McKinney's Cotton Pickers
Encyclopedia
McKinney's Cotton Pickers were an African American
jazz
band founded in Detroit in 1926 by William McKinney
, who expanded his Synco Septet to ten pieces. Cuba Austin
took over for McKinney early on drums.
In 1927 Don Redman
left Fletcher Henderson
's orchestra to become the Cotton Pickers' musical director, and he assembled a band which rivalled Henderson's and Duke Ellington
's. Aiding Redman with arrangements and rehearsals with the band was the talented trumpeter-arranger John Nesbitt. The line-up in 1928 was Cuba Austin (drums and vocals), Prince Robinson (clarinet, tenor saxophone), George Thomas (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, vocals; Redman (arranger, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, vocals, and leader), Dave Wilborn
(banjo, vocals), Todd Rhodes
(piano, celeste), Ralph Escudero
(tuba), Nesbitt, Claude Jones
(trombone), Milton Senior, Langston Curl (trumpet).
Other bandmembers at one time or another included George Bias (vocals), Benny Carter
(clarinet, alto saxophone), Doc Cheatham (trumpet), Bill Coti (vocals), Ed Cuffee
(trombone), Sidney de Paris
(trumpet), Lois Deppe (vocals), Leonard Davis (trumpet), Jimmy Dudley (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Coleman Hawkins
(clarinet, tenor saxophone), Robert Inge (clarinet, (alto saxophone), Quentin Jackson
(trombone), Moxey-Hilton Jefferson (clarinet, alto saxophone), James P. Johnson
(piano), Buddy Lee (trumpet), Donald King (vocals), Kaiser Marshall
(drums), Frank Marvin (vocals), Theodore McCord (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Jim Napier (vocals), Milton Senior (trumpet), Joe "Fox" Smith (trumpet, cornet), Rex Stewart
(cornet), Billy Taylor (tuba), Fats Waller
(piano, celeste). Between 1927 and 1931, they were one of the most popular African-American bands. Many of their records for Victor were best sellers.
In 1931 Redman left to form his own band and was replaced by Benny Carter
. The Cotton Pickers disbanded in 1934, unable to make money during the Depression
. Manager of the band was Jean Goldkette
(who arranged for the group to record "Birmingham Bertha" for him in July 1929, released on Victor under his own name).
A New McKinney's Cotton Pickers was organized in the early 1970s by David Hutson, using the original Don Redman arrangements. They recorded several albums and featured original banjoist Dave Wilborn
, who was believed to have been the only surviving original member at the time.
McKinney's Cotton Pickers' performance of "Milenberg Joys" was used as the theme tune of Robert Parker's
1980s radio series "Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo".
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...
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...
band founded in Detroit in 1926 by William McKinney
William McKinney
William McKinney was an American jazz drummer who led a series of musical groups, most notably McKinney's Cotton Pickers.William "Bill" McKinney was born in Cynthiana, Kentucky...
, who expanded his Synco Septet to ten pieces. Cuba Austin
Cuba Austin
Cuba Austin was an American jazz drummer.Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Austin first enters the record as a member of William McKinney's group, McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Austin joined the group after its formation in 1926, taking over for McKinney himself on drums...
took over for McKinney early on drums.
In 1927 Don Redman
Don Redman
Donald Matthew Redman was an American jazz musician, arranger, bandleader and composer.Redman was announced as a member of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame on May 6, 2009....
left Fletcher Henderson
Fletcher Henderson
James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr. was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. His was one of the most prolific black orchestras and his influence was vast...
's orchestra to become the Cotton Pickers' musical director, and he assembled a band which rivalled Henderson's and Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
's. Aiding Redman with arrangements and rehearsals with the band was the talented trumpeter-arranger John Nesbitt. The line-up in 1928 was Cuba Austin (drums and vocals), Prince Robinson (clarinet, tenor saxophone), George Thomas (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, vocals; Redman (arranger, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, vocals, and leader), Dave Wilborn
Dave Wilborn
Dave Wilborn was an American jazz singer and banjoist, best known for his time as a member of McKinney's Cotton Pickers.-Biography:...
(banjo, vocals), Todd Rhodes
Todd Rhodes
Todd Rhodes was an American pianist and arranger and was an early influence in jazz and later on in R&B.He was born Todd Washington Rhodes, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
(piano, celeste), Ralph Escudero
Ralph Escudero
Rafael "Ralph" Escudero was a bassist and tubist active on the early American jazz scene....
(tuba), Nesbitt, Claude Jones
Claude Jones
Claude Jones was an American jazz trombonist.Born in Boley, Oklahoma, Jones began on trombone at age 13, and studied at Wilberforce College before dropping out in 1922 to join the Synco Jazz Band. This group eventually evolved into McKinney's Cotton Pickers, where he would play intermittently...
(trombone), Milton Senior, Langston Curl (trumpet).
Other bandmembers at one time or another included George Bias (vocals), Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
(clarinet, alto saxophone), Doc Cheatham (trumpet), Bill Coti (vocals), Ed Cuffee
Ed Cuffee
Edward Emerson Cuffee was an American jazz trombonist.Cuffee moved to New York in the 1920s, where he recorded with Clarence Williams and played with Bingie Madison...
(trombone), Sidney de Paris
Sidney De Paris
Sidney De Paris was an American jazz trumpeter.He was the son of Sidney G. and Fannie Paris and the brother of Wilbur de Paris....
(trumpet), Lois Deppe (vocals), Leonard Davis (trumpet), Jimmy Dudley (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
(clarinet, tenor saxophone), Robert Inge (clarinet, (alto saxophone), Quentin Jackson
Quentin Jackson
Quentin "Butter" Jackson was an American jazz trombonist. In the early stage of his career he worked with Cab Calloway and was in the Duke Ellington Orchestra...
(trombone), Moxey-Hilton Jefferson (clarinet, alto saxophone), James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson
James P. Johnson was an American pianist and composer...
(piano), Buddy Lee (trumpet), Donald King (vocals), Kaiser Marshall
Kaiser Marshall
Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall was an American jazz drummer.Marshall was raised in Boston, where he studied under George L. Stone. He played with Charlie Dixon before moving to New York City early in the 1920s...
(drums), Frank Marvin (vocals), Theodore McCord (clarinet, tenor saxophone), Jim Napier (vocals), Milton Senior (trumpet), Joe "Fox" Smith (trumpet, cornet), Rex Stewart
Rex Stewart
Rex Stewart was an American jazz cornetist best known for his work with the Duke Ellington orchestra....
(cornet), Billy Taylor (tuba), Fats Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
(piano, celeste). Between 1927 and 1931, they were one of the most popular African-American bands. Many of their records for Victor were best sellers.
In 1931 Redman left to form his own band and was replaced by Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
. The Cotton Pickers disbanded in 1934, unable to make money during the Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Manager of the band was Jean Goldkette
Jean Goldkette
John Jean Goldkette was a jazz pianist and bandleader born in Patras, Greece. Goldkette spent his childhood in Greece and Russia, and emigrated to the United States in 1911....
(who arranged for the group to record "Birmingham Bertha" for him in July 1929, released on Victor under his own name).
A New McKinney's Cotton Pickers was organized in the early 1970s by David Hutson, using the original Don Redman arrangements. They recorded several albums and featured original banjoist Dave Wilborn
Dave Wilborn
Dave Wilborn was an American jazz singer and banjoist, best known for his time as a member of McKinney's Cotton Pickers.-Biography:...
, who was believed to have been the only surviving original member at the time.
McKinney's Cotton Pickers' performance of "Milenberg Joys" was used as the theme tune of Robert Parker's
Robert Parker (sound engineer)
Robert Noel Parker was an Australian sound engineer, jazz expert and broadcaster, well known for his radio series Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo....
1980s radio series "Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo".
External links
- McKinney's Cotton Pickers at The Red Hot Jazz Archive