Tough, Dave (actually, David Jarvis)

Tough, Dave (actually, David Jarvis), well known big band era drummer; b. Oak Park, III, April 26, 1908; d. Newark, N.J., Dec. 6, 1948. Although he didn’t attend Chicago’s Austin High, he began playing with the jazz musicians from there in the early 1920s. He also played at summer resorts (1923-24) and for various bandleaders in Chicago from 1925, before taking two trips to Europe from the summer of 1927 through c. May 1929, including work in Belgium, France, Germany (including a recording in Berlin) and Paris. He struggled with alcoholism all his professional life, which led to several extended periods of inactivity. After working with Benny Goodman and touring in autumn 1929 with Red Nichols, he spent his first extended period in recovery, living in Chicago but performing very little until 1935. He enjoyed his longest period of activity in the mid-1930s and early 1940s, where he worked with several bands, including Tommy Dorsey (February 1936-Jan. 1, 1938; again early summer 1939), Benny Goodman (March-July 1938), and Jack Teagarden (August and September 1939). He spent January-May 1940 recovering from another alcoholic breakdown, then worked with various leaders, most notably Goodman (February-April 1941) and Artie Shaw (starting August 1941). Joined U.S. Navy and served as a member of Artie Shaw’s Naval Band, after a tour of the Pacific area returned to the U.S.A. and was medically discharged in February 1944. After his service, he worked sporadically with Woody Herman from April 1944-September 1945, with several absences due to his drinking. After that, he again freelanced around N.Y., playing many dates at Eddie Condon’s new club, including on its opening night in December 1945. He was back in the hospital in mid-1947 but then returned to playing briefly in N.Y. before going to Chicago to play with Muggsy Spanier at the newly opened Blue Note Club (November 1947-January 1948). He then returned to N.Y., but was soon back in the hospital. Late in 1948, during the time that he was an out-patient, he incurred fatal head injuries after falling down in a Newark street. His body was taken back to Oak Park, III, for burial.

Tough’s “swishing” drum work was much admired, particularly during his stints with Artie Shaw and Woody Herman, and influenced other big band drummers.

Discography

The Happy Monster (while at Barbarrina Cabaret, Berlin, 1928). Chubby Jackson: “Cool’N Blue” (1944); “Small Herd” (1945). Woody Herman: “The Thundering Herds” (1945).

—John Chilton/Lewis Porter