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 151-175 of 373 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 71904 10-in. 3/23/1944 It must be jelly Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 71906 10-in. 3/24/1944 Don't change horses Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 71909 3/29/1944 Say so Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 71910 3/29/1944 Goin' home Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 71911 3/29/1944 Refuse it Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 71912 3/29/1944 Ingie speaks-1 Woody Herman Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 74203 12/5/1947 You're gonna get my letter in the morning Mary Osborne instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 74204 12/5/1947 Ooh, what you just said Mary Osborne instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 74205 12/5/1947 Wonder where's my man tonight Mary Osborne instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76851 9/18/1950 Aggravatin' situation Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76852 9/18/1950 Everybody wants to go to heaven Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76865 9/23/1950 Strangers Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76866 9/23/1950 Music, maestro, please Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76867 9/23/1950 Goofus Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76912 9/29/1950 May I? Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76913 9/29/1950 One morning in May Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76991 10/10/1950 This nearly was mine Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76992 10/10/1950 Something to remember you by Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 76993 10/10/1950 I see your face before me Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 80054 10/19/1950 Aggravatin' situation-1 Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 80055 10/19/1950 Alone together Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 80086 10/26/1950 You and the night and the music Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 80087 10/26/1950 Dancing in the dark Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 80105 10/31/1950 I guess I'll have to change my plans Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca 80106 10/31/1950 Lullaby of Broadway Tommy Dorsey Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
(Results 151-175 of 373 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Leeman, Cliff," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790.

Leeman, Cliff. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106790.

"Leeman, Cliff." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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