Eugene Hall Cedric June 17, 1907,

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

– April 3, 1963, New York City) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. He acquired the nickname "Honey Bear" in the 1930s because of his large camelhair coat.

Life

Sedric's father played

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

piano. Sedric played with Charlie Creath in his hometown and then with Fate Marable, Dewey Jackson, Ed Allen, and Julian Arthur. He joined

Sam Wooding Samuel David Wooding (17 June 1895–1 August 1985) was an American jazz pianist, arranger and bandleader living and performing in Europe and the United States. Career Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, between 1921 and 19 ...

's Orchestra in 1925, and toured Europe with him until 1931, when the unit dissolved. He returned to New York City and played with

Fletcher Henderson James Fletcher Hamilton Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952) was an American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, important in the development of big band jazz and swing music. He was one of the most prolific black musical ...

and Alex Hill, then joined

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, and singer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano. A widely popular star ...

's Rhythm in 1934, remaining in Waller's employ until 1942. When Waller went on solo tours Sedric found work gigging alongside Mezz Mezzrow (1937) and

Don Redman Donald Matthew Redman (July 29, 1900 – November 30, 1964) was an American jazz musician, arranger, bandleader, and composer. Biography Redman was born in Piedmont, Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. His father was a music teacher ...

(1938-39). Sedric put together his own group in 1943, then played with Phil Moore in 1944 and

Hazel Scott Hazel Dorothy Scott (June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was a Trinidadian jazz and classical pianist and singer. An outspoken critic of racial discrimination and segregation, she used her influence to improve the representation of Black America ...

in 1945. He put together another ensemble from 1946 to 1951, playing in New York. Later associations include time with Pat Flowers (1946–47),

Bobby Hackett Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was a versatile American jazz musician who played swing music, Dixieland jazz and mood music, now called easy listening, on trumpet, cornet, and guitar. He played Swing with the bands ...

(1951), Jimmy McPartland, Mezzrow again (1953),

Conrad Janis Conrad Janis (February 11, 1928 – March 1, 2022) was an American jazz trombonist and actor who starred in film and television during the Golden Age Era in the 1950s and 1960s, and continued acting right up until 2012. He played the role of Mi ...

(1953), and

Dick Wellstood Richard MacQueen Wellstood (November 25, 1927 – July 24, 1987) was an American jazz pianist. Career He was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States. Wellstood's mother was a graduate of the Juilliard School who played church organ. Wellst ...

(1961). Sedric recorded sparingly as a leader, in 1938, 1946, and with Mezzrow in 1953. American filmmaker

Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...

describes taking lessons from Sedric as a young man, "But the clarinet I mostly played by myself. I called up a jazz musician—quite a well known jazz musician named Gene Sedric, and asked him if he could give me some lessons. And he used to come to my house and he would just sit in the living room with me and play something and say: 'You do it now'. And, and gradually I learned how to ah, how to play."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sedric, Gene 1907 births 1963 deaths American jazz clarinetists American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Jazz musicians from Missouri 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians