Jacques Butler (sometimes Jack Butler) (April 29, 1909 – 2003) 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 ...

trumpeter and vocalist. Butler was raised in

Washington, DC Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

, where he picked up trumpet in his late teens. He played with Cliff Jackson and

Horace Henderson Horace W. Henderson (November 22, 1904 – August 29, 1988), the younger brother of Fletcher Henderson, was an American jazz pianist, organist, arranger, and bandleader. Henderson was born in Cuthbert, Georgia, United States. While later at ...

in New York City, then joined Marion Hardy's Alabamians in 1931-32. He led his own ensemble in 1934-1935 and made recordings with

Willie Bryant William Stevens Bryant (August 30, 1908 – February 9, 1964) was an American jazz bandleader, vocalist, and disc jockey, known as the "Mayor of Harlem". Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, while growing up he took trumpet lesso ...

before relocating to Europe in 1936. There he played for several years with

Willie Lewis William T. Lewis ''(né'' Willie Meria Tawlton Lewis; 10 June 1905 – 13 January 1971) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. Career Lewis was born Cleburne, Texas, United States. He grew up in Dallas and played in variety shows as ...

, as well as with Frank "Big Boy" Goudie and with his own bands. In 1940 he was in New York again, where he played with

Mercer Ellington Mercer Kennedy Ellington (March 11, 1919 – February 8, 1996) was an American musician, composer, and arranger. His father was Duke Ellington, whose band Mercer led for 20 years after his father's death. Biography Early life and education Elli ...

Art Hodes Arthur W. Hodes (November 14, 1904 – March 4, 1993), was a Russian-born American jazz and blues pianist. He is regarded by many critics as the greatest white blues pianist. Biography Hodes was born in Nikolaev, in the Russian Empire (now Myk ...

Mezz Mezzrow Milton Mesirow (November 9, 1899 – August 5, 1972), better known as Mezz Mezzrow, was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist from Chicago, Illinois. He is remembered for organizing and financing recording sessions with Tommy Ladnier ...

, and

Bingie Madison Bingie Madison (October 12, 1901 – July 1978) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Madison began his career as a pianist, based in Des Moines, Iowa, and then touring Canada and California in 1921. He played with Bobby Brown ( ...

. After a brief stay in Toronto he moved back to Europe in 1950, remaining there until 1968 as a regular at the La Cigale club in Paris. In the 1970s he worked often in New York, as a sideman with Clyde Bernhardt among others.

References

*"Jacques Butler". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.

Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Jacques 1909 births 2003 deaths American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American jazz singers Musicians from Washington, D.C. 20th-century American singers 20th-century American trumpeters 20th-century American male singers American male jazz musicians