Jimmy Nottingham
James Edward Nottingham, Jr. (December 15, 1925 – November 16, 1978), also known as Sir James, was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He was born in New York, United States, and started performing professionally in 1943 in Brooklyn with Cecil Payne and Max Roach. He served in the Navy in 1944-45, where he played in Willie Smith's band. It was while working with Lionel Hampton (1945–47), that he earned his reputation as a high-note player. Following this, in 1947 he worked with Charlie Barnet, Lucky Millinder (and again c. 1950), Count Basie (1948–50), and Herbie Fields. He played Latin jazz from 1951–53, and was hired by CBS as a staff musician in 1954. He worked for more than 20 years at CBS, and played jazz music in his spare time, co-leading a band with Budd Johnson (1962), and as a sideman with many orchestras, including those of Dizzy Gillespie, Oliver Nelson, Benny Goodman, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis (1966–70), and Clark Terry (1974-75). His only recordings as a leader were four songs for Seeco Records in 1957. Jimmy Nottingham died in November 1978, at the age of 52. |
Birth and Death Data: Born New York City (most populous city in the United States), Died November 16, 1968 (New York City (most populous city in the United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1945 - 1968
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 26-50 of 132 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | 83012 | 6/26/1952 | Early Autumn | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83013 | 6/26/1952 | The girls are marching | Sy Oliver Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83951 | 2/13/1953 | Careless | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83952 | 2/13/1953 | Blue Lou | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83953 | 2/13/1953 | I wonder what kind of guy you'd be | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 84481 | 5/11/1953 | I wanna know | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 84482 | 5/11/1953 | Till the moon turns green | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 84483 | 5/11/1953 | The girl that I marry | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85488 | 11/6/1953 | Only forever | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85489 | 11/6/1953 | (Oh boy! what joy we had in) Barefoot days | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85490 | 11/6/1953 | (Oh boy! what joy we had in) Barefoot days | Johnny Long Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85590 | 12/23/1953 | Empty ballroom | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85591 | 12/23/1953 | If you don't, I know who will | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85592 | 12/23/1953 | Melancholy me | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 85593 | 12/23/1953 | Somebody bad stole de wedding bell | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86730 | 8/27/1954 | Flaggin' the train | Ray McKinley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86731 | 8/27/1954 | The natives are restless tonight | Ray McKinley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86732 | 8/27/1954 | Airizay | Ray McKinley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86733 | 8/27/1954 | You came a long way from St. Louis | Ray McKinley Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86773 | 9/10/1954 | Love me | The Billy Williams Quartet | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86774 | 9/10/1954 | He follows she | The Billy Williams Quartet | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86775 | 9/10/1954 | The honeydripper | The Billy Williams Quartet | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 86776 | 9/10/1954 | Fools rush in | The Billy Williams Quartet | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 88456 | 8/5/1955 | My one and only love | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 88457 | 8/5/1955 | The impatient years | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trumpet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Nottingham, Jimmy," accessed January 6, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/334194.
Nottingham, Jimmy. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 6, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/334194.
"Nottingham, Jimmy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 6 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Jimmy Nottingham
Discogs: Jimmy Nottingham
Allmusic: Jimmy Nottingham
Grove: Jimmy Nottingham
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Nottingham, Jimmy, 1925-1978 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2002044180
Wikidata: Jimmy Nottingham - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6200965
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/7058013
MusicBrainz: Jimmy Nottingham - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/30126e0e-df79-4b02-bf8b-2863f9ea8d38
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