Victor Dickenson (August 6, 1906 – November 16, 1984) 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 ...

trombonist. His career began in the 1920s and continued through musical partnerships with

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

(1940–41),

Sidney Bechet Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 – May 14, 1959) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. He was one of the first important soloists in jazz, and first recorded several months before trumpeter Louis Armstrong. His erratic tempe ...

(1941), and Earl Hines.

Life and career

Born in

Xenia, Ohio Xenia ( ) is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Gree ...

, in 1906, Dickenson wanted to be a plasterer like his father, but he abandoned the idea after injuring himself by falling off a ladder.John S. Wilson
"Vic Dickenson, a trombonist with Basie band in 40's, dies"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', November 18, 1984. He studied organ from 1922, then changed to performing trombone with local bands. He made his recording debut in December 1930 as a vocalist with

Luis Russell Luis Russell (August 5, 1902 – December 11, 1963) was a pioneering Panamanian jazz pianist, orchestra leader, composer, and arranger. Career Luis Carl Russell was born on Careening Cay, near Bocas del Toro, Panama, in a family of African-Car ...

's band. He joined Blanche Calloway's orchestra in the early 1930s. He led his own groups both on the east and west coast between 1947 and the mid-1950s. From then he was a session man. He appeared on the television program '' The Sound of Jazz'' in 1957 with

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from ...

Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...

, and

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

. He also recorded as a sideman with

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 ...

(on

Vanguard Records Vanguard Recording Society is an American record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York City. It was a primarily classical label at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, but also has a catalogue of recordings by a n ...

(

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

and Prestige Records),

Pee Wee Russell Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and sp ...

( Black Lion),

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

(

Bluebird The bluebirds are a North American group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the order of Passerines in the genus ''Sialia'' of the thrush family (Turdidae). Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. ...

and Black & Blue),

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most ...

(

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

and Verve),

( Columbia and

Pablo Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul. People *Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer * Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer * Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist * Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer * Pablo Br ...

(Bluebird, Black & Blue, and Blue Note). In 1953, he recorded ''The Vic Dickenson Showcase'' for Vanguard with Ed Hall on clarinet and

Ruby Braff Reuben "Ruby" Braff (March 16, 1927 – February 9, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Jack Teagarden was once asked about him on the Garry Moore television show and described Ruby as "the Ivy League Louis Armstrong". Braff ...

on trumpet. In 1958, Sydney Bechet made him come to France and play record at Brussel exposal. Dickenson was a member of "The World's Greatest Jazz Band", the house band at The Roosevelt Grill in New York City. Scott Yanow
"World's Greatest Jazz Band — Live" (review)

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 databa ...

. He also performed at the same venue in a smaller group that featured him alongside trumpeter

Bobby Hackett Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was an American jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet, and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Hackett was a featured soloist o ...

. Dickenson is in

Art Kane Art Kane (born Arthur Kanofsky; April 9, 1925 – February 3, 1995) was an American fashion and music photographer active from the 1950s through the early 1990s. He created many portraits of contemporary musicians, including Bob Dylan, Jefferson A ...

's photograph, A Great Day in Harlem, which includes trombonist Miff Mole. Dickenson died in New York City in 1984 at the age of 78 as a result of cancer.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* ''Vic Dickenson Showcase, Vol. 1'' (

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives fr ...

, 1953) * ''Vic Dickenson Showcase, Vol. 2'' (Vanguard, 1954) * ''Vic Dickenson Septet, Vol. 1'' (Vanguard, 1954) * ''Vic Dickenson Septet, Vol. 2'' (Vanguard, 1954) * ''Vic Dickenson Septet, Vol. 3'' (Vanguard, 1954) * ''Vic Dickenson Septet, Vol. 4'' (Vanguard, 1954) * ''Vic's Boston Story'' ( Storyville, 1957) * ''Mainstream'' (Atlantic, 1958) *''

Newport Jazz Festival All Stars ''Newport Jazz Festival All Stars'' is a live album by an all star group assembled by pianist/promoter George Wein that featured trumpeter Buck Clayton, saxophonist Bud Freeman, trombonist Vic Dickenson and clarinetist Pee Wee Russell which was ...

'' (Atlantic, 1959

960 Year 960 ( CMLX) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Siege of Chandax: A Byzantine fleet with an expeditionary force (co ...

with

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" ...

George Wein George Wein (October 3, 1925 – September 13, 2021) was an American jazz promoter, pianist, and producer.

Bud Freeman Lawrence "Bud" Freeman (April 13, 1906 – March 15, 1991) was an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer, known mainly for playing tenor saxophone, but also the clarinet. Biography In 1922, Freeman and some friends from high sc ...

, Champ Jones and

Jake Hanna Jake Hanna (April 4, 1931 – February 12, 2010) was an American jazz drummer. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States. Hanna first performed in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the house drummer at Storyville nightclub in Boston, ...

* ''In Holland'' (Riff, 1974) * ''French Festival (Nice, France 1974)'' (Classic Jazz Music, 1974) * ''Gentleman of the Trombone'' (Storyville, 1975) * ''Vic Dickenson Quintet'' (SLP, 1976) * ''Plays Bessie Smith: Trombone Cholly'' (

Gazell Gazell is a jazz record label founded by John Engelbrekt in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1949. History In 1949, John Engelbrekt created the label Gazell in Stockholm, Sweden, to distribute jazz albums. In September 1950, he founded a jazz club in Sto ...

, 1976) * ''Roy Eldridge & Vic Dickenson With Eddie Locke & His Friends'' (Storyville, 1978) * ''New York Axis: Phil Wilson & Vic Dickenson'' (Famous Door, 1980) * ''Just Friends'' ( Sackville, 1985) * ''Live at Music Room'' (Valley Vue, 1996) * ''Backstage with Bobby Hackett: Milwaukee 1951'' ( Jasmine, 2000) * ''Swing That Music'' ( Black & Blue, 2002)

As sideman

With Buster Bailey *''

All About Memphis ''All About Memphis'' is an album by clarinetist Buster Bailey which was recorded in 1958 and released on the Felsted label.

'' (Felsted, 1958) With

* '' Coleman Hawkins All Stars'' (Swingville, 1960) with Joe Thomas With

Johnny Hodges Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...

* '' Blues-a-Plenty'' (Verve, 1958) With

Claude Hopkins Claude Driskett Hopkins (August 24, 1903 – February 19, 1984) was an American jazz stride pianist and bandleader. Biography Claude Hopkins was born in Alexandria, Virginia, United States. Historians differ in respect of the actual date of his ...

* '' Swing Time!'' (Swingville, 1963) with

Budd Johnson Albert J. "Budd" Johnson III (December 14, 1910 – October 20, 1984) was an American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist who worked extensively with, among others, Ben Webster, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Turner, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke ...

With Langston Hughes * '' Weary Blues'' (MGM, 1959) With

*''

Blues a la Mode ''Blues a la Mode'' is an album by saxophonist Budd Johnson which was recorded in 1958 and released on the Felsted label.

'' (Felsted, 1958) With Jo Jones *'' The Main Man'' (Pablo, 1977) With

Al Sears Albert Omega Sears (February 21, 1910 – March 23, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader, sometimes credited as Big Al Sears. Sears was born in Macomb, Illinois, United States. His first major gig came in 1928 when he r ...

*''

Things Ain't What They Used to Be "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" is a 1942 jazz standard with music by Mercer Ellington and lyrics by Ted Persons. Background In 1941 there was a strike against the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, of which Duke Elling ...

'' (Swingville, 1961) as part of the Prestige Swing Festival With

Dicky Wells William Wells (June 10, 1907 – November 12, 1985), known professionally as Dicky Wells (sometimes Dickie Wells), was an American jazz trombonist. Career Dickie Wells is believed to have been born on June 10, 1907 in Centerville, Tennessee, Un ...

*''

Bones for the King ''Bones for the King'' is an album by trombonist Dicky Wells which was recorded in 1958 and released on the Felsted label.Trombone Four-in-Hand'' (Felsted, 1959) With Joe Williams * '' A Night at Count Basie's'' (Vanguard, 1956) With

* '' The Jazz Giants '56'' (Verve, 1956)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dickenson, Vic 1906 births 1984 deaths Musicians from Ohio People from Xenia, Ohio African-American jazz musicians American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Count Basie Orchestra members 20th-century trombonists American male jazz musicians World's Greatest Jazz Band members Saints & Sinners (jazz band) members Vanguard Records artists Sackville Records artists Black & Blue Records artists 20th-century American male musicians