Cliff Leeman

Cliff Leeman (September 10, 1913 – April 26, 1986) was an American jazz drummer. His nickname was "Mr. Time".

Leeman, born in Portland, Maine, United States, played percussion with the Portland Symphony Orchestra at age 13, and toured as a xylophonist on the vaudeville circuit late in the 1920s. He first made his name in the jazz world working in the swing bands of Artie Shaw (1938–39), Glenn Miller (1939), Tommy Dorsey (1939), Charlie Barnet (1940–43), Johnny Long, and Woody Herman (1943–44). After a stint in the Army in 1944, he worked with Don Byas, John Kirby (1944–45), Raymond Scott, Jimmy Dorsey, and Ben Webster.

He left the music industry briefly before joining the Casa Loma Orchestra in 1947, later moving on to Charlie Barnet's orchestra (1949) and Bob Chester's big band ensemble (1949–50). He played on radio and television in the 1950s, in addition to playing live often with Eddie Condon and Bobby Hackett. Later associations include Pee Wee Erwin, Yank Lawson/Bob Haggart, Ralph Sutton, Billy Butterfield, Bob Crosby (1960), Wild Bill Davison (1962), Dukes of Dixieland (1963–64), Peanuts Hucko, Joe Venuti, The Kings of Jazz (1974), Bud Freeman, Don Ewell, the World's Greatest Jazz Band (1976–77), and Jimmy McPartland. He recorded several albums for Fat Cat Jazz in the 1970s.

His drumming can also be heard on some of the early recorded hits of Bill Haley & His Comets.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 10, 1913 (Portland), Died April 26, 1986

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1962

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums, traps

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 301-325 of 373 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 88344 7/8/1955 London blues Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88353 7/11/1955 She's cryin' for me Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88354 7/11/1955 Muskrat ramble Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88355 7/11/1955 I'm not rough Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88356 7/11/1955 Weary blues Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88357 7/13/1955 Lonesome and sorry Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88358 7/13/1955 Deep Henderson Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88359 7/13/1955 Down by the riverside Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88360 7/13/1955 When my sugar walks down the street Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88361 7/13/1955 Stars fell on Alabama Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88362 7/13/1955 Wabash blues Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88363 7/13/1955 Missouri waltz Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88364 7/13/1955 Maryland, my Maryland Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88382 7/14/1955 Cabin in the cotton Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88383 7/14/1955 Rose of the Rio Grande Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88384 7/14/1955 My old Kentucky home Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88385 7/14/1955 China boy Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88390 7/15/1955 That eccentric rag Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88391 7/15/1955 Grace and beauty Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88392 7/15/1955 Temptation rag Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88393 7/15/1955 Sensation rag Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88690 9/22/1955 R-O-C-K Comets ; Bill Haley instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88691 9/22/1955 Rock-a-beatin' boogie Comets ; Bill Haley instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88692 9/23/1955 The Saints rock 'n' roll Comets ; Bill Haley instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 88693 9/23/1955 Burn that candle Comets ; Bill Haley instrumentalist, drums  
(Results 301-325 of 373 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Leeman, Cliff," accessed May 8, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790.

Leeman, Cliff. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 8, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790.

"Leeman, Cliff." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 8 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790

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