Charlie Holmes
Charlie Holmes (January 27, 1910 near Boston, Massachusetts – September 19, 1985 in Stoughton, Massachusetts) was an alto jazz saxophonist of the swing era. He also played clarinet and oboe for the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra in 1926. Holmes began playing also saxophone at age 16 and emulated the style of his childhood friend, Johnny Hodges. He began playing professionally a week later. After moving to New York City he worked for a variety of groups, including Luis Russell in 1928. Between 1929 and 1930 he recorded with Red Allen and is best known for composing "Sugar Hill Function". He would work with Russell again a few times and in 1932 joined the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. He was in the John Kirby's Sextet, Cootie Williams' Orchestra, and Louis Armstrong's band for much of the next two decades. He left music in 1951 and did not return for twenty years. He returned to work in Clyde Bernhardt's Harlem Blues & Jazz Band and later played for the Swedish band Kustbandet. He never acted as a leader in any recording or group. |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 27, 1910 (Boston), Died September 19, 1985 (Massachusetts)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1951
Roles Represented in DAHR: alto saxophone, clarinet, soprano saxophone, composer
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 126 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-48333 | 10-in. | 2/1/1929 | Call of the freaks | King Oliver Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-48334 | 10-in. | 2/1/1929 | The trumpet's prayer | King Oliver Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-49649 | 10-in. | 1/16/1929 | Freakish light blues | King Oliver Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-49650 | 10-in. | 1/16/1929 | West End blues | King Oliver Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-53929 | 10-in. | 7/17/1929 | Feeling drowsy | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-53930 | 10-in. | 7/17/1929 | Swing out | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-55133 | 10-in. | 7/16/1929 | It should be you | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-55134 | 10-in. | 7/16/1929 | Biff'ly blues | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-55852 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | Make a country bird fly wild | Henry Allen ; Four Wanderers ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-55853 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | Funny feathers blues | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra ; Victoria Spivey | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-55854 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | How do they do it that way | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-55855 | 10-in. | 9/24/1929 | Pleasing Paul | Henry Allen ; New York Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-56732 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | Blood hound blues | Victoria Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-56733 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | Dirty T. B. blues | Victoria Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-56734 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | Moaning the blues | Victoria Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-56735 | 10-in. | 10/1/1929 | Telephoning the blues | Victoria Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, soprano saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57554 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Day breakin' blues | Sweet Peas Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57555 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Heartbreakin' blues | Sweet Peas Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57556 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Leavin' you baby | Sweet Peas Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57557 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Longin' for home | Sweet Peas Spivey | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57565 | 10-in. | 12/2/1929 | You oughta see my gal | Wilton Crawley Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57567 | 10-in. | 12/2/1929 | Keep your business to yourself | Wilton Crawley | Clarinet soloist, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57568 | 10-in. | 12/2/1929 | She's got what I need | Wilton Crawley | Clarinet soloist, with jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone | |
Victor | BVE-57926 | 10-in. | 12/18/1929 | Lookin' for another sweetie | Fats Waller’s Buddies | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet | |
Victor | BVE-57927 | 10-in. | 12/18/1929 | Ridin' but walkin' | Fats Waller’s Buddies | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, alto saxophone, clarinet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Holmes, Charlie," accessed August 9, 2022, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110885.
Holmes, Charlie. (2022). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved August 9, 2022, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110885.
"Holmes, Charlie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2022. Web. 9 August 2022.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Holmes, Charlie - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98036165
Wikidata: Charlie Holmes - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1066912
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/17412868
MusicBrainz: Charlie Holmes - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/4f2a9a4b-479e-46f4-8d03-7cff77972bb4
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