Al Casey
Encyclopedia
Albert Aloysius Casey known professional as Al Casey, was an African American
swing guitarist
who played with Fats Waller
on some of his famous recordings. Casey composed the well known tune Buck Jumpin which was recorded by Waller.
Casey was born in Louisville, Kentucky
to Joseph and Maggie B. Johnson Casey. He grew up in New York City
and attended DeWitt Clinton High School
. He joined Thomas Fats Waller's band in the early 1930s, and worked with Waller until he died in 1943 and can be heard on hundreds of recordings. In 1944, he briefly recorded with Louis Armstrong
. He also worked with Clarence Profit's band that same year. In 1959 he contributed to an album called 'Paul Curry Presents The Friends Of Fats' on the Golden Crest label.
Between stints with Waller, Casey worked with Teddy Wilson
from 1939 to 1940. He recorded with Billie Holiday
, Frankie Newton, and Chuck Berry, and even led his own a trio for a short time. Remembering his time, years later, working with Holiday, Casey commented that he was in love with her.
Casey freelanced over decades working with King Curtis
from 1957 to 1961, where he played Rhythm and Blues
. He continued playing into his late 80's with The Harlem Blues & Jazz Band which he joined in 1981.
He died four days before his ninetieth birthday of colon cancer at the Dewitt Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in New York.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
swing guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
who played with Fats Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
on some of his famous recordings. Casey composed the well known tune Buck Jumpin which was recorded by Waller.
Casey was born in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
to Joseph and Maggie B. Johnson Casey. He grew up in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and attended DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School is an American high school located in the Bronx, New York City, New York.-History:Clinton opened in 1897 at 60 West 13th Street at the northern end of Greenwich Village under the name of Boys High School, although this Boys High School was not related to the one in Brooklyn...
. He joined Thomas Fats Waller's band in the early 1930s, and worked with Waller until he died in 1943 and can be heard on hundreds of recordings. In 1944, he briefly recorded with Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
. He also worked with Clarence Profit's band that same year. In 1959 he contributed to an album called 'Paul Curry Presents The Friends Of Fats' on the Golden Crest label.
Between stints with Waller, Casey worked with Teddy Wilson
Teddy Wilson
Theodore Shaw "Teddy" Wilson was an American jazz pianist whose sophisticated and elegant style was featured on the records of many of the biggest names in jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.-Biography:Wilson was born in Austin, Texas in...
from 1939 to 1940. He recorded with Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
, Frankie Newton, and Chuck Berry, and even led his own a trio for a short time. Remembering his time, years later, working with Holiday, Casey commented that he was in love with her.
Casey freelanced over decades working with King Curtis
King Curtis
Curtis Ousley , who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer...
from 1957 to 1961, where he played Rhythm and Blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
. He continued playing into his late 80's with The Harlem Blues & Jazz Band which he joined in 1981.
He died four days before his ninetieth birthday of colon cancer at the Dewitt Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in New York.