Louis Metcalf (February 28, 1905 - October 27, 1981) 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 ...

trumpeter who played for a short time with

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

Early life

Metcalf was born in Webster Groves, Missouri, United States. As a youth he first trained on the drums but switched over to cornet permanently. As a teenager in St. Louis,

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

he played with

Charlie Creath Charles Cyril Creath (December 30, 1890, Ironton, Missouri – October 23, 1951, Chicago, Illinois) was an American jazz trumpeter, saxophonist, accordionist, and bandleader. Creath played in traveling circuses and in theater bands in the dec ...

Career

Metcalf moved to New York City in 1923 and participated in the fertile jazz scene there, playing with such musicians as Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, Benny Carter and King Oliver. In 1926, Duke Ellington hired Metcalf to play in his seminal orchestra, where his mellow tone contrasted with

Bubber Miley Bubber is a nickname and surname which may refer to: People: * Bubber or Bubba Brooks (1922-2002), American jazz tenor saxophonist * James Bubber Epps (born 1943), American politician * Clarence James Bubber Jonnard (1897-1977), American Major Leag ...

's. In the 1930s, Metcalf led his own bands and joined

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 ...

's. In 1946, Metcalf moved to

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

, Canada, and formed the International Band, the first to play the nascent bebop style in Canada. Under his leadership the Café Saint-Michel was the hub of the jazz scene in Montreal for a few years, with local musicians such as the young

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...

and visiting Americans such as

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known ...

, Fats Navarro and

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

sitting in with the band. A drug bust prompted Metcalf to return to New York City in 1951. He released an album entitled ''I've Got The Peace Brother Blues'' in 1966, where he demonstrated that his style had indeed evolved since his days with Ellington.

Death

Metcalf was less active after falling ill in 1968 and died in 1981. Metcalf was survived by his wife, Shirley Metcalf, and his children, Louis Metcalf, Charles Metcalf, Jay Metcalf, Patrick Metcalf, and Savannah Metcalf.

References

1905 births 1981 deaths People from Webster Groves, Missouri American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters Duke Ellington Orchestra members 20th-century American musicians Jazz musicians from Missouri American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians {{US-jazz-trumpeter-stub