Norman Keenan

Norman Dewey Keenan (November 23, 1916 in Union, South Carolina – February 12, 1980 in New York City) was an American jazz double-bassist.

Keenan began playing piano before learning bass at age 15. He worked with Tiny Bradshaw (mid-1930s), Lucky Millinder (1939–40), Henry Wells (1940), Earl Bostic, and Cootie Williams, and jammed at Minton's Playhouse around the same time. Following World War II he worked with Williams again and with Eddie Cleanhead Vinson in 1947-49. From 1949 to 1957 he was the bassist in the house trio at the Village Vanguard. After backing Harry Belafonte from 1957 to 1962 and working on the TV show Hootenanny, he began playing jazz again in the 1960s, with Count Basie (1965-74) and Roy Eldridge (1966).

Birth and Death Data: Born November 23, 1916 (Union), Died February 12, 1980 (Brooklyn)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1967

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
Decca 119508 8/16/1967 Green onions Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14618 8/16/1967 Goin' out of my head Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14619 8/16/1967 Hang on sloopy Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14620 8/16/1967 Green onions Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14621 8/16/1967 Knock on wood Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14622 8/15/1967 Bright lights, big city Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14623 8/15/1967 Mercy, mercy, mercy Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14624 8/15/1967 Don't let the sun catch you crying-1 Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14625 8/15/1967 Ain't too proud to beg Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14626 8/17/1967 Let the good times roll Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14627 8/17/1967 Reach out, I'll be there Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14628 8/17/1967 In the heat of the night Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca L 14629 8/17/1967 Memphis, Tennessee Count Basie Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Keenan, Norman," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/324892.

Keenan, Norman. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/324892.

"Keenan, Norman." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/324892

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