Ted (Teddy) McRae
Teddy McRae (January 22, 1908 – March 4, 1999) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and arranger. McRae was born in Waycross, Georgia, and brought up in Philadelphia and played with local ensembles, including one composed of family members, when young. He played with June Clark in 1926 before moving to New York City to found his own band. Following this he played with Charlie Johnson, Elmer Snowden (1932), Stuff Smith (1934), Lil Armstrong (1935), and Chick Webb (1936-39), the last as both a soloist and arranger. After Webb's death he was musical director for the orchestra during its tenure under the leadership of Ella Fitzgerald (1939–41). He recorded in the decade of the 1930s with Benny Morton, Teddy Wilson, and Red Allen. In the 1940s McRae worked in the orchestras of Cab Calloway (1941–42), Jimmie Lunceford (1942), Lionel Hampton (1943), and Louis Armstrong (1944-45); he also served as Armstrong's musical director during his period with that band. He wrote tunes for Artie Shaw and formed his own band in 1945. He and Eddie Wilcox formed their own R&B label, Raecox, in the 1950s, though it was short-lived. Much of his work in subsequent decades was as an arranger, though he recorded with Champion Jack Dupree in 1955-56, and recorded a few sides for Groove Records in 1955 and Moonshine Records in 1958. Some of his recordings billed him as "Teddy (Mr. Bear) McRae", or simply as "Mr. Bear". |
Birth and Death Data: Born January 22, 1908 (Waycross), Died March 4, 1999 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1936 - 1944
Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, leader
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 152 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | MS-031431 | 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) | approximately late Jan. 1939 | Tea for two | Chick Webb Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
Victor | MS-031432 | 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) | approximately late Jan. 1939 | Crazy rhythm | Chick Webb Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
Victor | MS-031433 | 16-in. (33-1/3 rpm) | approximately late Jan. 1939 | Blue skies | Chick Webb Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | |
Decca | 61123 | 10-in. | 6/2/1936 | Go Harlem-1 | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61124 | 10-in. | 6/2/1936 | Sing me a swing song (and let me dance) | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61125 | 10-in. | 6/2/1936 | A little bit later on | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61126 | 10-in. | 6/2/1936 | Love, you're just a laugh | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61127 | 10-in. | 6/2/1936 | Devoting my time to you | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61361 | 10-in. | 10/29/1936 | (If you can't sing it) You'll have to swing it | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61362 | 10-in. | 10/29/1936 | Swinging on the reservation | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61363 | 10-in. | 10/29/1936 | I got the Spring fever blues | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61364 | 10-in. | 10/29/1936 | Vote for Mr. Rhythm | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61419 | 10-in. | 11/18/1936 | My last affair | Ella Fitzgerald and her Savoy Eight | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone | ||
Decca | 61420 | 10-in. | 11/18/1936 | Organ grinder's swing | Ella Fitzgerald and her Savoy Eight | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone | ||
Decca | 61421 | 10-in. | 11/19/1936 | Shine | Ella Fitzgerald and her Savoy Eight | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone | ||
Decca | 61422 | 10-in. | 11/19/1936 | Darktown Strutters' Ball | Ella Fitzgerald and her Savoy Eight | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone | ||
Decca | 61520 | 10-in. | 1/14/1937 | There's frost on the moon-1 | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61527 | 10-in. | 1/14/1937 | Take another guess | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61528 | 10-in. | 1/14/1937 | Love marches on-1 | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 61530 | 10-in. | 1/15/1937 | Gee, but you're swell | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 62064 | 10-in. | 3/24/1937 | Rusty hinge | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 62065 | 10-in. | 3/24/1937 | Wake up and live-2 | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 62066 | 10-in. | 3/24/1937 | It's swell of you | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 62067 | 10-in. | 3/24/1937 | You showed me the way | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone | ||
Decca | 62068 | 10-in. | 3/24/1937 | Clap hands! Here comes Charley | Chick Webb Orchestra | instrumentalist, tenor saxophone |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "McRae, Ted (Teddy)," accessed May 18, 2022, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/206640.
McRae, Ted (Teddy). (2022). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 18, 2022, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/206640.
"McRae, Ted (Teddy)." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2022. Web. 18 May 2022.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: McRae, Teddy, 1908-1999 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no96045766
Wikidata: Teddy McRae - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7694051
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/61733849
MusicBrainz: Teddy McRae - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/d5f111f2-dd74-4ec7-9ce1-fe1bb1b09b7c
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