Women jazz artists on 52nd Street

[ghost of miles]

Hey all, working this week on a Night Lights show called "Jazz Women Of 52nd Street," focusing on artists who performed at the clubs along 52nd Street from the 1930s through the 1950s.  Musicians I've jotted down so far include Marian McPartland, Barbara Carroll, Beryl Booker, Mary Lou Williams, Mary Osborne, Marjie Hyams, Adele Girard (as part of Joe Marsala's group), Jutta Hipp, Billie Holiday, Maxine Sullivan... who am I leaving out?  I have Lil Hardin Armstrong jotted down on the document that I started a few months ago, but am now trying to confirm that her 1930s group did indeed play along 52nd Street.  Also going to check Hazel Scott's biography when I get to the office today--I associate her most strongly with Cafe Society, rather than the 52nd Street clubs.  Billie Rogers is another artist who led her own group for awhile after leaving Woody Herman's band circa 1945, but I'm not sure if she performed with any kind of regularity on 52nd Street or not.  I'll be using live recordings to some extent (McPartland and Hipp both made records at the Hickory House), but will mostly have to rely on studio representations.

Much appreciation in advance for any suggestions that can be contributed.

Edited March 9, 2022 by ghost of miles

[mjzee]

Per the image below, Club Carousel was hosting a band consisting of Mary Harris, Rochelle Carter, Bonnie Russel, Ruth Lebrun and Lois Walsh.  I know nothing about them, though.  The book also mentions Ella Fitzgerald.

This site mentions Dorothy Donegan: https://www.classicchicagomagazine.com/21-club-and-52nd-street/

How about Chippie Hill?

Lee Wiley, Frances Faye?

Yes to Ella:

Edited March 16, 2021 by mjzee

[mjzee]

Ethel Waters:

[duaneiac]

Perhaps -- Blanche Calloway, Valaida Snow, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mildred Bailey, Alberta Hunter, Ivie Anderson with the Ellington band, but I have no documentary evidence to support those suppositions.  Perhaps other can confirm if they fit the bill.

Helen Humes -- according to Wikipedia "During that year (1942), she also performed at the Three Deuces, at the Famous Door with Benny Carter (February), at the Village Vanguard with Eddie Heywood, and on tour with a big band led by the trombonist Ernie Fields."

Edited March 17, 2021 by duaneiac

[felser]

Pat Moran

[JSngry]

Toots Schor?

[Quasimado]

Toshiko Akiyoshi?

[ghost of miles]

8 hours ago, mjzee said:

Per the image below, Club Carousel was hosting a band consisting of Mary Harris, Rochelle Carter, Bonnie Russel, Ruth Lebrun and Lois Walsh.  I know nothing about them, though.  The book also mentions Ella Fitzgerald.

 

 

Thanks, was not aware of this new book--ordered a copy earlier today after seeing your post.  I've been browsing through my copy of Arnold Shaw's The Street That Never Slept as well as Linda Dahl and Sally Placksin's respective books about women in jazz, among other sources.  

[EKE BBB]

Definitely, Sarah Vaughan. First engagement I have been able to track down was a four-week stay at the Onyx club in December 1947.

[Big Beat Steve]

Re- the above name calling: Wasn't Toshiko Akiyoshi way too late to be considered part of 52nd Street in the proer sense of the term? Isn't the feature supposed to focus on the HEYDAY of 52nd Street? At any rate, this is how i understood Ghost's initial query.

As for Valaida Snow, after her European years of 1936-43 I can only find references to appearances at the Apollo Theater.

But as for others who might fit the billl of (preferably) forties and early fifties female acts on 52nd Street, how about the combos of vibist/pianist Dardanelle (Breckenridge) and of bassist Vivian Garry? The well-known WIliam Gottlieb photos of 1947 do seem to prove their presence there.

[Dan Gould]

Off Ghost's topic but is it really accurate to say that 52nd Street had "Fallen" by 1950? 

[Larry Kart]

4 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Re- the above name calling: Wasn't Toshiko Akiyoshi way too late to be considered part of 52nd Street in the proer sense of the term? Isn't the feature supposed to focus on the HEYDAY of 52nd Street? At any rate, this is how i understood Ghost's initial query.

As for Valaida Snow, after her European years of 1936-43 I can only find references to appearances at the Apollo Theater.

But as for others who might fit the billl of (preferably) forties and early fifties female acts on 52nd Street, how about the combos of vibist/pianist Dardanelle (Breckenridge) and of bassist Vivian Garry? The well-known WIliam Gottlieb photos of 1947 do seem to prove their presence there.

Margie Hyams. Her Wikipedia entry has a photo showing her trio on the marquee of the Three Deuces, ands she surely played the Street when she was with Shearing.

[Big Beat Steve]

Margie Hyams was in the list of artists mentioned in Ghost's opening post so I did not mention her. Of course she would have been "first pick" among those I am aware of.
I wonder if the recently-deceased Viola ("with her 17 drums") ever played on 52nd St. in any aggregation?

 

[Larry Kart]

Sorry -- read right past that.

[Gheorghe]

Bonnie Wetzel, the only female bass star then. I think she also was on 52nd street. I think I saw here name on the bill of a club date there, in the Charlie Parker Memory Book "To Bird with Love". 

[bertrand]

Does Norma Carson fit in? I have been chatting with her daughter who just popped up on Facebook.

[Big Beat Steve]

On 23.3.2021 at 7:44 AM, Gheorghe said:

Bonnie Wetzel, the only female bass star then.

Apart from Vivian Garry.
Her all-female quintet session on RCA VIctor ("e.g. "A Woman's Place Is In The Groove" ) ought to be mandatory for this radio show - for the title alone ...

As for Bonnie Wetzel, what records was she featured on? According to Bruyninckx, she did not participate in the recordings that the Soft Winds trio made.

[bertrand]

5 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Apart from Vivian Garry.
Her all-female quintet session on RCA VIctor ("e.g. "A Woman's Place Is In The Groove" ) ought to be mandatory for this radio show - for the title alone ...

As for Bonnie Wetzel, what records was she featured on? According to Bruyninckx, she did not participate in the recordings that the Soft Winds trio made.

She's on Cats Vs. Chicks produced by Leonard Feather, the champion of women jazz artists of that period. Without him, none of them would have recorded at all.

[Big Beat Steve]

8 hours ago, bertrand said:

She's on Cats Vs. Chicks produced by Leonard Feather, the champion of women jazz artists of that period. Without him, none of them would have recorded at all.

I had forgotten about the Cats vs Chicks 10-incher (which I own) as I was thinking of earlier recordings. (Pity if there are none)

So Vivian Garry had more recording exposure in the heyday of 52nd Street, it seems.

 

[mhatta]

Anita O'Day (I assume no recordings survived, but I read somewhere that she sang with Bird at the 52nd street.  I think it was in Bob Reisner's book)

Betty Christopher (a female pianist, once Bird invited her to join his group but she declined.  mentioned in Bill Crow's book)

Helen Humes (some Jerry Newman recordings from 1940s exist.  I think it was at Minton's with Don Byas, Joe Guy and Monk.  Including an absolutely beautiful rendition of "Stardust")

Betty Glamann (a female Jazz harpist, played with Oscar Pettiford Orchestra.  Several broadcast airchecks from Birdland in 1957-58 exist.  Maybe it's too late?)

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by mhatta