Skeeter Best | |
---|---|
Birth name | Clifton Best |
Born | Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. | November 20, 1914
Died | New York | May 27, 1985
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Clifton "Skeeter" Best (November 20, 1914 – May 27, 1985) was an American jazz guitarist. [1] [2]
Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940, he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing with him until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. After the war, he played with Bill Johnson from 1945 to 1949. He toured East Asia with Oscar Pettiford in 1951 [3] and 1952, and formed his own trio in the 1950s. He did a critically acclaimed session with Ray Charles and Milt Jackson in 1957 called Soul Brothers . [1]
In 1958, he recorded with Mercer Ellington and taught in New York City. [1] He also recorded with Harry Belafonte, Etta Jones, Nellie Lutcher, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Paul Quinichette, Jimmy Rushing, Sonny Stitt, Charles Thompson, and Lucky Thompson.
Jerome Richardson was an American jazz musician and woodwind player. He played the soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, soprano clarinet, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, piccolo, western concert flute, soprano flute, alto flute, tenor flute, and bass flute. He played with Charles Mingus, Lionel Hampton, Billy Eckstine, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Kenny Burrell, and later with Earl Hines' small band.
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