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Claude Jones (February 11, 1901 – January 17, 1962)^[1] was an American jazz trombonist.

Biography

Born in Boley, Oklahoma, United States,^[1] Jones began playing trombone at the age of 13, and studied at Wilberforce College before dropping out in 1922 to join the Synco Jazz Band.^[1] This group eventually evolved into McKinney's Cotton Pickers, where he would play intermittently until 1929.^[1]

From there, Jones played in a variety of noted swing jazz ensembles, including those of Fletcher Henderson (1929–31, 1933–34, 1941–42, 1950), Don Redman (1931–33, 1943), Alex Hill, Chick Webb, and Cab Calloway (1934–40, 1943).^[1] He recorded with Jelly Roll Morton in 1939 and Louis Armstrong/Sidney Bechet in 1940.^[1] In the 1940s, he also played with Coleman Hawkins, Zutty Singleton, Joe Sullivan, Benny Carter, and Duke Ellington (1944–48, 1951).^[1]

After completing his second stint with Ellington, Jones became a mess steward on the ship SS United States, and he died at sea in 1962.^[1]

References

Footnotes

General references

• Claude Jones at AllMusic