Jefferson, Hilton (W.)

Jefferson, Hilton (W.), jazz alto saxophonist; b. Danbury, Conn., July 30, 1903; d. N.Y., Nov. 14, 1968. He was a marvelous soloist whose fine work is unknown to most modern listeners, although it was showcased on well- recorded LPs around 1960. He first played banjo, joining Julian Arthur’s Orch. at the Hay’s Theatre, Philadelphia (summer 1925); he took a brief sabbatical to learn sax and then went with the band to N.Y. in early 1926. From May 1926-28, Jefferson worked primarily with Claude Hopkins. From the late 1920s he worked for brief periods with many bands in N.Y. He had a long on-and- off relationship with Chick Webb, working for him in periods from 1929-30, late 1934, fall 1936, and 1938. Jefferson also worked with King Oliver (1930), McKinney’s Cotton Pickers (1931), Fletcher Henderson (October 1932-September 1934; December 1936-early 1938), and Claude Hopkins (1935-fall 1936; 1939), among others. He spent most of the 1940s working with Cab Calloway, staying with him until 1952 (except for two years beginning in 1949 when he worked as a house musician at a N.Y. club). He then spent eight months with Duke Ellington (summer 1952-February 1953), and did a tour with vocalist Pearl Bailey in fall 1953. Although he ostensibly left full-time music to work as a guard at a N.Y. bank following this tour, he continued to do regular gigs including several recording sessions, through the late 1950s. He was a regular member of Wally Edwards’s Uptown Concert Band in the late 1950s, and also worked in Mercer Ellington’s Big Band during this period.

Discography

Henry “Red” Allen: 1929-1933 (1929); 1933-1935 (1933); The Henry Allen Collection, Vol. 2:1932-1935 (1992); Swing Out (1996); Dynamic Trumpet (2000). Louis Armstrong: Highlights from His Decca Years (1924); The Best of the Decca Years, Vol. 2: The Composer (1935); Best of Decca Years, Vol. 2 (1935); New & Revised Musical Autobiography, Vol. 2 (1947); New & Revised Musical Autobiography, Vol. 3 (1947); American Icon (1947); All Time Greatest Hits (1949). Buster Bailey: 1924-1942 (1996); Buster

Bailey Story, 1926-1945 (1997). Cab Calloway: Cab Calloway and Company (1931); On Film (1934–1950) (1934). Count Basie and Chick Webb: Count Basie & His Orchestra 1937/Chick Webb & His Orchestra 1936 (1995). Chuck Berry: Blowing up a Breeze (1995). Nappy Brown: Night Time Is the Right Time (2000).

—John Chilton/Lewis Porter