Dave Tough (April 26, 1907 – December 9, 1948) was an American jazz drummer associated with

Dixieland Dixieland jazz, also referred to as traditional jazz, hot jazz, or simply Dixieland, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. The 1917 recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band ...

and

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing ri ...

jazz in the 1930s and 1940s.

Biography

Born in Oak Park,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

, United States, Tough was a friend of Bud Freeman, who was part of a group of musicians known as the Austin High School Gang in Chicago. In 1925, he became a professional musician, playing with Jack Gardner, Art Kassel, Sig Meyers, and Husk O'Hare's Wolverines. After two years in Europe, he returned home and played with

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...

and Red Nichols. He left music for three years until 1935, then joined the big bands of

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...

, Red Norvo,

Bunny Berigan Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (November 2, 1908 – June 2, 1942) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader who rose to fame during the swing era. His career and influence were shortened by alcoholism, and ended with his early demise at the ...

, and Benny Goodman. He played

jazz with Bud Freeman,

Jack Teagarden Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden (August 20, 1905 – January 15, 1964) was an American jazz trombonist and singer. According to critic Scott Yannow of Allmusic, Teagarden was the preeminent American jazz trombone player before the bebop era of the 1 ...

Eddie Condon Albert Edwin Condon (November 16, 1905 – August 4, 1973) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in Chicago jazz, he also played piano and sang. Early years Condon was born in Goodland, Indiana, the son of J ...

, Mezz Mezzrow, and Joe Marsala. In the 1940s, he played with the big bands of

Charlie Spivak Charlie Spivak (February 17, 1907 – March 1, 1982) was an American trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his big band in the 1940s. Early life The details of Spivak's birth are unclear. Some sources place it in Ukraine in 1907, and that h ...

and Claude Thornhill, in

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

's Symphonic Swing Orchestra (1941) and the subsequent naval band led by

Shaw Shaw may refer to: Places Australia *Shaw, Queensland Canada * Shaw Street, a street in Toronto England *Shaw, Berkshire, a village * Shaw, Greater Manchester, a location in the parish of Shaw and Crompton * Shaw, Swindon, a suburb of Swindon ...

(1942-1944), then joined

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

's big band (1945). He subsequently worked with

, Jerry Gray, Muggsy Spanier, Will Bradley and

Jazz at the Philharmonic Jazz at the Philharmonic, or JATP (1944–1983), was the title of a series of jazz concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz. Over the years, "Jazz at the Philharmonic" featured many of the era's preeminent musicians, including Lou ...

. Tough struggled with epilepsy throughout his life. He died at the age of 41 after falling down and hitting his head on the street in Newark, New Jersey. "...(Woody) Herman told (Ed) Soph that Dave Tough was an epileptic. This condition wasn't fully understood in the twenties and thirties. In many instances it was considered a mental deficency. As a recommended aid in reducing the epileptic attacks, Tough drank... ...One cold icy evening in the winter of 1949, Dave Tough was out walking on leave from a stay at a Veterans Hospital. He had an epileptic attack, fell hitting his head on the sidewalk and was dead." He was played by Shelly Manne in the 1959

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

biopic '' The Five Pennies'', a biography of Red Nichols starring

Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...

Barbara Bel Geddes Barbara Bel Geddes (October 31, 1922 – August 8, 2005) was an American stage and screen actress, artist, and children's author whose career spanned almost five decades. She was best known for her starring role as Miss Ellie Ewing in the te ...

, and

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and Singing, vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and se ...

Critical reception

Dave Tough has been described as "the most important of the drummers of the Chicago circle"., p. 286

Awards and honors

In 2000, he was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.

Discography

With

* ''Tribute to Dorsey Vol. 1'' (RCA 1956) * ''Tribute to Dorsey Vol. 2'' (RCA Victor, 1957) * ''Yes Indeed!'' (RCA Victor, 1956) With

* ''Trio Quartet Quintet'' (RCA Victor, 1956) * ''This Is Benny Goodman and His Orchestra'' (RCA Victor, 1956) * ''Charlie Christian'' (Philips, 1959) * ''Performance 1937-1938 Volume 2'' (MGM, 1959) * ''Swing, Swing, Swing'' (RCA Camden, 1960) * ''Portrait in Swing'' (Verve, 1964) * ''This Is Benny Goodman'' (RCA Victor, 1971) * ''Goodman On the Air'' (Nostalgia, 1979) * '' The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings'' (RCA Victor, 1997) With

Charlie Ventura Charlie Ventura (born Charles Venturo; December 2, 1916 – January 17, 1992) was an American tenor saxophonist and bandleader from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Career During the 1940s, Ventura played saxophone for the bands o ...

* ''Jumping with Ventura'' (EmArcy, 1955) * ''Carnegie Hall Concert'' (Columbia, 1956) * ''East of Suez'' (Regent, 1958) * ''Live at the Three Deuces!'' with Bill Harris (Phoenix Jazz, 1975) * ''Aces at the Deuces'' with Bill Harris (Phoenix Jazz, 1976) * ''Euphoria'' (Savoy, 1980) * ''Live at the Three Deuces Vol. 2'' with Bill Harris (HighNote, 2000) With others * Mildred Bailey, ''Her Greatest Performances 1929–1946'' (Columbia, 1962) *

, ''Bunny Berigan Volume 2'' (Shoestring, 1975) * George Brunies & Wild Bill Davison, ''Tin Roof Blues'' (Commodore, 1980) *

Charlie Christian Charles Henry Christian (July 29, 1916 – March 2, 1942) was an American swing and jazz guitarist. Christian was an important early performer on the electric guitar and a key figure in the development of bebop and cool jazz. He gained nat ...

, ''Solo Flight'' (Columbia, 1972) *

, ''A Legend'' (Mainstream, 1965) * Bud Freeman, ''Midnight at Eddie Condon's'' (Emarcy, 1955) *

, ''The Thundering Herds'' (Columbia, 1961) * Woody Herman, ''The Turning Point 1943–1944'' (Coral, 1969) * Joe Marsala, ''Joe Marsala and His Orchestra featuring Adele Girard'' (Aircheck, 1976) * Joe Marsala, ''Lower Register'' (IAJRC, 1981) * Flip Phillips, ''A Melody from the Sky'' (Bob Thiele Music, 1975) *

Alvino Rey Alvin McBurney (July 1, 1908 – February 24, 2004), known by his stage name Alvino Rey, was an American jazz guitarist and bandleader. Career Alvin McBurney was born in Oakland, California, United States, but grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Early i ...

, ''Uncollected 1946'' (Hindsight, 1978) *

, ''Born to Swing'' (Durium, 1976) * Artie Shaw, ''Evensong'' (Hep, 2000) *

Rex Stewart Rex William Stewart Jr. (February 22, 1907 – September 7, 1967) was an American jazz cornetist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Career As a boy he studied piano and violin; most of his career was spent on cornet. Stewart drop ...

, ''Rex Stewart and the Ellingtonians'' (Riverside, 1960) *

, ''Jack Teagarden'' (RCA Victor, 1966) * Jack Teagarden, ''King of the Blues Trombone'' (Epic/Columbia, 1963) * Claude Thornhill, ''Buster's Last Stand'' (Hep, 2001) *

Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...

, ''Ben and the Boys'' (Jazz Archives, 1976)

References

External links

Dave Tough recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

.
Drummerworld (Mostly the same as Yanow's, but with pictures and birthdate)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tough, Dave 1907 births 1948 deaths American jazz drummers Dixieland jazz musicians Musicians from Chicago Musicians from Oak Park, Illinois 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Jazz musicians from Illinois 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians