James (Jimmy) Maxwell

Jimmy Maxwell (January 9, 1917 – July 20, 2002) was an American swing jazz trumpeter.

Maxwell played cornet from an early age, studying with Herbert L. Clarke in the early 1930s. He played with Gil Evans (1933–34), Jimmy Dorsey (1936), Maxine Sullivan, and Skinnay Ennis before joining Benny Goodman's band from 1939-43. He also played with Goodman later in life, including on his tour of the Soviet Union in 1962. He worked as a studio musician for NBC from 1943, playing on The Perry Como Show (1945–63), The Patti Page Show, the Pat Boone Show, and The Tonight Show (1963–73). He played first trumpet on hundreds of recordings and commercials from 1950-1980. In addition, he worked as a sideman for, among others, Woody Herman (1958), Count Basie, Duke Ellington (1973), Oliver Nelson, Gerry Mulligan, Maynard Ferguson, Quincy Jones (1964), the New York Jazz Repertory Company, and Chuck Israels's National Jazz Ensemble.

Of his sideman jobs, he is cited as having played trumpet in the Henri René orchestra for Eartha Kitt's first five albums; RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt (1953), That Bad Eartha (EP) (1954), Down To Eartha (1955), That Bad Eartha (LP) (1956), and Thursday's Child (1957), all with RCA Victor. Maxwell played the trumpet solo theme for the soundtrack of The Godfather. He also taught from the late 1970s onwards.

Later in life Maxwell worked with Dixieland jazz and swing ensembles such as Dick Sudhalter's New California Ramblers. He led one session for Circle Records in 1977. He retired from recording and performing later in life but still taught music until 2001, and died the next year.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 9, 1917 (Stockton), Died July 20, 2002 (Great Neck)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1945 - 1964

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D6VB-2353 10-in. 6/14/1946 The boogie woogie barnyard Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2354 10-in. 6/14/1946 Ole buttermilk sky Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2355 10-in. 6/14/1946 (Li'l Abner) don't marry that girl!! Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2356 10-in. 6/14/1946 Let's sail to dreamland Helen Carroll ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2277 10-in. 10/4/1949 My hero Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2278 10-in. 10/4/1949 Tell me why Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2279 10-in. 10/5/1949 Don't cry, Joe (Let her go, let her go, let her go) Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2280 10-in. 10/4/1949 Swing to 45 Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2281 10-in. 10/5/1949 Whispering hope Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2282 10-in. 10/5/1949 Penthouse serenade Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2283 10-in. 10/5/1949 White Christmas Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2284 10-in. 10/5/1949 ('Round her neck) She wore a yellow ribbon Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2766 10-in. 12/14/1949 People will say we're in love Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2767 10-in. 12/14/1949 It might as well be spring Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2768 10-in. 12/14/1949 The surrey with the fringe on the top Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2769 10-in. 12/14/1949 If I loved you Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2828 10-in. 12/29/1949 Untitled Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2829 10-in. 12/29/1949 Some enchanted evening Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2857 10-in. 12/29/1949 Oh, what a beautiful mornin' Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9VB-2858 10-in. 12/29/1949 What's the use of wond'rin' Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2859 10-in. 12/29/1949 Leave it to love Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D9AB-2860 10-in. 12/29/1949 Farewell, Amanda Harry Prime ; Ralph Flanagan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Atlantic 439 10-in. 6/13/1950 I'm nobody's baby Dorothy Ann "Dottie" Dillard ; Will Bradley Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Atlantic 440 10-in. 6/13/1950 June night Dorothy Ann "Dottie" Dillard ; Will Bradley Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72756 10-in. 3/5/1945 Little Jazz boogie Roy Eldridge Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Maxwell, James (Jimmy)," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/330394.

Maxwell, James (Jimmy). (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/330394.

"Maxwell, James (Jimmy)." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/330394

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