Help on Jacques Butler

[David Ayers]

We just discovered Jacques Butler with Benny Waters in a sequence in Conrad Rooks' Chappaqua. it's in the Ornette on film thread but here is the link [ to what we have so far (go back a few posts for my link to the whole film on youtube).

Does anyone have more information on Butler or remember the club and its history? Guy?

[brownie]

Never saw Butler during his residency in Paris. I went to La Cigale a couple of times in the 60s but Benny Waters was the featured musician.

La Cigale is still up in Pigalle. It was a café back then, it is now a trendy place. La Cigale

Jacques Butler has an entry in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz.

To summarize.

Born April 29, 1909. grew up in Washington. Moved to NY in the late 20s. Played with Cliff Jackson and Horace Henderson. Recorded with Willie Bryant (1936). Then moved to Europe where he worked mainly with Wilie Lewis (1936-1939).

After his return to NY in 1940, he led his own band and played with Mezz Mezzrow, Art Hodes, etc.

Back in Europe in 1950. Led his own band at La Cigale, Paris. He also played again with Mezz Mezzrow. Returned to NY in 1968 and continued to play frequently.

The Grove entry does not list a date for his death which seems to have gone unnoticed by almost everyone.

Found this: Jacques Butler

[David Ayers]

Never saw Butler during his residency in Paris. I went to La Cigale a couple of times in the 60s but Benny Waters was the featured musician.

La Cigale is still up in Pigalle. It was a café back then, it is now a trendy place. La Cigale

Jacques Butler has an entry in The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz.

To summarize.

Born April 29, 1909. grew up in Washington. Moved to NY in the late 20s. Played with Cliff Jackson and Horace Henderson. Recorded with Willie Bryant (1936). Then moved to Europe where he worked mainly with Wilie Lewis (1936-1939).

After his return to NY in 1940, he led his own band and played with Mezz Mezzrow, Art Hodes, etc.

Back in Europe in 1950. Led his own band at La Cigale, Paris. He also played again with Mezz Mezzrow. Returned to NY in 1968 and continued to play frequently.

The Grove entry does not list a date for his death which seems to have gone unnoticed by almost everyone.

Found this: Jacques Butler

Thanks for that!

I gather that Waters took over leadership of the band in 1967, so presumably Butler decided to return to NY about that time. I don't have any sense of what he did on his return but if he was playing like that in 1966 (or whenever Rooks' footage was taken) it is hard to imagine him giving up very quickly! Apart from the Willie Bryant, which I might get round to picking through on youtube/spotify, there seems to be little other recorded evidence. He's behind Armstrong in this clip from Paris Blues: