who was best known for his music journalism and other writing.
Biography
Feather was born in London, England, into an u ...
and
Ira Gitler
Ira Gitler (December 18, 1928 – February 23, 2019) was an American jazz historian and journalist. The co-author of ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'' with Leonard Feather—the most recent edition appeared in 1999—he wrote hundreds of ...
, ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. Oxford, 1999, p. 213.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Escudero, Ralph
1898 births
1970 deaths
People from Manatí, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican jazz musicians
20th-century American musicians
McKinney's Cotton Pickers members
Savoy Bearcats members