John Kirby
John Kirby (December 31, 1908 – June 14, 1952), was an American jazz double-bassist and bandleader. In addition to sideman work (prominently with Benny Goodman), Kirby lead a chamber jazz sextet in the late 1930s and early 1940s, which scored several hit songs including "Loch Lomond" and the debut recording of "Undecided", a jazz standard. He was the first musician in the chamber jazz genre. Earlier in his career he also played trombone and tuba. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Baltimore (city in Maryland, United States) , Died June 14, 1952 (Hollywood (neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1946
Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass, tuba, director, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 151-175 of 199 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | 70246 | 10-in. | 1/28/1942 | When your lover has gone | Maxine Sullivan | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 70247 | 10-in. | 1/28/1942 | My ideal | Maxine Sullivan | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 70541 | 10-in. | 3/19/1942 | Beside the river Clyde | John Kirby Orchestra ; Maxine Sullivan | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 70542 | 10-in. | 3/19/1942 | How do I know it's real? | John Kirby Orchestra ; Maxine Sullivan | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| ARC | 20506 | 10-in. | 1/12/1937 | One never knows, does one? | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20507 | 10-in. | 1/12/1937 | I've got my love to keep me warm | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20508 | 10-in. | 1/12/1937 | If my heart could only talk | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20509 | 10-in. | 1/12/1937 | Please keep me in your dreams | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20918 | 10-in. | 4/1/1937 | Where is the sun? | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20919 | 10-in. | 4/1/1937 | Let's call the whole thing off | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20920 | 10-in. | 4/1/1937 | They can't take that away from me | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 20921 | 10-in. | 4/1/1937 | I don't know if I'm coming or going | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 22921 | 10-in. | 5/11/1938 | You go to my head | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 22922 | 10-in. | 5/11/1938 | The moon looks down and laughs | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 22923 | 10-in. | 5/11/1938 | If I were you | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 22924 | 10-in. | 5/11/1938 | Forget if you can | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 23151 | 10-in. | 6/23/1938 | Having myself a time | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 23152 | 10-in. | 6/23/1938 | Says my heart | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 23153 | 10-in. | 6/23/1938 | I wish I had you | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| ARC | 23154 | 10-in. | 6/23/1938 | I'm gonna lock my heart (and throw away the key) | Billie Holiday | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, string bass | |
| Decca | 71699 | 10-in. | 1/25/1944 | Blues in the night | Larry Adler | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 71700 | 10-in. | 1/25/1944 | Stardust-1 | Larry Adler | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 71709 | 10-in. | 1/27/1944 | Creole love call | Larry Adler | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 71710 | 10-in. | 1/27/1944 | Begin the beguine | Larry Adler | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
| Decca | 71725 | 10-in. | 2/2/1944 | That old black magic | Larry Adler | instrumentalist, string bass |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Kirby, John," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105538.
Kirby, John. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105538.
"Kirby, John." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Kirby, John, 1908-1952 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n87124969
Wikidata: John Kirby - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q338644
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/17407869
MusicBrainz: John Kirby - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/34866882-9929-4bb4-80ce-125958a6560b
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/206991 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/206991
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