Lee Collins (musician)
Encyclopedia
Leeds "Lee" Collins was an American
jazz
trumpet
er.
Born in New Orleans, Collins played in brass band
s as a teenager, including The Young Eagles, The Columbia Band, and the Tuxedo Brass Band
. In the 1910s he played in New Orleans alongside Louis Armstrong
, Papa Celestin
, and Zutty Singleton. He moved to Chicago in 1924, where he replaced Louis Armstrong in King Oliver's band. He also played with Jelly Roll Morton
before returning to New Orleans late in the decade. There he played on the recordings of the Jones-Collins Astoria Hot Eight in 1929 before playing in New York City
with Luis Russell
in 1930 and then heading back to Chicago. There he played with Dave Peyton
(1930), the Chicago Ramblers (1932), Johnny Dodds
and Baby Dodds
, Zutty Singleton, Mezz Mezzrow
, Lovie Austin
, and Jimmy Bertrand
(1945). Collins played in Chicago through the 1930s and 1940s as an accompanist to many blues
singers and in nightclub
s. After 1945 he led his own band at the Victory Club on Clark Street in Chicago, and gigged with Chippie Hill (1946), Kid Ory
(1948), and Art Hodes
(1950-51). He played in Europe
with Mezz Mezzrow in 1951 and 1954 and in California with Joe Sullivan
in 1953. In the mid-1950s he retired due to illness.
Collins wrote an autobiography, Oh, Didn't He Ramble, with the aid of his wife Mary and two editors which was published in 1974.
Collins died in Chicago
in July 1960, at the age of 58.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er.
Born in New Orleans, Collins played in brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s as a teenager, including The Young Eagles, The Columbia Band, and the Tuxedo Brass Band
Tuxedo Brass Band
The Tuxedo Brass Band, sometimes called the Original Tuxedo Brass Band, was one of the most highly regarded brass bands of New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1910s and 1920s....
. In the 1910s he played in New Orleans alongside Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Papa Celestin
Papa Celestin
Oscar "Papa" Celestin was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist and vocalist.-Life and career:...
, and Zutty Singleton. He moved to Chicago in 1924, where he replaced Louis Armstrong in King Oliver's band. He also played with Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
before returning to New Orleans late in the decade. There he played on the recordings of the Jones-Collins Astoria Hot Eight in 1929 before playing 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...
with Luis Russell
Luis Russell
Luis Russell was a jazz pianist and bandleader.Luis Carl Russell was born on Careening Cay, near Bocas del Toro, Panama, in a family of Afro-Caribbean ancestry. His father was a music teacher, and young Luis learned to play violin, guitar, trombone, and piano...
in 1930 and then heading back to Chicago. There he played with Dave Peyton
Dave Peyton
Dave Peyton was an Americansongwriter, pianist, and arranger.Peyton first began as a pianist in the trio of Wilbur Sweatman, where he played from 1908 to 1912. Following this Peyton led his own ensembles in various theaters in Chicago...
(1930), the Chicago Ramblers (1932), Johnny Dodds
Johnny Dodds
Johnny Dodds was an American New Orleans based jazz clarinetist and alto saxophonist, best known for his recordings under his own name and with bands such as those of Joe "King" Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Lovie Austin and Louis Armstrong. Dodds was also the older brother of drummer Warren "Baby"...
and Baby Dodds
Baby Dodds
Warren "Baby" Dodds was a jazz drummer born in New Orleans, Louisiana."Baby" Dodds was the younger brother of clarinetist Johnny Dodds. He is regarded as one of the very best jazz drummers of the pre-big band era, and one of the most important early jazz drummers...
, Zutty Singleton, Mezz Mezzrow
Mezz Mezzrow
Milton Mesirow, better known as Mezz Mezzrow was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. Mezzrow is well known for organizing and financing historic recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier and Sidney Bechet. Mezzrow also recorded a number of times with Bechet and...
, Lovie Austin
Lovie Austin
Lovie Austin was an American Chicago bandleader, session musician, composer, and arranger during the 1920s classic blues era. She and Lil Hardin Armstrong are often ranked as two of the best female jazz blues piano players of the period...
, and Jimmy Bertrand
Jimmy Bertrand
Jimmy Bertrand was an American jazz and blues drummer.James Bertrand was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, and was active on the Chicago blues/jazz scene of the 1920s...
(1945). Collins played in Chicago through the 1930s and 1940s as an accompanist to many blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
singers and in nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s. After 1945 he led his own band at the Victory Club on Clark Street in Chicago, and gigged with Chippie Hill (1946), Kid Ory
Kid Ory
Edward "Kid" Ory was a jazz trombonist and bandleader. He was born in Woodland Plantation near LaPlace, Louisiana.-Biography:...
(1948), and Art Hodes
Art Hodes
Arthur W. Hodes , known professionally as Art Hodes, was an American jazz pianist.-Biography:...
(1950-51). He played in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with Mezz Mezzrow in 1951 and 1954 and in California with Joe Sullivan
Joe Sullivan
Michael Joseph "Joe" O'Sullivan was an American jazz pianist.Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in a club where he was exposed to jazz...
in 1953. In the mid-1950s he retired due to illness.
Collins wrote an autobiography, Oh, Didn't He Ramble, with the aid of his wife Mary and two editors which was published in 1974.
Collins died in Chicago
Chicago
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 July 1960, at the age of 58.