Dick Cary

Richard Durant Cary (July 10, 1916 – April 6, 1994) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger.

He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Cary earned a bachelor's degree in music from Wesleyan University in 1938 and started working in Connecticut and New York. He landed full-time solo work at Nick's in Greenwich Village in New York City in 1941 (through 1943) and played with Joe Marsala in 1942. In 1943, he also worked as a staff arranger for Benny Goodman and played with the Casa Loma Orchestra and Brad Gowans. During a stint in the Army in 1944-46 stationed on Long Island, he managed to continue recording with Muggsy Spanier and Wild Bill Davison among others. After his discharge he worked with Billy Butterfield, then was pianist in the initial formation of Louis Armstrong's All-Stars in 1947–48. In 1949–50 he was in Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra, and in the 1950s worked with Eddie Condon, Pee Wee Russell, Max Kaminsky, Bud Freeman, Jimmy McPartland, and starting in 1957 a long-term collaboration with Bobby Hackett at the Henry Hudson Hotel in New York.

When that engagement ended in 1959 he moved to Los Angeles, where he became an active freelance, touring, and studio musician. He also began writing and arranging music for the Tuesday Night Friends, who convened at his home every Tuesday for decades, a tradition that continued following his passing. The band was rarely heard by the public except for annual appearances at the Los Angeles Classic Jazz Festival and Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.

In the latter days of his life some of these rehearsals were recorded, forming the basis of the posthumous release Dick Cary and His Tuesday Night Friends Playing Dick Cary Originals. The ongoing group, directed by Dick Hamilton, recorded the album Dick Cary's Tuesday Night Friends: Catching Up in 1997. Cary also provided an extended interview to Floyd Levin in 1991. His life is the subject of the bio-discography Strictly a Musician: Dick Cary by Derek Coller, published in 2012.

Dick Cary died in April 1994, in Glendale, California, at the age of 77.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 10, 1916 (Hartford), Died April 6, 1994 (Glendale)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 62 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 80369 1/15/1951 Steak face, part 1 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80370 1/15/1951 Steak face, part 2 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80371 1/15/1951 Mahogany Hall stomp Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80372 1/15/1951 On the sunny side of the street, part 1 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80373 1/15/1951 On the sunny side of the street, part 2 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80374 1/15/1951 High society Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80375 1/15/1951 Baby won't you please come home Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80376 1/15/1951 That's my desire, part 1 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80377 1/15/1951 That's my desire, part 2 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80378 1/15/1951 C jam blues-2 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80379 1/15/1951 How high the moon, part 1 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80380 1/15/1951 How high the moon, part 2 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80381 1/15/1951 Boff boff, part 1 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 80382 1/15/1951 Boff Boff, part 2 Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 83032 10-in. June 1952 That's my desire Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 83033 10-in. June 1952 Baby, it's cold outside Louis Armstrong All-Stars instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84144 3/9/1953 Clarinet marmalade Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84145 3/9/1953 Singin' the blues Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84272 4/7/1953 Davenport blues Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84273 4/7/1953 Since my best gal turned me down Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84274 4/7/1953 Swingin' the blues Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84297 4/9/1953 Ostrich walk Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84298 4/9/1953 Louisiana Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84501 5/14/1953 I'm coming Virginia Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 84502 5/14/1953 Riverboat shuffle Jimmy McPartland Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 26-50 of 62 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cary, Dick," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/307492.

Cary, Dick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/307492.

"Cary, Dick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/307492

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