Billy Taylor
William Taylor Sr. (April 3, 1906 – September 2, 1986) was an American jazz bassist. He was born Washington, D.C., and died in Fairfax, Virginia. Taylor began playing tuba but later picked up bass alongside it. After moving to New York City in 1924, he played with Elmer Snowden (1925), Willie Gant and Arthur Gibbs (1926), Charlie Johnson (1927–1929, 1932–1933), Duke Ellington (1928), McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1929–1931), Fats Waller (1934), and Fletcher Henderson. He recorded with Jelly Roll Morton on three sessions in 1930. From 1935 to 1940, he again played with Ellington, and it is for this association that he is best remembered; he often played with a second bassist in the orchestra, at times Hayes Alvis or Jimmie Blanton. During that time, he also recorded with Cootie Williams and Johnny Hodges. In the 1940s, he played with Coleman Hawkins (1940), Red Allen (1940–41), Joe Sullivan (1942), Raymond Scott (1942–43), Cootie Williams (1944), Barney Bigard (1944–45), Benny Morton (1945), and Cozy Cole (1945). Later in the decade he played freelance in New York before moving back to Washington, D.C., in 1949. He led his own ensemble for Keynote Records in 1944. |
Birth and Death Data: Born February 11, 1942 (Washington, D.C.), Died September 2, 1986 (Fairfax)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1954
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, string bass, leader, tuba, composer
= 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 | BVE-62182 | 10-in. | 6/2/1930 | Oil well | Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tuba | |
Victor | BVE-62183 | 10-in. | 6/2/1930 | Load of coal | Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tuba | |
Victor | BS-82526 | 10-in. | 5/16/1934 | A porter's love song to a chambermaid | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-82527 | 10-in. | 5/16/1934 | I wish I were twins | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-82528 | 10-in. | 5/16/1934 | Armful o' sweetness | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-82529 | 10-in. | 5/16/1934 | Do me a favor | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | BS-037632 | 10-in. | 6/13/1939 | 12th Street rag | Lionel Hampton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with piano solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-1954 | 10-in. | 10/31/1947 | Little small town girl (with the big town dreams) | Delta Rhythm Boys | Male vocal quartet with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-1955 | 10-in. | 10/31/1947 | I can't tell a lie to myself | Delta Rhythm Boys | Male vocal quartet with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-1956 | 10-in. | 10/31/1947 | Ain't gonna worry 'bout a soul | Delta Rhythm Boys | Male vocal quartet with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-1957 | 10-in. | 10/31/1947 | Never underestimate the power of a woman | Delta Rhythm Boys | Male vocal group with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Columbia | W152577 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | Do your duty | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Columbia | W152578 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | Gimme a pigfoot | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Columbia | W152579 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | Take me for a buggy ride | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Columbia | W152580 | 10-in. | 11/24/1933 | I'm down in the dumps | Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith | Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Columbia | W152719 | 10-in. | 2/23/1934 | Tailor made | Benny Morton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Columbia | W152720 | 10-in. | 2/23/1934 | The gold diggers' song | Henry Allen ; Benny Morton Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Decca | 39518 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | Corinne Corinna | Bob Howard Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 39519 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | Ev'ry day | Bob Howard Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 39520 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | A porter's love song | Bob Howard Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 39521 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | I can't dance | Bob Howard Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 68605 | 10-in. | 1/21/1941 | Wee baby blues | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Decca | 68606 | 10-in. | 1/21/1941 | Stompin' at the Savoy | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Decca | 68607 | 10-in. | 1/21/1941 | Last goodbye blues | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Decca | 68608 | 10-in. | 1/21/1941 | Battery bounce | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Decca | 69356 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | Lucille | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 69357 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | Rock me Mama | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 69358 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | Corrine, Corrina | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 69359 | 10-in. | 6/13/1941 | Lonesome graveyard blues | Art Tatum and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 70029 | 10-in. | 12/10/1941 | Why don't you love me any more? | Ruby Smith | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 70030 | 10-in. | 12/10/1941 | Harlem gin blues | Ruby Smith | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 70031 | 10-in. | 12/10/1941 | My name is Jim | Jack Meredith | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 70032 | 10-in. | 12/10/1941 | Match box blues | Jack Meredith | instrumentalist, piano | ||
Decca | 73786 | 1/24/1947 | Guilty | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 73787 | 1/24/1947 | Sentimental journey | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75523 | 11/25/1949 | The worst is yet to come | Cecil Payne Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75524 | 11/25/1949 | Angel child | Cecil Payne Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75525 | 11/25/1949 | Block buster boogie | Cecil Payne Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75526 | 11/25/1949 | Ham hocks | Cecil Payne Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75721 | 1/18/1950 | All ears | Billy Taylor Trio | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75722 | 1/18/1950 | My heart stood still | Billy Taylor Trio | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75723 | 1/18/1950 | Darn that dream | Billy Taylor Trio | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 75724 | 1/18/1950 | Double duty | Billy Taylor Trio | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76662 | 7/19/1950 | Three little words | Bill Darnell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76663 | 7/19/1950 | Pink champagne | Bill Darnell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76664 | 7/19/1950 | Well, oh well | Bill Darnell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76843 | 9/13/1950 | Autumn leaves | Artie Shaw Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76844 | 9/13/1950 | White Christmas | Artie Shaw Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76845 | 9/14/1950 | Jingle bells | Artie Shaw Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76846 | 9/14/1950 | Where or when | Artie Shaw Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 76847 | 9/14/1950 | Blue again | Artie Shaw Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81092 | 5/25/1951 | Tra-la-la | Calvert Jones | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81093 | 5/25/1951 | Two timin' woman | Calvert Jones | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81281 | 7/13/1951 | Castle rock | Sy Oliver Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81282 | 7/13/1951 | Aboard the sentimental train | Sy Oliver Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81296 | 7/20/1951 | If, if, if you were mine | Gladys Bruce | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81297 | 7/20/1951 | I've got the blues for my baby | Gladys Bruce | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81298 | 7/20/1951 | Trinidad Daddy | Gladys Bruce | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81299 | 7/20/1951 | The right kind of feeling | Gladys Bruce | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81300 | 7/23/1951 | The morning side of the mountain | Arthur Prysock | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81301 | 7/23/1951 | Blue velvet | Arthur Prysock | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81302 | 7/23/1951 | The love of a gypsy | Arthur Prysock | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81303 | 7/23/1951 | A man ain't supposed to cry | Arthur Prysock | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81357 | 8/6/1951 | Lemme go | Tamara Hayes | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81358 | 8/6/1951 | Dreamy melody | Tamara Hayes | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81359 | 8/6/1951 | I got it bad | Tamara Hayes | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81360 | 8/6/1951 | The day isn't long enough | Tamara Hayes | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81394 | 8/14/1951 | untitled original | Sy Oliver Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81395 | 8/14/1951 | Kissing bug boogie | Sy Oliver Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 81396 | 8/14/1951 | Slick chick on the sly | Sy Oliver Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82005 | 12/19/1951 | Somebody stole my darling | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82006 | 12/19/1951 | I know what it means to be lonesome | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82007 | 12/19/1951 | Begin the beguine | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82008 | 12/19/1951 | Believe it beloved | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82179 | 1/22/1952 | Easy street | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82180 | 1/22/1952 | A weaver of dreams | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82181 | 1/22/1952 | Miss me | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82182 | 1/22/1952 | I hear a rhapsody | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82401 | 3/5/1952 | When you surrender | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, piano, leader | |||
Decca | 82402 | 3/5/1952 | Alone with a memory | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, piano, leader | |||
Decca | 82403 | 3/5/1952 | Something of a fool | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, piano, leader | |||
Decca | 82404 | 3/5/1952 | Do you mind if I hang around | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, piano, leader | |||
Decca | 82605 | 4/3/1952 | Everytime | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82606 | 4/3/1952 | Lonesome and blue | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82607 | 4/3/1952 | Sure thing | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82608 | 4/3/1952 | Why not? | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82670 | 4/9/1952 | Lonesome and blue | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82671 | 4/9/1952 | I love the way you love me | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82672 | 4/9/1952 | Secret love | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82673 | 4/9/1952 | Please Dr. Jive | Hal Singer Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82732 | 4/23/1952 | I waited a little too long | Artie Shaw Orchestra ; Trudy Richards | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82733 | 4/23/1952 | I may hate myself in the morning | Artie Shaw Orchestra ; Trudy Richards | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82734 | 4/23/1952 | Trav'lin' (All alone)-1 | Artie Shaw Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82958 | 6/16/1952 | Troubles | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82959 | 6/16/1952 | Better be on my way | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82960 | 6/16/1952 | Until you came along | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 82961 | 6/16/1952 | Anything you say | Joan Shaw | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83154 | 7/11/1952 | T and S, part 1 | Terry Gibbs Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83156 | 7/11/1952 | T and S, part 2 (Three little words) | Terry Gibbs Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83157 | 7/11/1952 | Flying home | Terry Gibbs Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83370 | 9/11/1952 | Three little words | Billy Taylor Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83371 | 9/11/1952 | Oscar rides again-1 | Billy Taylor Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83458 | 9/30/1952 | T and s Jr. | Terry Gibbs Sextet | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83644 | 11/14/1952 | Lake Placid | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83645 | 11/14/1952 | Uncle Jim | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83646 | 11/14/1952 | Waltzing on a cloud | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83647 | 11/15/1952 | In Veradero-1 | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83648 | 11/15/1952 | Falling in love all over again | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83649 | 11/15/1952 | It's a happy holiday | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 83650 | 11/15/1952 | Two for a nickel, three for a dime | Neal Hefti Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 84130 | 3/6/1953 | Only yesterday | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 84131 | 3/6/1953 | I know why | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 84132 | 3/6/1953 | If love is good to me | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85034 | 8/14/1953 | When I lost you | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85035 | 8/14/1953 | Idle gossip | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85036 | 8/14/1953 | I had a talk with a daisy | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85037 | 8/14/1953 | Skylark | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85488 | 11/6/1953 | Only forever | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85489 | 11/6/1953 | (Oh boy! what joy we had in) Barefoot days | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 85490 | 11/6/1953 | (Oh boy! what joy we had in) Barefoot days | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86348 | 6/2/1954 | Detour ahead | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86349 | 6/2/1954 | I'm through with love | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86350 | 6/2/1954 | You're mine you | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86351 | 6/2/1954 | Who can I turn to? | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86352 | 6/2/1954 | The things we did last Summer | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86353 | 6/2/1954 | A cottage for sale | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86354 | 6/2/1954 | We'll be together again | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano | |||
Decca | 86355 | 6/2/1954 | More than you know | Jackie Paris | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Taylor, Billy," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110259.
Taylor, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110259.
"Taylor, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Billy Taylor Sr.
Discogs: Billy Taylor
Allmusic: Billy Taylor
Grove: Billy Taylor
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Taylor, Billy, 1906-1986 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no96027391
Wikidata: Billy Taylor Sr. - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q863242
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/79168229
MusicBrainz: Billy Taylor Sr. - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9c0e864c-f356-4ebc-98af-0a45cd7801b9
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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