Leonard Ware (December 28, 1909 – March 30, 1974)[1] was one of the first American jazz guitarists to play electric guitar.
Leonard Ware | |
|---|---|
 Leonard Ware (right) with Billy Taylor and Zutty Singleton in New York City, mid-1940s Photograph by William P. Gottlieb | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 28, 1909 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | March 30, 1974 (aged 64) |
| Genres | Jazz, blues |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1930s–1940s |
Career
editWare was born in Richmond, Virginia. He went to college at the Tuskegee Institute and learned how to play the oboe.[2]
In 1938, Ware played electric guitar on recordings by Sidney Bechet.[2][3] The duo he then started with Jimmy Shirley was one of the first groups to have two electric guitarists. Ware performed in a trio during the 1940s and recorded as a leader in 1947. He also recorded with Don Byas, Albinia Jones, Buddy Johnson, and Big Joe Turner.[2]
In December 1938, he played at Carnegie Hall with the Kansas City Six (Lester Young and Buck Clayton); in 1939 he recorded with Benny Goodman ("Umbrella Man").
Ware was the co-composer of "Hold Tight" (which he recorded with Bechet) and "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem" (with Jerry Gray and Buddy Feyne), which was recorded by Glenn Miller and The Delta Rhythm Boys in 1941. A few years later, he dropped out of music.[2] He died in 1974.[1]
Discography
edit- 1937–1938, Sidney Bechet (Classics)[3]
References
edit- ^ a b Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 132. ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ a b c d Kelsey, Chris. "Leonard Ware". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ a b Yanow, Scott (2013). The Great Jazz Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat. p. 214. ISBN 978-1-61713-023-6.
Sources
edit- Bielefelder Katalog 1988
- Richard Cook & Brian Morton: The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD 6th edition. ISBN 0-14-051521-6
- Leonard Feather, Ira Gitler: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press, Oxford usw. 1999; ISBN 978-0-19-532000-8
- John Jörgensen, Erik Wiedemann Jazzlexikon. Mosaik, München, 1967