Howard Rumsey
Encyclopedia
Howard Rumsey is a Californian bassist primarily known for his leadership of the Los Angeles group the Lighthouse All-Stars in the 1950s.
, Rumsey first began playing the piano, followed by the drums and finally the bass. After jobs with Vido Musso
and Johnny Davis
, Rumsey became part of Stan Kenton
's first band. Rumsey soon left Kenton after an argument. He played with Charlie Barnet
and Barney Bigard
before taking a short hiatus from music. Following this absence from music, Rumsey returned to the Los Angeles jazz scene to form the group the Lighthouse All-Stars. For most of the 1950s this group played each Sunday at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach. During its lifetime, the Lighthouse All-Stars were one of the primary modern jazz institutions on the west coast, providing a home for many Los Angeles musicians.
on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, which he felt would be an ideal place to play music. The Lighthouse was built in 1934 as a restaurant named Verpilates. In 1940, the business changed hands, and under new ownership it was turned into a Polynesian-styled club named the Lighthouse, primarily serving merchant seamen. In 1948 the club was sold to John Levine. After convincing Levine to permit the playing of jazz in the club, Rumsey played his first show on Sunday 29 May 1949, to immediate success.
The first Lighthouse All-Stars was a group made up of Los Angeles musicians who had been a part of the Central Avenue scene in the 1940s, including Teddy Edwards
, Sonny Criss
, Hampton Hawes
, Frank Patchen, Bobby White and Keith Williams
. This band lasted for a time before Rumsey changed personnel to feature a new wave of players. The second edition of the Lighthouse All-Stars featured Jimmy Giuffre
, Shorty Rogers
, and Shelly Manne
. The success of this group soon landed them with a recording contract for Les Koenig's Contemporary Records. Not only were the Lighthouse All-Stars recording for Contemporary, but many of the members of the group were also leading sessions for this same label.
After Rogers, Giuffre and Manne left together in 1953 for a job at The Haig
, Rumsey had to recreate his band yet again. This third edition featured Bud Shank
, Bob Cooper
, Rolf Ericsson and Max Roach
. This band took part in a historic recording on 13 September 1953, Roach's first show with the group, which would feature both Chet Baker
and Miles Davis
, along with Russ Freeman and Lorraine Geller
.
With the eventual breakup of this edition, the chairs were filled by various other notable musicians throughout the following years. In his book West Coast Jazz, author Ted Gioia claims to have listed over seventy-five musicians who were once members of the group. By the early 1960s interest in jazz in Los Angeles had greatly faded and the group came to its demise.
12 Inch Records
Life
Born in Brawley, CaliforniaBrawley, California
Brawley is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. Brawley is located north of El Centro. The population was 24,953 at the 2010 census, up from 22,052 at the 2000 census. The town has a significant cattle and feed industry, and hosts the annual Cattle Call Rodeo. Year-round...
, Rumsey first began playing the piano, followed by the drums and finally the bass. After jobs with Vido Musso
Vido Musso
Vido William Musso was an Italian-born jazz tenor saxophonist, clarinetist and bandleader born in Carini, Sicily, best-known for his many contributions to the big bands of Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Stan Kenton and Woody Herman.His family moved to the United States in...
and Johnny Davis
Johnny Davis
Johnny Reginald Davis is a retired American professional basketball player, and currently an assistant coach for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He played in the league with four teams in ten years from 1976-1986, winning an NBA championship in his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers...
, Rumsey became part of Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
's first band. Rumsey soon left Kenton after an argument. He played with Charlie Barnet
Charlie Barnet
Charles Daly Barnet was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.His major recordings were "Skyliner", "Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffle".-Early life:...
and Barney Bigard
Barney Bigard
Albany Leon Bigard, aka Barney Bigard, was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist, though primarily known for the clarinet....
before taking a short hiatus from music. Following this absence from music, Rumsey returned to the Los Angeles jazz scene to form the group the Lighthouse All-Stars. For most of the 1950s this group played each Sunday at the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach. During its lifetime, the Lighthouse All-Stars were one of the primary modern jazz institutions on the west coast, providing a home for many Los Angeles musicians.
The Lighthouse All-Stars
In early 1949, Rumsey was in search of a playing job and came across the Lighthouse ClubLighthouse Café
The Lighthouse Café is a nightclub located at 30 Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, California. It has been active as a jazz showcase since 1949 and, under the name "The Lighthouse", was one of the central West Coast jazz clubs from the 1950s through the late 1970s....
on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, which he felt would be an ideal place to play music. The Lighthouse was built in 1934 as a restaurant named Verpilates. In 1940, the business changed hands, and under new ownership it was turned into a Polynesian-styled club named the Lighthouse, primarily serving merchant seamen. In 1948 the club was sold to John Levine. After convincing Levine to permit the playing of jazz in the club, Rumsey played his first show on Sunday 29 May 1949, to immediate success.
The first Lighthouse All-Stars was a group made up of Los Angeles musicians who had been a part of the Central Avenue scene in the 1940s, including Teddy Edwards
Teddy Edwards
Theodore Marcus "Teddy" Edwards was an American jazz tenor saxophonist based on the West Coast of the US. Some consider him to be one of the most influential jazz saxophonists.-Biography:...
, Sonny Criss
Sonny Criss
William "Sonny" Criss was an American jazz musician.An alto saxophonist of prominence during the bebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced by Charlie Parker.-Biography:...
, Hampton Hawes
Hampton Hawes
Hampton Hawes was an American bebop and hard-bop jazz pianist, recognized as one of the finest and most influential of the 1950s.-Biography:...
, Frank Patchen, Bobby White and Keith Williams
Keith Williams
Keith Williams RIBA,MRIAI,FRSA is a British architect.-Education and career:Keith Williams studied architecture at Kingston and Greenwich Schools of Architecture before co-founding Pawson Williams Architects in 1987, and subsequently his own firm Keith Williams Architects in 2001.Whilst much of...
. This band lasted for a time before Rumsey changed personnel to feature a new wave of players. The second edition of the Lighthouse All-Stars featured Jimmy Giuffre
Jimmy Giuffre
James Peter Giuffre was an American jazz clarinet and saxophone player, composer and arranger. He is notable for his development of forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating forms of free improvisation.-Biography:Born in Dallas, Texas, of Italian ancestry,...
, Shorty Rogers
Shorty Rogers
Milton “Shorty” Rogers , born Milton Rajonsky in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, was one of the principal creators of West Coast jazz. He played both the trumpet and flugelhorn, and was in demand for his skills as an arranger. Rogers worked first as a professional musician with Will Bradley and...
, and Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne
Shelly Manne , born Sheldon Manne in New York City, was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, swing, bebop, avant-garde jazz and fusion, as well as contributing...
. The success of this group soon landed them with a recording contract for Les Koenig's Contemporary Records. Not only were the Lighthouse All-Stars recording for Contemporary, but many of the members of the group were also leading sessions for this same label.
After Rogers, Giuffre and Manne left together in 1953 for a job at The Haig
The Haig
-History:Located across from the Ambassador Hotel, the club was originally a bungalow home, which was then converted by owner John Bennett into a club. In its time, Erroll Garner, Shorty Rogers, Red Norvo, Laurindo Almeida, and Bud Shank all played the club...
, Rumsey had to recreate his band yet again. This third edition featured Bud Shank
Bud Shank
Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank, Jr. was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and throughout the decade worked in various small jazz combos. He spent the 1960s as a first...
, Bob Cooper
Bob Cooper
Bob Cooper may refer to:* Bob Cooper , freelance writer and Runner's World columnist, ultramarathoner* Bob Cooper , American jazz musician* Bob Cooper , politician and activist in Northern Ireland...
, Rolf Ericsson and Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
. This band took part in a historic recording on 13 September 1953, Roach's first show with the group, which would feature both Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
and Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, along with Russ Freeman and Lorraine Geller
Lorraine Geller
Lorraine Geller was an American jazz pianist....
.
With the eventual breakup of this edition, the chairs were filled by various other notable musicians throughout the following years. In his book West Coast Jazz, author Ted Gioia claims to have listed over seventy-five musicians who were once members of the group. By the early 1960s interest in jazz in Los Angeles had greatly faded and the group came to its demise.
Discography
10 Inch Records- Volume 2 - Sunday Jazz A La Lighthouse (Contemporary 2501)
- Volume 3 (Contemporary 2506)
- Volume 4 - Oboe/Flute (Contemporary 2510)
- Volume 5 - In The Solo Spotlight (Contemporary 2515)
12 Inch Records
- Volume 1 - Sunday Jazz A La Lighthouse (Contemporary 3501)
- Volume 6 (Contemporary 3504)
- Volume 3 (Contemporary 3508)
- Lighthouse At Laguna (Contemporary 3509)
- In The Solo Spotlight (Contemporary 3517)
- Volume 4 - Oboe/Flute (Contemporary 3520)
- Music For Lighthousekeeping (Contemporary 3528)