Frankie Newton

Frankie Newton ( William Frank Newton; January 4, 1906 – March 11, 1954) was an American jazz trumpeter from Emory, Virginia, United States. He played in several New York City bands in the 1920s and 1930s, including those led by Sam Wooding, Chick Webb, Charlie Barnet, Andy Kirk and Charlie "Fess" Johnson.

In the 1940s, he played with bands led by Lucky Millinder and Pete Brown. He played in clubs in New York and Boston, with musicians such as pianist Art Tatum, pianist James P. Johnson, drummer Sid Catlett and clarinetist Edmond Hall. He accompanied Bessie Smith on her final recordings (November 24, 1933), Maxine Sullivan on 'Loch Lomond', and Billie Holiday on her original "Strange Fruit" session in 1939.

Between March 1937 and August 1939, eight recording sessions issued under Newton's name were produced. Three sessions in 1937 were made for Irving Mills's Variety label. In 1939, Newton recorded a six-song session with Victor, a four-song session for Vocalion, two individual one-song sessions for Blue Note, and finally one two-song session for Vocalion — 14 records in all.

He also played with Art Tatum on extended versions of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Oh, Lady Be Good!", recorded in Harlem after hours. These finally came out in 1973 as part of Tatum's album God Is in the House, first on LP and later on CD.

Politically, Newton was known to be a communist. In homage, the communist historian Eric Hobsbawn wrote jazz criticism for the New Statesman under the pen name "Francis Newton".

Birth and Death Data: Born January 4, 1906 (Blacksburg), Died March 11, 1954 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, leader, vocalist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 40 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-57709 10-in. 11/19/1929 Lawd, lawd Cecil Scott and his Bright Boys Jazz/dance band, with male vocal chorus instrumentalist, trumpet, vocalist  
Victor BVE-57710 10-in. 11/19/1929 In a corner Cecil Scott and his Bright Boys Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BVE-57711 10-in. 11/19/1929 Bright boy blues Cecil Scott and his Bright Boys Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BVE-57712 10-in. 11/19/1929 Springfield stomp Cecil Scott and his Bright Boys Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-06462 10-in. 3/26/1937 The love bug will bite you (if you don't watch out) Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-06463 10-in. 3/26/1937 Would you like to buy a dream? Beatrice Douglas ; Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-06464 10-in. 3/26/1937 Big Boy Blue Bill Dillard ; Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-06465 10-in. 3/26/1937 Where is the sun? Beatrice Douglas ; Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-06466 10-in. 3/26/1937 The Harlem twister Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-06467 10-in. 3/26/1937 My Marie Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-07925 10-in. 4/23/1937 I know now Bill Dillard ; Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-07926 10-in. 4/23/1937 The lady who couldn't be kissed Bill Dillard ; Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-07927 10-in. 4/23/1937 (Have you forgotten) The you and me that used to be Bill Dillard ; Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-07928 10-in. 4/23/1937 A study in brown Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-07929 10-in. 4/23/1937 Twilight in Turkey Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-07930 10-in. 4/23/1937 China boy Teddy Hill NBC Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-031460 10-in. 1/13/1939 Rosetta Frankie Newton Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor BS-031461 10-in. 1/13/1939 Minor jive Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor BS-031462 10-in. 1/13/1939 The world is waiting for the sunrise Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor BS-031463 10-in. 1/13/1939 Who? Frankie Newton Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor BS-031464 10-in. 1/13/1939 The blues my baby gave to me Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Victor BS-031465 10-in. 1/13/1939 Romping (Romping at Victor) Frankie Newton Orchestra ; Hugues Panassié Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet, leader  
Columbia W152577 10-in. 11/24/1933 Do your duty Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Columbia W152578 10-in. 11/24/1933 Gimme a pigfoot Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Columbia W152579 10-in. 11/24/1933 Take me for a buggy ride Buck and his Band ; Bessie Smith Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 of 40 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Newton, Frankie," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102906.

Newton, Frankie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102906.

"Newton, Frankie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102906

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