Chelsea Quealey

Chelsea Ellsworth Quealey (March 12, 1905 in Sandy Hook, Connecticut – May 6, 1950 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Quealey began as a reedist but eventually settled on trumpet, playing with Jan Garber in 1925 and the California Ramblers in 1926-27. Between 1927 and 1929 he played in England, on recordings with Fred Elizalde and also in Bert Firman's band. Upon his return to the U.S. he worked with Don Voorhees, Paul Whiteman, and Ben Pollack in the early 1930s, and later in the decade with Isham Jones (1935–36), Red McKenzie, Joe Marsala, Frankie Trumbauer (1937), and Bob Zurke (1939-40). In the early and middle 1940s he played Dixieland jazz at Nick's in New York City. In 1946 he moved to California, where he essentially retired due to heart problems.

Birth and Death Data: Born Sandy Hook (village in Connecticut), Died May 6, 1950 (Las Vegas (City of Clark County, and largest city in state of Nevada, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1938

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 1-25 of 66 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick 470 10-in. January 1928 Dixie Bobby Davis ; Fred Elizalde Hot Music ; Chelsea Quealey ; Adrian Rollini Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Brunswick 471 10-in. Jan. 1928 Tiger rag Bobby Davis ; Fred Elizalde Hot Music ; Chelsea Quealey ; Adrian Rollini Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett 9654 10-in. 7/10/1925 Silver head The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett 9655 10-in. 7/10/1925 I'm gonna Charleston back to Charleston The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett 9656 10-in. 7/10/1925 Ukulele lady The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett 9694 10-in. 8/18/1925 Normandy The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett 9695 10-in. 8/18/1925 Sweet man The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett 9696 10-in. 8/18/1925 My sweetie turned me down The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett X-43 10-in. 3/19/1926 Gimme a li'l kiss, will ya, huh? Arthur Fields ; The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/danc band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett X-44 10-in. 3/19/1926 Could I? - I certainly could Arthur Fields ; The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Gennett X-45 10-in. 3/19/1926 I'd climb the highest mountain The Vagabonds [Gennett Records] Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38496 10-in. 8/31/1934 Blue room Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38497 10-in. 8/31/1934 I've found a new baby Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38498 10-in. 8/31/1934 Sweet Sue, just you Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38499 10-in. 8/31/1934 Tiger rag Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38500 10-in. 8/31/1934 You're O.K. Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38502 10-in. 8/31/1934 Dallas blues Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38503 10-in. 8/31/1934 China boy Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38504 10-in. 8/31/1934 Four or five times Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38505 10-in. 8/31/1934 Where the arrow points to home Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38506 10-in. 8/31/1934 Here come the British Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38507 10-in. 8/31/1934 Pardon my Southern accent Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38508 10-in. 8/31/1934 Jimtown blues Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38509 10-in. 8/31/1934 Black magic Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 38515 10-in. 9/4/1934 Panama Isham Jones Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Quealey, Chelsea," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/338685.

Quealey, Chelsea. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/338685.

"Quealey, Chelsea." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/338685

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