Jimmy Yancey
Encyclopedia
James Edwards "Jimmy" Yancey (February 20, 1894 – September 17, 1951) was an African American
boogie-woogie
pianist
, composer
, and lyricist
. One reviewer noted him as "one of the pioneers of this raucous, rapid-fire, eight-to-the-bar piano style".
in (depending on the source) 1894, or 1898. His older brother, Alonzo Yancey (1894 – 1944) was also an pianist, while their father was a guitarist. Yancey started performing as a singer in traveling shows during his childhood. He was a noted pianist by 1915, and influenced younger musician
s, such as Meade Lux Lewis
and Albert Ammons
.
While he played in a boogie-woogie style, with a strong-repeated figure in the left hand and melodic decoration in the right hand, his playing was delicate and subtle, rather than hard driving. He popularized a left hand figure which became known as the 'Yancey bass', and was later used in Pee Wee Crayton
's "Blues After Hours
", Guitar Slim
's "The Things That I Used to Know" and many other songs. Part of Yancey's distinctive style was that he played in a variety of keys but always ended every song in E flat.
Most of his recordings were of solo piano, but late in his career he also recorded with vocals by his wife, Estelle Yancey
, under the billing 'Jimmy and Mama Yancey'. They appeared in concert at the Carnegie Hall
in 1948. In 1952, the twosome recorded the first album
{How could he when he died in 1951?} that was released by Atlantic Records
.
During World War I
, Yancey played baseball
in a Negro league baseball
team, the Chicago All-Americans. Throughout his life, Yancey kept a job as groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox
.
Yancey died of a stroke
secondary to diabetes
in Chicago on September 17, 1951. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1986.
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...
boogie-woogie
Boogie-woogie
Boogie-woogie has the following meanings:*Boogie-woogie, a piano-based music style*Boogie-woogie , a swing dance or a dance that imitates the rock-n-roll dance of the 1950s*"Boogie Woogie" , a song by EuroGroove and Dannii Minogue...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
. One reviewer noted him as "one of the pioneers of this raucous, rapid-fire, eight-to-the-bar piano style".
Biography
Yancey was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in (depending on the source) 1894, or 1898. His older brother, Alonzo Yancey (1894 – 1944) was also an pianist, while their father was a guitarist. Yancey started performing as a singer in traveling shows during his childhood. He was a noted pianist by 1915, and influenced younger musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s, such as Meade Lux Lewis
Meade Lux Lewis
Meade Lux Lewis was a American pianist and composer, noted for his work in the boogie-woogie style. His best known work, "Honky Tonk Train Blues", has been recorded in various contexts, often in a big band arrangement...
and Albert Ammons
Albert Ammons
Albert Ammons was an American pianist. Ammons was a player of boogie-woogie, a bluesy jazz style popular from the late 1930s into the mid 1940s.-Life and career:...
.
While he played in a boogie-woogie style, with a strong-repeated figure in the left hand and melodic decoration in the right hand, his playing was delicate and subtle, rather than hard driving. He popularized a left hand figure which became known as the 'Yancey bass', and was later used in Pee Wee Crayton
Pee Wee Crayton
Connie Curtis Crayton , known as Pee Wee Crayton, was an American R&B and blues guitarist and singer.-Career:...
's "Blues After Hours
Blues After Hours
"Blues After Hours" is a 1948 instrumental by West Coast blues guitarist Pee Wee Crayton. It was his first single and the most successful of his three chart entries. "Blues After Hours" went to number one spot on the R&B charts....
", Guitar Slim
Guitar Slim
Eddie Jones , better known as Guitar Slim, was a New Orleans blues guitarist, from the 1940s and 1950s, best known for the million-selling song, produced by Johnny Vincent at Specialty Records, "The Things That I Used to Do"...
's "The Things That I Used to Know" and many other songs. Part of Yancey's distinctive style was that he played in a variety of keys but always ended every song in E flat.
Most of his recordings were of solo piano, but late in his career he also recorded with vocals by his wife, Estelle Yancey
Estelle Yancey
Estelle "Mama" Yancey was an American blues singer. She was nominated four times for the Blues Music Awards as "Traditional Blues Female Artist."-Life and career:...
, under the billing 'Jimmy and Mama Yancey'. They appeared in concert at the Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in 1948. In 1952, the twosome recorded the first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
{How could he when he died in 1951?} that was released by Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Yancey played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
in a Negro league baseball
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
team, the Chicago All-Americans. Throughout his life, Yancey kept a job as groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Yancey died of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
secondary to diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
in Chicago on September 17, 1951. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1986.
Discography
| Year | Title | Label and Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | "Beezum Blues" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Big Bear Train" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 939 | "Janie's Joys" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Jimmy’s Stuff" | Solo Art 12008 |
| 1939 | "How Long Blues" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "How Long Blues No. 2" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Lean Bacon" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "LaSalle Street Breakdown" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Lucille's Lament" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "P.L.K. Special" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Rolling The Stone" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "South Side Stuff" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Steady Rock Blues" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Two O'Clock Blues" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "The Fives" | Solo Art 12008 |
| 1939 | "Yancy Getaway" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Yancy Limited" | Solo Art - unissued |
| 1939 | "Five O'Clock Blues" | Victor 26590-A |
| 1939 | "Slow and Easy Blues" | Victor 26591-B |
| 1939 | "State Street Special" | Victor 26589-A |
| 1939 | "Tell 'Em About Me" | Victor 26590-B |
| 1939 | "The Mellow Blues" | Victor 26591-A |
| 1939 | "Yancy Stomp" | Victor 26589-B |
| 1940 | "Bear Trap Blues" | Vocalion 05490 |
| 1940 | "Crying In My Sleep" | Bluebird B-8630 |
| 1940 | "Death Letter Blues" | Bluebird B-8630 |
| 1940 | "I Love To Hear My Baby Call My Name" | Gannet 5138 |
| 1940 | "Old Quaker Blues" | Vocalion 05490 |
| 1940 | "35th and Dearborn" | Victor 27238-B |
| 1940 | "Yancey's Bugle Call" | Victor 27238-A |
| 1943 | "Boodlin'" | Session 10-001 |
| 1943 | "Jimmy's Rocks" | Session 10-001 |
| 1943 | "Yancey's Mixture" | Session - unissued |
External links
- Jimmy Yancey at the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
- Redhotjazz.com biography