Benny Carter and his Orchestra

Benny Carter was born in New York City on August 7, 1908. He first performed professionally with June Clark, Lois Deppe and Earl Hines in 1924. Rather than go to college he took a job with Horace Henderson (Fletcher Henderson's brother) to play in New York. In the late twenties and early thirties he worked as a  performer and arranger for Fletcher Henderson, Charlie Johnson, Chick Webb and McKinney's Cotton Pickers. He also did arrangements for Duke Ellington, Teddy Hill and Benny Goodman. Carter led his own band from 1932 through 1934. In late 1934 into 1935 he worked again with Fletcher Henderson, and also with Willie Bryant. Carter toured Europe with Bryant in late 1935, after which he played for Willie Lewis in Paris. From 1936 through 1938 he worked in London as an arranger for Henry Hall's BBC orchestra, during which time he also toured Europe. Carter came back to the U.S. in late 1938, and from 1939 through the early forties he led his own band again. He recorded quite a bit during this period, when he also played with small combos and did freelance work. He also continued to work as an arranger and composer. He made a lot of records in the fifties, and continued to perform, compose and arrange through the nineties. In 1986 the National Endowment for the Arts gave him an NEA Jazz Masters Award, and in 1987 he won a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement, and in 2000 he won a National Medal of Arts from the NEA. He died in Los Angeles on July 12, 2003.

Savoy Stampede

Vocalion 5112

Benny Carter and his Orchestra (Benny Carter alto sax - director; Joe Thomas - Lincoln Mills - George Woodlen trumpet; Jimmy Archey - Vic Dickenson trombone; Tyree Glenn trombone - vibes; James Powell - Carl Frye alto sax; Ernie Powell - Castor McCord tenor sax; Eddie Heywood, Jr. piano; Ulysses Livingston guitar; Hayes Alvis bass; Henry Morrison drums)

Recorded June 19, 1939

Savoy Stampede is one of Benny Carter's own compositions. He wrote quite a few jazz pieces and songs, including Hot Toddy; Shoot the Works; Everybody Shuffle; Dream Lullaby; Lonesome Nights; When Lights Are Low; Devil's Holiday; Kansas City Suite; Symphony in Riffs; Harlem Mood; I'm in the Mood for Swing; Malibu; Blues in My Heart; Blue Interlude; Melancholy Lullaby and Hurry, Hurry.

I don't know of any other recordings of Savoy Stampede.
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