Charlie Drayton

Charles Henderson Drayton (5 May 1919 Brooklyn, New York – 31 July 1953 Los Angeles) was an American jazz bassist who performed and recorded from the late 1930s until his death with artists that include Louis Jordan, Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, Pete Brown, Ben Webster, Joan Edwards, Timmie Rogers, Savannah Churchill, the Basin Street Boys, Barney Bigard, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Woody Herman, Julia Lee, Jack Teagarden, Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Russell Jacquet, Marion Abernathy, The Treniers, Billy Taylor, Helen Humes, and Teddy Bunn. In 1946, he played several times with artists at Jazz at the Philharmonic.

Drayton's performances — including the known fifty-two jazz recording sessions from 1938 to 1953 — with artists at the vanguard of bebop during the height of its development, placed him in the flow of many historic settings in jazz that marked the careers of musicians. In one such setting, Drayton was the bassist for Ben Webster's first recording session — February 8, 1944, World Broadcasting Systems, New York City — with Hot Lips Page (trumpet), Clyde Hart (piano), Denzil Best (drums). That session has been released multiple times. A 1993 release on CD is titled The Horn, by Progressive Records (OCLC 53833333).

Birth and Death Data: Born May 5, 1919, Died July 31, 1953

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1952

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass

= 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-063700 10-in. 4/1/1941 Midnight Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-063701 10-in. 4/1/1941 My favorite blues Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-063702 10-in. 4/1/1941 Lullaby to a dream Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-063703 10-in. 4/1/1941 What a diff'rence a day made Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-066792 10-in. 10/16/1941 Sunday Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-066793 10-in. 10/16/1941 Ill wind (you're blowin' me no good) Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-066794 10-in. 10/16/1941 Back Bay boogie Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-066795 10-in. 10/16/1941 [Unknown title(s)] Benny Carter Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 64823 10-in. 12/20/1938 Toodle-loo on down Rodney Sturgis instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 64824 10-in. 12/20/1938 So good Rodney Sturgis instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 64825 10-in. 12/20/1938 Away from you Rodney Sturgis instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 64826 10-in. 12/20/1938 Honey in the bee ball Louis Jordan's Elks Rendezvous Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 64827 10-in. 12/20/1938 Barnacle Bill the sailor Louis Jordan's Elks Rendezvous Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 65304 10-in. 3/29/1939 Flat face (Instrumental) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 65305 10-in. 3/29/1939 Keep a-knockin' (but you can't come in) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 65306 10-in. 3/29/1939 Sam Jones done snagged his britches on Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 65307 10-in. 3/29/1939 Swingin' in a cocoanut tree (Instrumental) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 65308 10-in. 3/29/1939 Doug the jitterbug Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 65309 10-in. 3/29/1939 At the swing cats' ball Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 66871 10-in. 11/14/1939 Jake, what a snake (Instrumental) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 66872 10-in. 11/14/1939 Honeysuckle rose Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 66873 10-in. 11/14/1939 'Fore day blues-2 Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 66874 10-in. 11/14/1939 But I'll be back Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 66875 10-in. 11/14/1939 You ain't nowhere Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 66876 10-in. 11/14/1939 You're my meat-1 Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67111 10-in. 1/25/1940 June Tenth jamboree Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67112 10-in. 1/25/1940 You run your mouth and I'll run my business Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67113 10-in. 1/25/1940 I'm Alabama bound Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67114 10-in. 1/25/1940 Hard lovin' blues Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67308 10-in. 3/13/1940 You've got to go when the wagon comes Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67309 10-in. 3/13/1940 Lovie Joe Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67310 10-in. 3/13/1940 Somebody done hoodooed the hoodoo man Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67311 10-in. 3/13/1940 Bounce the ball (Do da dittle um day) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67318 10-in. 3/13/1940 Penthouse in the basement Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67319 10-in. 3/13/1940 After school swing session (Instrumental) (Swinging with Symphony Sid) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67634 10-in. 4/29/1940 Oh boy I'm in the groove Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67635 10-in. 4/29/1940 Never let your left hand know what your right hand's doin' Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67636 10-in. 4/29/1940 Don't come cryin' on my shoulder Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 67637 10-in. 4/29/1940 Waitin' for the Robert E. Lee Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68169 10-in. 9/30/1940 A chicken ain't nothin' but a bird-1 Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68170 10-in. 9/30/1940 Pompton turnpike Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68171 10-in. 9/30/1940 Do you call that a buddy?-1 Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68172 10-in. 9/30/1940 I know you (I know what you wanna do) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68621 10-in. 1/24/1941 Pinetop's boogie woogie (Instrumental) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68622 10-in. 1/24/1941 The two little squirrels (Nuts to you) Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68623 10-in. 1/24/1941 T-Bone blues Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 68624 10-in. 1/24/1941 Pan-Pan Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70299 10-in. 2/9/1942 Mound bayou Pete Brown and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70300 10-in. 2/9/1942 Unlucky woman (Unlucky blues) Pete Brown and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70301 10-in. 2/9/1942 Gonna buy me a telephone Pete Brown and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70302 10-in. 2/9/1942 Cannon ball Nora Lee King ; Pete Brown and his Band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 6589 1/14/1952 Wheel of fortune Helen Humes instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 6590 1/14/1952 All night long Helen Humes instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 6591 1/14/1952 I hear a rhapsody Helen Humes instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 6592 1/14/1952 You played on my piano Helen Humes instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1633 10-in. 2/8/1944 Woke up clipped Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1634 10-in. 2/8/1944 Teezol Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1635 10-in. 2/8/1944 'Nuff said Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1636 10-in. 2/8/1944 The horn Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1637 10-in. 2/8/1944 Dirty deal Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1638 10-in. 2/8/1944 Don't blame me Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1639 10-in. 2/8/1944 I surrender dear Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca N 1640 10-in. 2/8/1944 Tea for two Ben Webster Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Drayton, Charlie," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/312872.

Drayton, Charlie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/312872.

"Drayton, Charlie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/312872

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