Harold Baker

Harold "Shorty" Baker (May 26, 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA – November 8, 1966 in New York City) was a jazz trumpeter.

Baker began on drums, but switched to trumpet during his teens. He started his career on riverboats and played with Don Redman in the mid-1930s. He also worked with Teddy Wilson and Andy Kirk before joining Duke Ellington. He married Kirk's pianist Mary Lou Williams and though the two separated shortly thereafter, they never officially divorced.

Baker worked on and off in Duke Ellington's Orchestra from 1942 to 1962. He also worked with Johnny Hodges's group in the early 1950s during the period when Hodges was not a member of Ellington's orchestra.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 26, 1914 (St. Louis), Died November 8, 1966 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1959

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 72 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D6VB-2095 10-in. 7/9/1946 Transblucency (a blue fog that you can almost see through) Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2131 10-in. 9/3/1946 Royal garden blues Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67893 10-in. 6/25/1940 Fine and mellow Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67894 10-in. 6/25/1940 Scratching in the gravel Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67895 10-in. 6/25/1940 Fifteen minute intermission Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67896 10-in. 6/25/1940 Take those blues away Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67917 10-in. 7/8/1940 Now I lay me down to dream Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67918 10-in. 7/8/1940 There is no greater love Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67919 10-in. 7/8/1940 Midnight stroll Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67920 10-in. 7/8/1940 Little Miss Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68317 10-in. 11/7/1940 The Count Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68318 10-in. 11/7/1940 Twelfth Street rag Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68319 10-in. 11/7/1940 When I saw you Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68363 10-in. 11/18/1940 If I feel this way tomorrow Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68364 10-in. 11/18/1940 Or have I ? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68365 10-in. 11/18/1940 Baby dear Kansas City Seven ; Mary Lou Williams instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68366 10-in. 11/18/1940 Harmony blues Kansas City Seven ; Mary Lou Williams instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68546 10-in. 1/3/1941 Cuban boogie woogie Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68547 10-in. 1/3/1941 A dream dropped in Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68548 10-in. 1/3/1941 Is it a sin (lovin' you) ? Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68549 10-in. 1/3/1941 Ring dem bells Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 69519 10-in. 7/17/1941 Big time grip-1 Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 69520 10-in. 7/17/1941 47th Street jive Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 69521 10-in. 7/17/1941 I'm misunderstood Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 69522 10-in. 7/17/1941 No answer Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 of 72 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Baker, Harold," accessed May 30, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198.

Baker, Harold. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 30, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198.

"Baker, Harold." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 30 May 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198

External Sources

Wikipedia: Shorty Baker

Discogs: Harold Baker

Allmusic: Harold Baker

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Baker, Harold, 1914-1966 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95005454

Wikidata: Shorty Baker - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q353596

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/69114722

MusicBrainz: Harold "Shorty" Baker - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/5b38656a-b836-4585-9cc7-c5e731da9ea0

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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