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
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Drayton, Charlie, 1919-1953 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2019163805
Wikidata: Charlie Drayton - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q15998368
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/51891020
MusicBrainz: Charlie Drayton - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/51eb5da3-7e9f-461c-a7bf-13cf50ced2b2
ISNI: 0000 0000 0103 0691 - http://www.isni.org/isni/0000000001030691
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