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Israel Crosby

Israel Crosby (January 19, 1919 – August 11, 1962) was an American jazz double-bassist born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. One of the finest to emerge during the 1930s, he was also a member of the Ahmad Jamal trio for most of 1954 to 1962. He is credited with taking one of the first recorded full-length bass solos, on his 1935 recording of "Blues of Israel" with drummer Gene Krupa when he was only 16. Crosby died of a heart attack at age 43, two months after joining the Shearing Quintet.

As Down Beat magazine explained in its obituary, "Early last month [August 1962], while the Shearing Quintet was at the University of Utah's jazz workshop, Crosby was not in the group; he had suffered blinding headaches and blurred vision and had taken a two-week leave of absence to return to Chicago, his home, for a hospital checkup. But before the group left the university, Shearing received a letter from the bassist in which he said he'd soon be well enough to return to the quintet. But Crosby never returned; he died of a blood clot on the heart in Chicago's West Side Veterans Administration Hospital on Aug. 11. He was 43."

Birth and Death Data: Born Chicago (city and county seat of Cook County, and largest city in State of Illinois, United States of America), Died August 11, 1962 (Chicago (city and county seat of Cook County, and largest city in State of Illinois, United States of America) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1935 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-100360 10-in. 4/9/1936 I'm a fool for loving you Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-100361 10-in. 4/9/1936 Moonrise on the lowlands Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-100362 10-in. 4/9/1936 I'll always be in love with you Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Victor BS-100363 10-in. 4/9/1936 Jangled nerves Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia 30482 10-in. 5/16/1941 I lay a-dreamin' Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia 30483 10-in. 5/16/1941 Gotta go Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia 30484 10-in. 5/16/1941 Eve's apple tree Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia 30485 10-in. 5/16/1941 No good woman Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia 30486 10-in. 5/16/1941 She's a married woman Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia 30487 10-in. 5/16/1941 No good buddy Josh White Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, string bass, and drums instrumentalist, string bass  
Mercury 430 10-in. 1946 Swanee River boogie Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings instrumentalist, string bass  
Mercury 431 10-in. 1946 Why I'm leaving you Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings instrumentalist, string bass  
Mercury 432 10-in. 1946 I don't want to see you Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings instrumentalist, string bass  
Mercury 1169 10-in. 1947 Roses of Picardy Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings instrumentalist, string bass  
Mercury 1362 10-in. 1947 Tuxedo boogie Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings instrumentalist, string bass  
Mercury 1364 10-in. 1947 Bear den boogie Albert Ammons and his Rhythm Kings instrumentalist, string bass  
Master M293 10-in. 3/23/1937 Now you're talking my language Chu Berry ; Stompy Stevedores Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, string bass  
Master M294 10-in. 3/23/1937 Back home again in Indiana Chu Berry ; Stompy Stevedores Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Master M295 10-in. 3/23/1937 Too marvelous for words Chu Berry ; Stompy Stevedores Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, string bass  
Master M296 10-in. 3/23/1937 Limehouse blues Chu Berry ; Stompy Stevedores Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 90445 10-in. 11/16/1935 In the dark-1 Jess Stacy instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 90446 10-in. 11/16/1935 Barrelhouse Jess Stacy instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 90447 10-in. 11/16/1935 The world is waiting for the sunrise Jess Stacy instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 90448 Go back where you stayed last night-1 Jess Stacy instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 90460 10-in. 11/19/1935 The last round-up Gene Krupa and his Chicagoans instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 1-25 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Crosby, Israel," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106018.

Crosby, Israel. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106018.

"Crosby, Israel." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106018

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