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 351-373 of 373 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 101364 1/15/1957 You can come callin' again Wingy Manone and his Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 101365 1/15/1957 The rarest jewel Wingy Manone and his Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 104985 5/15/1958 Boogie woogie Maxixe Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 104986 5/15/1958 Dumplin's Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 104987 5/15/1958 Be-bop-a-lula Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 104988 5/15/1958 Rip it up Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105001 5/21/1958 Tequila Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105002 5/21/1958 Pinetop's boogie woogie Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105003 5/21/1958 Swingin' shepherd blues Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105004 5/21/1958 Yancey special Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105005 5/21/1958 Bye bye love Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105869 10/21/1958 True love ways Buddy Holly instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105870 10/21/1958 It doesn't matter anymore Buddy Holly instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105871 10/21/1958 Raining in my heart Buddy Holly instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 105872 10/21/1958 Moondreams Buddy Holly instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111944 3/21/1962 Chicago Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111945 3/21/1962 Sweet Lorraine Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111946 3/21/1962 South Rampart Street parade Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111947 3/21/1962 The Darktown Strutters' Ball Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111948 3/22/1962 Jazz me blues Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111949 3/22/1962 Basin Street blues Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 111950 3/22/1962 I'm confessin' Henry Jerome Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca N 1403 10-in. 1/8/1944 Crying sands Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
(Results 351-373 of 373 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Leeman, Cliff," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790.

Leeman, Cliff. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790.

"Leeman, Cliff." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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