Al Lucas
Albert Bennington Lucas (November 16, 1916 – June 19, 1983) was a Canadian jazz double-bassist. Lucas took piano lessons as a child from his mother, Francis Bradley Lucas, a concert pianist, eventually switching to bass and tuba at age 12. After moving to New York City in 1933, Lucas played with Kaiser Marshall, then joined the Royal Sunset Orchestra, where he played from 1933 to 1942. During the 1940s, Lucas appeared on record with Hot Lips Page, Coleman Hawkins, Eddie Heywood (1944–45), Duke Ellington (1945), Mary Lou Williams (1946), James P. Johnson, J.J. Johnson, Ben Webster, Erroll Garner, and Eddie South. He toured and recorded with Illinois Jacquet from 1947 to 1953, recording in Detroit with Jacquet's all-star band which included Sonny Stitt, Leo Parker, Sir Charles Thompson, Maurice Simon and Shadow Wilson before returning to play with Heywood again from 1954 to 1956. He also recorded in the 1950s with Ruby Braff, Charlie Byrd, and Teddy Wilson. He worked primarily as a studio musician in his last two decades, backing up groups at Apollo Theater performances, playing jazz only occasionally. Lucas died in New York City on June 19, 1983. |
Birth and Death Data: Born November 16, 1916 (Windsor), Died July 19, 1983 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1966
Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass, guitar
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-073487 | 10-in. | 3/30/1942 | Who threw the whiskey in the well? | Hardway Four ; Sunset Orchestra ; Doc Wheeler | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal quartet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-073488 | 10-in. | 3/30/1942 | Me and my Melinda | James Otis Lewis ; Sunset Orchestra ; Doc Wheeler | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-073489 | 10-in. | 3/30/1942 | Tunies' tune | Sunset Orchestra ; Doc Wheeler | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-073490 | 10-in. | 3/30/1942 | Keep jumpin' | Sunset Orchestra ; Doc Wheeler | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | PD6VB-2523 | 10-in. | 7/24/1946 | Fifth dimension | Mary Lou Williams | Instrumental trio | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | PD6VB-2528 | 10-in. | 7/24/1946 | Humoresque | Mary Lou Williams Trio | Piano solo, with bass (take 1); with bass and drums (take 2) | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2854 | 10-in. | 12/18/1947 | Jet propulsion | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet | Jazz octet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2855 | 10-in. | 12/18/1947 | King Jacquet | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet | Jazz octet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2856 | 10-in. | 12/18/1947 | Try me one more time | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet ; Russell Jacquet | Jazz octet, with vocal refrain | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2857 | 10-in. | 12/18/1947 | Embryo | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet | Jazz octet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2889 | 10-in. | 12/19/1947 | Riffing at 24th street | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet | Jazz nonet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2890 | 10-in. | 12/19/1947 | Mutton leg | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra | Instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2891 | 10-in. | 12/19/1947 | Symphony in Sid | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet | Instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-2892 | 10-in. | 12/19/1947 | A Jacquet for Jack the bellboy | Illinois Jacquet Orchestra ; Illinois Jacquet | Jazz nonet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Decca | 72668 | 10-in. | 12/29/1944 | Please don't talk about me when I'm gone | Eddie Heywood Orchestra | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Decca | 72669 | 10-in. | 12/29/1944 | Lover man (oh where can you be) | Eddie Heywood Orchestra | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Decca | 82670 | 4/9/1952 | Lonesome and blue | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82671 | 4/9/1952 | I love the way you love me | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82672 | 4/9/1952 | Secret love | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82673 | 4/9/1952 | Please Dr. Jive | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82958 | 6/16/1952 | Troubles | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82959 | 6/16/1952 | Better be on my way | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82960 | 6/16/1952 | Until you came along | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 82961 | 6/16/1952 | Anything you say | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114716 | 3/26/1964 | Twisting & shoutin' (Doing the monkey) | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114717 | 3/26/1964 | Deep down love | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114718 | 3/26/1964 | Baby (I just can't help it) | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114719 | 3/26/1964 | Groovin' | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114720 | 3/26/1964 | Love (is where you find it) | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114721 | 3/26/1964 | Squeeze her-Tease her (But love her) | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114722 | 3/26/1964 | Expressions | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, guitar | |||
Decca | 114723 | 3/26/1964 | Don't set me free | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, guitar | |||
Decca | 114724 | 3/26/1964 | Rebecca | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, guitar | |||
Decca | 114725 | 3/26/1964 | Give me back my heart | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, guitar | |||
Decca | 114726 | 3/26/1964 | Be my girl | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, guitar | |||
Decca | 114727 | 3/26/1964 | Dream | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, guitar | |||
Decca | 114728 | 3/27/1964 | Big boss line | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114729 | 3/27/1964 | My best friend's girl | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 114730 | 3/27/1964 | Take one step | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 115661 | 2/4/1965 | No pity in the naked city | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 115662 | 2/4/1965 | Better play it safe | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 115663 | 2/4/1965 | Star dust | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 115664 | 2/4/1965 | She'll be there | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 115665 | 2/4/1965 | No time out | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116062 | 5/10/1965 | No pity in the naked city | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116800 | 12/3/1965 | Do you say you wanna dance | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116801 | 12/3/1965 | Soul galore | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116802 | 12/3/1965 | Let me build | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116803 | 12/3/1965 | I've got to get back (Country boy) | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116804 | 12/3/1965 | All my lovin' | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116899 | 1/11/1966 | I got my mind made up | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116900 | 1/11/1966 | 3 days, 1 hour, 30 minutes | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116901 | 1/11/1966 | What's done in the dark (Will one day come to light)-1 | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116902 | 1/11/1966 | Your loss, my gain-1 | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116903 | 1/11/1966 | Everything's gonna be fine | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116904 | 1/11/1966 | Brand new thing, part 1 | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 116905 | 1/11/1966 | Brand new thing, part 2 | Jackie Wilson | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 117676 | 7/8/1966 | I'm not made of clay-1 ; I'm not made of clay | Screamin' Jay Hawkins | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 117677 | 7/8/1966 | All night-1 ; All night | Screamin' Jay Hawkins | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 117678 | 7/8/1966 | Mountain jive-1 ; Mountain jive | Screamin' Jay Hawkins | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Decca | 117679 | 7/8/1966 | I'll be there-1 ; I'll be there | Screamin' Jay Hawkins | instrumentalist, string bass | |||
Signature | SRC 154 | 10-in. | 12/4/1944 | Let me call you sweetheart | Trummy Young Orchestra ; Trummy Young | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Signature | SRC 155 | 10-in. | 12/4/1944 | Lame brain | Trummy Young Orchestra ; Trummy Young | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Signature | SRC 156 | 10-in. | 12/4/1944 | Please, please, please | Trummy Young Orchestra ; Trummy Young | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Signature | SRC 157 | 10-in. | 12/4/1944 | Fla gala pa | Trummy Young Orchestra ; Trummy Young | instrumentalist, string bass |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lucas, Al," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103026.
Lucas, Al. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/103026.
"Lucas, Al." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Lucas, Al, 1916-1983 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81013785
Wikidata: Al Lucas - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q305486
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/106401537
MusicBrainz: Al Lucas - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/19b15447-1d6e-4d25-814b-b3ebafd8edd3
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