Bill Crump (musician)

William John Crump (November 2, 1907 – October 26, 1979) was an American jazz musician, who played alto and tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute, and oboe. He is remembered today mainly as one of the 57 musicians pictured in Art Kane's 1958 photograph A Great Day in Harlem,[1] which appeared in the January 1959 issue of Esquire magazine. At the time, Crump was playing in house bands at the Apollo Theater and Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York.[2]

For the Canadian Anglican bishop, see Bill Crump.

Biography

Crump was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa on November 2, 1907, and spent his teenage years in Davenport.[2][3] In 1927, he was playing lead saxophone with a band called The Virginia Ravens, when Eddie Barefield joined it in Geneseo, Illinois, and was apparently still traveling with them in 1930.[2][4]

In the mid-1930s, Crump was a member of J. Frank Terry's touring band, the Chicago Nightingales,[5][6][7] which included trumpeters Dick Vance and Francis Williams (in whose truck the band covered 50,000 miles over a six-month period during 1934).[8] At around this time, he settled in Buffalo, New York, where he played at the numerous local venues where swing music was featured.[2]

In 1947, it was reported that the "Bill Crump Band ha[d] moved into the Heatwave, Buffalo", suggesting a residency at the club.[9] Ten years on, but in the same city, Crump was leading a quartet called the Los Chamacos Group at the Latonas (formerly the Copa Casino). A music journalist observed that the ensemble had "a lot of personality to keep you watching with your ears open", and also noted that in his career, Crump had worked with musicians such as Sarah Vaughan, Al Hibbler, Eartha Kitt, Joyce Bryant, "Dinah",[lower-alpha 1] and also Sammy Davis Jr.[10]

Crump was active in the Buffalo branch ("local 533") of the Colored Musicians Union,[lower-alpha 2] of which he was vice-president from 1949 to 1952. He was also a member of the historic Colored Musicians Club.[2] In a 1994 interview, contemporary Conrad Toepfer Jr. recalled that "[t]here was so much talent at The Club. I mean guys like Bob[lower-alpha 3] and Bill Crump. Bill Crump had worked, with the Count Basie Band".[12]

In later life, Crump played for various Las Vegas shows. In 1976, he moved with his wife Marie to Los Angeles, where he is known to have played some gigs with Streamline Ewing and Jimmy Cheatham.[2][13]

Notes
  1. Since the writer does not give the artist's surname, it is unclear to whom they were referring (but possibly either Dinah Shore or Dinah Washington).
  2. Until 1969, Buffalo had separate unions for black and white musicians.[2]
  3. Bob was Bill's brother.[11]

References
  1. "A Great Day in Harlem: Behind Art Kane's Classic 1958 Jazz Photograph". The Guardian. London. December 17, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  2. Siegel, Steve (July 22, 2020). "Bill Crump: A Great Day in Harlem's 'Mystery Man'". JazzBuffalo. Buffalo, NY. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  3. "William John Crump – Birth". County district courts, Iowa FHL microfilm 979,619. Retrieved January 6, 2023 – via FamilySearch.
  4. Townley, Eric (1979). "Hitting the Road: Eddie Barefield Talks to Eric Townley". Storyville. No. 76. Chigwell: Storyville Publications and Co. pp. 140–149. Retrieved January 6, 2023 – via National Jazz Archive.
  5. Lee, William F. (2005). American Big Bands. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard. pp. 185–186. ISBN 0634080547. OCLC 1024171316. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  6. McCarthy, Albert (1983) [1974]. Big Band Jazz. London: Peerage Books. p. 165. ISBN 0907408702. OCLC 1280774377. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
  7. Townley, Eric (1977). "Franc Williams". Storyville. No. 70. Chigwell: Storyville Publications and Co. pp. 124–129. Retrieved January 6, 2023 – via National Jazz Archive.
  8. Fernett, Gene (1970). Swing Out: Great Negro Dance Bands. Midland, MI: Pendell Publishing Company. p. 154. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Internet Archive. (Includes photo of Crump with the Chicago Nightingales).
  9. "Trade Tattle – Stuff". Down Beat. Vol. 14, no. 13. Chicago: Down Beat Publishing Co. June 18, 1947. p. 15 – via Internet Archive.
  10. Caplan, Dave (October 1, 1957). "Dave Caplan – 'Totonto's Man About Town' – Goes to New York". Music World. Vol. 1, no. 5. Totonto: Ray Sonin. p. 34 – via Internet Archive.
  11. Carter, June (October 13, 1966). ""Had a Good Time"". The Buffalo Challenger. Vol. 4, no. 22 (Buffalo–Rochester ed.). Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Challenger Publishing Co. pp. 4–5. Retrieved January 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Kayatin, William, Jr. (1994). "Interview; Conrad Toepfer Jr.; 04-10-1994" (PDF). Buffalo, NY: Monroe Fordham Regional History Center, State University of New York College at Buffalo. Retrieved January 4, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. Cheatham, Jeannie (2006). Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On: My Life in Music. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 275. ISBN 9780292712935. Retrieved January 5, 2023 – via Internet Archive.


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