Clifton "Skeeter" Best (November 20, 1914 – May 27, 1985) 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 ...

guitarist. Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and

Erskine Hawkins Erskine Ramsay Hawkins (July 26, 1914 – November 11, 1993) was an American trumpeter and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed "The 20th Century Gabriel". He is best remembered for composing the jazz standard "Tuxedo Junction" (1 ...

. In 1940, he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing with him until he joined the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

in 1942. After the war, he played with Bill Johnson from 1945 to 1949. He toured East Asia with

Oscar Pettiford Oscar Pettiford (September 30, 1922 – September 8, 1960) was an American jazz double bassist, cellist and composer. He was one of the earliest musicians to work in the bebop idiom. Biography Pettiford was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, United ...

in 1951Dicaire, David (2006) ''Jazz Musicians, 1945 to the Present'', p. 36. McFarland
at Google Books. Retrieved 30 April 2013. and 1952, and formed his own trio in the 1950s. He did a critically acclaimed session with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

and Milt Jackson in 1957 called '' Soul Brothers''. In 1958, he recorded with

Mercer Ellington Mercer Kennedy Ellington (March 11, 1919 – February 8, 1996) was an American musician, composer, and arranger. His father was Duke Ellington, whose band Mercer led for 20 years after his father's death. Biography Early life and education Ellin ...

and taught in New York City. He also recorded with

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...

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 ...

Nellie Lutcher Nellie Rose Lutcher (October 15, 1912 – June 8, 2007) was an American R&B and jazz singer and pianist, who gained prominence in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Lutcher was most recognizable for her diction and exaggerated pronunciation a ...

Milt Hinton Milton John Hinton (June 23, 1910 – December 19, 2000) was an American double bassist and photographer. Regarded as the Dean of American jazz bass players, his nicknames included "Sporty" from his years in Chicago, "Fump" from his time on the ...

Osie Johnson James "Osie" Johnson (January 11, 1923, in Washington, D.C. – February 10, 1966, in New York City) was a jazz drummer, arranger and singer. Johnson studied at Armstrong Highschool where he was classmates with Leo Parker and Frank Wess. He firs ...

Paul Quinichette Paul Quinichette (May 17, 1916 – May 25, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known as the "Vice President" or "Vice Prez" for his emulation of the breathy style of Lester Young, whose nickname was "The President", or simply "P ...

Jimmy Rushing James Andrew Rushing (August 26, 1901 – June 8, 1972) was an American singer and pianist from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S., best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948. Rushing was known as " Mr. Five by ...

, Sonny Stitt, Charles Thompson, and

Lucky Thompson Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano sa ...

Discography

As sideman

Eugenie Baird Eugenie Baird (November 19, 1923 – June 12, 1988) was an American big-band, jazz, and radio singer. Career Baird was from Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Eugene Baird, whose obituary described him as a construction foreman ...

, ''Eugenie Baird Sings, Duke's Boys Play Ellington'' (Design, 1959) * Aretha Franklin, ''Aretha'' (Columbia, 1961) *

Bennie Green Bennie Green (April 16, 1923 – March 23, 1977) was an American jazz trombonist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and ...

& Paul Quinichette, ''Blow Your Horn'' (Decca, 1956) * Lionel Hampton, ''Silver Vibes'' (Columbia, 1960) *

, ''1938/1940'' (EPM Musique, 1991) * Earl Hines & Marva Josie, ''Jazz Is His Old Lady... and My Old Man'' (Catalyst, 1977) *

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to ...

, ''Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns'' (Columbia, 1991) * Milt Jackson, '' Ballads & Blues'' (Atlantic, 1956) * Milt Jackson &

, ''Soul Brothers'' (Atlantic, 1958) *

, ''The Jones Girl.... Etta... Sings, Sings, Sings'' (King, 1958) * Etta Jones, ''Don't Go to Strangers'' (Prestige, 1960) * Frankie Laine &

Buck Clayton Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...

, ''Jazz Spectacular'' (Columbia, 1956) *

Ellis Larkins Ellis Larkins (May 15, 1923 – September 30, 2002) was an American jazz pianist born in Baltimore, Maryland, known for his two recordings with Ella Fitzgerald: the albums '' Ella Sings Gershwin'' (1950) and ''Songs in a Mellow Mood'' (1954). He ...

, ''Blue and Sentimental'' (Decca, 1956) *

Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...

, ''Maggie'' (Savoy, 1977) * The Modern Jazz Sextet, ''The Modern Jazz Sextet'' (Norgran, 1956) *

Mel Powell Mel Powell (born Melvin Epstein) (February 12, 1923 – April 24, 1998) was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, and the founding dean of the music department at the California Institute of the Arts. He served as a music educator for over ...

, ''Out On a Limb'' (Vanguard, 1955) *

Ike Quebec Ike Abrams Quebec (August 17, 1918 – January 16, 1963) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career in the big band era of the 1940s, then fell from prominence for a time until launching a comeback in the years before his dea ...

, ''

The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions ''The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions'' is a compilation album by American saxophonist Ike Quebec. The album focuses on Quebec's 45 RPMs recorded between 1959 and 1962 and aimed at the juke box market. The songs were successful, marking the star ...

'' (Mosaic, 1987) *

Freddie Roach Frederick Steven Roach (born March 5, 1960) is an American boxing trainer and former professional boxer. Roach is widely regarded as one of the best boxing trainers of all time. He is the enduring boxing coach of the eight-division world champio ...

, ''The Freddie Roach Soul Book'' (Prestige, 1967) *

, ''Rushing Lullabies'' (Columbia, 1959) * Jimmy Rushing, ''The Jazz Odyssey of James Rushing Esq.'' (Columbia, 1957) * Jimmy Rushing, ''Mr. Five by Five'' (Columbia, 1980) * Charles Thompson, ''Sir Charles Thompson Trio'' (Vanguard, 1958) * Charles Thompson, ''Rockin' Rhythm'' (Columbia, 1961) *

, ''Lucky Thompson Featuring Oscar Pettiford Vol. 1'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * Lucky Thompson, ''Vol. II'' (ABC-Paramount, 1957) * Cootie Williams, ''Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi'' (RCA Victor, 1958)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Best, Skeeter 1914 births 1985 deaths American jazz guitarists Guitarists from North Carolina 20th-century American guitarists Jazz musicians from North Carolina