The Swing Jazz of Buck Clayton

Buck Clayton

Source:  Brown Bag Discussion Group

Born on 12 November 1911 in Parsons, Kansas, arranger and trumpeter, Buck Clayton, formed his first band in 1929 upon graduating from high school. Five years later he took off for Shanghai to play jazz with Chinese musicians. Upon his return he first recorded with Count Basie on January 21, 1937, in New York City: 'Honeysuckle Rose', 'Pennies from Heaven', 'Swingin' at the Daisy Chain' and 'Roseland Shuffle'.

'Swingin’ at the Daisy Chain'   Buck Clayton w Count Basie and His Orchestra

21 Jan 1937 in NYC   Matrix 61544-A   Decca 1121

Trumpet: Clayton / Joe Keyes / Carl Smith

Trombone: George Hunt / Dan Minor

Alto sax: Caughey Roberts / Jack Washington

Tenor sax: Herschel Evans / Lester Young

Piano: Count Basie   Guitar: Claude Williams

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jones

Composition: Count Basie

Shortly after joining Basie, Buck also recorded with Teddy Wilson, therefore Billie Holiday as well. Clayton's first titles with Wilson's orchestra were on January 25, 1937: 'He Ain't Got Rhythm', 'This Year's Kisses', 'Why Was I Born?' and 'I 'Must Have that Man'. Future sessions followed with Wilson, after which Clayton would record with Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra. Beyond Basie, among Clayton's most significant musical partners was saxophonist, Buddy Tate, with whom he first got mixed for recordings in Basie's orchestra on 19 March 1939 in New York City for titles with Jimmy Rushing and Helen Humes among others.

'Why Was I Born'   Buck Clayton w Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra

25 Jan 1937 in NYC   Matrix B20570-1   Brunswick1 7859 / Columbia C3L21

Trumpet: Clayton   Clarinet: Benny Goodman as John Jackson

Tenor sax: Lester Young

Piano: Teddy Wilson   Guitar: Freddie Green

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jones   Vocal: Billie Holiday

Music: Jerome Kern   Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

'Good Morning Blues'   Buck Clayton w the Kansas City Six

24 Jan 1939 at Carnegie Hall in NYC   Concert: 'From Spirituals to Swing'

West Q16007 / Properbox 98 (Europe)

Trumpet: Clayton   Tenor sax: Lester Young

Guitar acoustic: Freddie Green   Guitar electric: Charlie Christian

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jones

Composition: Count Basie / Eddie Durham / Jimmy Rushing

'Taxi War Dance'   Buck Clayton w Count Basie and His Orchestra

From Clayton's first session w Tate

19 March 1939 in NYC   Matrix W24242-1   Vocalion 4748

Trumpet: Clayton / Shad Collins / Harry "Sweets" Edison / Ed Lewis

Trombone: Dicky Wells / Dan Minor / Benny Morton

Alto sax: Earl Warren / Jack Washington (baritone)

Tenor sax: Buddy Tate / Lester Young

Piano: Count Basie   Guitar: Freddie Green

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jones

Composition: Count Basie / Lester Young

'St. Louis Blues'   Buck Clayton w Count Basie & His All-American Rhythm Section

24 July 1942 in Los Angeles   Matrix HCO880-1   Columbia 36711

Trumpet: Clayton   Tenor sax: Don Byas

Piano: Count Basie   Guitar: Freddie Green

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jone

Composition: WC Handy   1914

Also free-lancing during his tenure with Basie, thus Buck progressed until he was drafted into the military in 1943. Upon honorable discharge he put together a band in New York City called the Buck Clayton Quintet and recorded four titles on June 7: 'Diga Diga Doo', 'Love Me or Leave Me', 'We're in the Money' and 'B.C. Blues'.

'B.C. Blues' ('Melrose Blues')  Buck Clayton Quintet

7 June 1945 in NYC   Matrix MR108   Melrose 1202

Trumpet: Clayton   Tenor sax: Flip Phillips

Piano: Teddy Wilson   Bass: Slam Stewart   Drums: Danny Alvin

Composition: Clayton

Recording prolifically with his own ensembles, Clayton began arranging for Basie in 1946, as well as Benny Goodman and Harry James. He also joined Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP). The following year he served a residency at the Café Society in New York City.

'How High The Moon'   Buck Clayton w the JATP All-Stars

5 March 1947 at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh PA   Unissued

See 'The Complete Jazz of the Philharmonic on Verve'   Verve 983 6087   1998

Trumpet: Clayton   Trombone: Trummy Young

Alto sax: Flip Phillips   Tenor sax: Coleman Hawkins / Flip Phillips

Piano: Kenny Kersey   Bass: Benny Fonville   Drums: Buddy Rich

Music: Morgan Lewis   Lyrics: Nancy Hamilton   1940

Clayton took his band to France in 1949, then Italy in 1953. He also toured Japan, Australia and New Zealand in 1964, then England in 1965. During the fifties and sixties his career consisted of shuttling between France, England and the United States on various occasions.

'Sentimental Journey'   Buck Clayton

14 Dec 1947 in NYC   Matrix CO50437

See 'How Hi The Fi'   Columbia CL567   1954

Trumpet: Clayton / Joe Newman   Trombone: Urbie Green / Benny Powell

Alto sax: Lem Davis   Tenor sax: Julian Dash   Baritone sax: Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Guitar: Freddie Green

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jones

Composition: Bud Green / Les Brown / Ben Homer

'The Huckle-Buck'   Buck Clayton

16 Dec 1953 in NYC   Matrix CO50532   Columbia 5-1872/73

Trumpet: Clayton / Joe Newman   Trombone: Urbie Green / Henderson Chambers

Alto sax: Lem Davis   Tenor sax: Julian Dash   Baritone sax: Charlie Fowlkes

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Guitar: Freddie Green

Bass: Walter Page   Drums: Jo Jones

Composition: Andy Gibson / Roy Alfred

'The Huckle-Buck'   Buck Clayton w Sidney Bechet and His All Stars

29 July or 3 Aug 1958 in Brussels, Belgium   See Vog SB-1 (France)

Trumpet: Clayton   Trombone: Vic Dickenson

Soprano sax: Sidney Bechet   Piano: George Wein

Bass: Arvell Shaw   Drums: Kansas Fields

Composition: Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons   1931

'Can't We Be Friends'   Buck Clayton

20 Dec 1960 in Englewood Cliffs NJ

See the album 'Buck & Buddy'   Swingville SVLP2017   1961

Trumpet: Clayton   Tenor sax: Buddy Tate

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Bass: Gene Ramey   Drums: Mousie Alexander

Composition: Paul James / Kay Swift

'Thou Swell'   Buck Clayton

20 Dec 1960 in Englewood Cliffs NJ

See the album 'Buck & Buddy'   Swingville SVLP2017   1961

Trumpet: Clayton   Tenor sax: Buddy Tate

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Bass: Gene Ramey   Drums: Mousie Alexander

Music: Richard Rodgers   Lyrics: Lorenz Hart   1927

'Outer Drive'   Buck Clayton All Stars   Video

April 1961 at the Palais Des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Belgium

See '1961'   Storyville STCD8231   1995

Trumpet: Clayton (arrangement) / Emmett Berry   Trombone: Dicky Wells

Clarinet / Alto sax: Earl Warren   Tenor sax: Buddy Tate

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Bass: Gene Ramey   Drums: Oliver Jackson

Composition: Clayton

'Stomping at the Savoy'   Buck Clayton All Stars   Video

April 1961 at the Palais Des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Belgium

See '1961'   Storyville STCD8231   1995

Trumpet: Clayton (arrangement) / Emmett Berry   Trombone: Dicky Wells

Clarinet / alto sax: Earl Warren   Tenor sax: Buddy Tate

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Bass: Gene Ramey   Drums: Oliver Jackson

Composition: Edgar Sampson   1934

'Rompin' at Red Bank'   Buck Clayton All Stars

15 Sep 1961 in NYC

See the album 'Buck and Buddy Blow the Blues'   Swingville SVLP2030   1961

Trumpet: Clayton   Clarinet / tenor sax: Buddy Tate

Piano: Sir Charles Thompson   Bass: Gene Ramey   Drums: Gus Johnson

Composition: Buddy Tate

Clayton had a lip condition, perhaps an injury, the cause of which I've not been able to discover, but it was painful enough to undergo lip surgery in 1969 which failed to solve his troubles, causing him to cease playing trumpet in 1972. He turned at that point to more arranging. He made an attempt to perform during a tour of Africa in 1977, but had to give it up permanently in 1979. Tom Lord shows Clayton last recording trumpet in February of 1979 with pianist, Red Richards, toward the latter's album, 'In a Mellow Tone'.

'In a Mellow Tone'   Buck Clayton w Red Richards and Friends

21 or 22 Feb 1979 in NYC   Sep 1961 in NYC

See the album 'In a Mellow Tone'   West 54 WLW 8005   1979

Trumpet: Clayton   Alto sax: Norris Turney

Piano: Red Richards   Bass: Johnny Williams   Drums: Ronnie Cole

Music: Richard Rodgers   Lyrics: Lorenz Hart   1935

Clayton published his autobiography, 'Buck Clayton’s Jazz World', in 1987, the same year he formed his last band, to tour internationally. He arranged and directed his album 'A Swingin' Dream' in 1988, followed by 'Swings the Village' in 1990. He also arranged titles in 1990 for his last four recordings (Clayton out) with 77 year-old Tate, that including 'Good Time Charlie with 84 year-old Doc Cheatham at trumpet and 82 year-old Cab Calloway at vocals. See Milt Hinton's 'Old Man Time' on Chiaroscuro CR 310 as of 1990. Hinton himself was 79 years of age. Clayton died at age 79 in his sleep in New York City on 8 December 1991.