Charlie Holmes
Charlie Holmes (born January 27, 1910 in Boston as Charles William Holmes , † September 19, 1985 in Stoughton , Massachusetts ) was an American swing jazz musician ( alto saxophone ) .
Live and act
Holmes was a childhood friend of Harry Carney and Johnny Hodges , whose style influenced him greatly. However, Holmes played more flowing, clarinet-like solos than Hodges, who was influenced by Sidney Bechet, with a gentler attacca and a less "radiant" tone. Where Hodges shone and stood out, Holmes played with moderate understatement, which made him an ideal ensemble player and accompanist.
Holmes learned the oboe and played this instrument in the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra in 1926 . After moving to New York City with Carney in 1927 , he worked first at Chick Webb and Henri Saparo , then in 1928 at Luis Russell , then again at Saparo. In the 1930s he played with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band , then again with Russell between 1932 and 1940 (this band also accompanied Louis Armstrong from 1935 ). He was also a member of the Cootie Williams Orchestra.
In the 1940s he worked for Bobby Burnet (1941), Cootie Williams (1942 to 1945), Jesse Stone , John Kirby and Billy Kyle , to then be active as a freelancer; in the early 1950s he played with Al Sears . ( Steady Eddie , 1951).
From 1951 he was only semi-professional for twenty years, working mainly as an insurance agent and postman; on the weekends he performed with Joe Garland . Between 1972 and 1975 he played in Clyde Bernhardts Harlem Blues & Jazz Band and in the same year on a tour through Sweden with the Swedish band Kustbandet . Recordings were also made with King Oliver , Red Allen (such as It Should Be You , 1929), JC Higginbotham and Fats Waller .
literature
- Leonard Feather , Ira Gitler : The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press, New York 1999, ISBN 0-19-532000-X .
- John Jörgensen & Erik Wiedemann : Jazz Lexicon . Munich, mosaic, 1967.
Web links
- Charlie Holmes at Allmusic (English)
- Charlie Holmes at Discogs (English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Holmes, Charlie |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Holmes, Charles William (maiden name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz saxophonist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 27, 1910 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Boston |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 19, 1985 |
| Place of death | Stoughton, Massachusetts |