James Elbert Raney (August 20, 1927 – May 10, 1995) 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 ...

guitarist, born in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

, United States, known for his work from 1951 to 1952 and then from 1953 to 1954 with the Red Norvo trio (replacing Tal Farlow) and, during the same time period, with

Stan Getz Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetski; February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wis ...

. In 1954 and 1955, he won the ''

DownBeat ''DownBeat'' (styled in all caps) is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1 ...

'' Critics' Poll for guitar. Raney worked in a variety of jazz mediums, including cool jazz,

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...

, post bop, hard bop, and

mainstream jazz Mainstream jazz is a term coined in the 1950s by music journalist Stanley Dance, who considered anything within the popular jazz of the Swing Era "mainstream",McRae, Barry. 2005. "Sound Investment: Mainstream." ''Jazz Journal International'', A ...

. In 1946, he worked for a time as guitarist with the Max Miller Quartet at Elmer's in Chicago, his first paying gig. Raney also worked in the Artie Shaw Orchestra and collaborated with Woody Herman for nine months in 1948. He also collaborated and recorded with

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and 1970s. ...

, Al Haig and later on with Bob Brookmeyer. In 1967, alcoholism and other professional difficulties led him to leave New York City and return to his native Louisville. He resurfaced in the 1970s and also did work with his son Doug, who was also a guitarist. His other son Jon is a jazz pianist and maintains a website
The Raney Legacy
devoted to Jimmy and Doug Raney. Raney lived with Ménière's disease for thirty years, a degenerative condition that led to near deafness in both ears, although this did not stop him from playing. He died of heart failure in Louisville on May 10, 1995. His obituary in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' called him "one of the most gifted and influential postwar jazz guitarists in the world".

Discography

As leader

* '' Jimmy Raney featuring Bob Brookmeyer'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * ''Jimmy Raney in Three Attitudes'' (ABC-Paramount, 1957) * ''The Fourmost Guitars'' with Chuck Wayne, Joe Puma, Dick Garcia (ABC-Paramount, 1957) * '' 2 Guitars'' with

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige Records, Prestige, Blue Note, Verve Records, Verve, CTI Records, CTI, Muse Records, Muse, and Concord Records, Conco ...

(Prestige, 1957) * '' A'' (Prestige, 1958) * ''Jimmy Raney Visits Paris'' (Dawn, 1958) * ''Swingin' in Sweden'' with George Wallington (EmArcy, 1958) * '' Two Jims and Zoot'' ( Mainstream, 1964) * ''Strings & Swings'' (Muse, 1972) * ''Guitaristic'' (Swing 1974) * ''Momentum'' (MPS, 1975) * ''Strings Attached'' with Al Haig (Choice, 1975) * '' The Influence'' (Xanadu, 1975) * '' Live in Tokyo'' (Xanadu, 1976) * ''Special Brew'' with Al Haig (Spotlite, 1976) * ''

Solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity * Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character * Napoleon Solo, fr ...

'' (Xanadu, 1978) * '' Stolen Moments'' with Doug Raney (SteepleChase, 1979) * '' Duets'' (SteepleChase, 1980) * ''Jim & I'' with Attila Zoller (L+R, 1980) * '' Here's That Raney Day'' (Ahead, 1980) * '' Raney '81'' ( Criss Cross, 1981) * ''The Date'' with Martial Solal (Stil Discotheque, 1981) * ''Jim & I Live'' with Attila Zoller (L+R, 1981) * '' Nardis'' with Doug Raney (Steeplechase, 1983) * ''Play Duets with Jimmy Raney'' (JA, 1983) * '' The Master'' (Criss Cross, 1983) * ''The Complete Paris Sessions'' (Vogue, 1984) * ''Together!'' with Sonny Clark (Xanadu, 1986) * ''

Wisteria ''Wisteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae). The genus includes four species of woody twining vines that are native to China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, southern Canada, the Eastern United States, and nor ...

'' (Criss Cross, 1986) * ''Jim & I Live at Quasimodo'' with Attila Zoller (L+R, 1986) * ''But Beautiful'' (Criss Cross, 1992)

As sideman

With Bob Brookmeyer * '' The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer'' (

Prestige Prestige may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films *Prestige (film), ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett: woman travels to French Indochina to meet up with husband *The Prestige (film), ''The Prestige'' (fi ...

, 1955) * '' The Street Swingers'' ( World Pacific, 1958) * '' Trombone Jazz Samba'' ( Verve, 1962) * '' Samba Para Dos'' (Verve, 1963) With Teddy Charles * ''On Campus: Ivy League Jazz Concert'' (Bethlehem, 1960) * '' The Teddy Charles Tentet'' (Atlantic, 1956) * '' Word from Bird'' (Atlantic, 1957) * ''Russia Goes Jazz Swinging'' (United Artists, 1964) With

* '' Stan Getz Plays'' ( Norgran, 1955) – compiles the 10" LPs ''Stan Getz Plays'' (Clef MGC 137) and ''The Artistry of Stan Getz'' (Clef MGC 143). * '' Prezervation'' (Prestige, 1967) * '' The Complete Roost Recordings'' ( Roost/Blue Note/Capitol, 1997) -CD set With Red Norvo * ''Red Norvo Trio'' (Fantasy, 1955) * ''The Red Norvo Trios'' (Fantasy, 1957) * ''Chamber Jazz'' (MCA Coral, 1975) With others *

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...

, ''Belafonte Sings the Blues'' (RCA Victor, 1958) * Ted Brown, '' In Good Company'' (Criss Cross, 1985) * Vinnie Burke, ''The Vinnie Burke All-Stars'' (ABC-Paramount, 1956) * Ralph Burns, ''Spring Sequence'' (Period, 1955) * Ralph Burns, ''Bijou'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * John Carisi, ''The New Jazz Sound of Show Boat'' (Columbia, 1960) *

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...

, '' Mr. Music'' ( RCA Victor, 1955) * Dolo Coker, Bob Mover, Barry Harris, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Raney, ''Anniversary'' (Xanadu, 1985) * Cozy Cole & Jimmy McPartland, ''After Hours'' (Grand Award, 1956) *

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

, ''Concert at Carnegie Hall'' (DJM, 1976) * Terry Gibbs, ''Hootenanny My Way'' (Overseas, 1963) * Urbie Green, '' Blues and Other Shades of Green'' (ABC-Paramount, 1955) * Edmond Hall, ''Rumpus On Rampart Street'' (Mount Vernon, 1959) * Barry Harris, ''Tokyo: 1976'' (Xanadu, 1980) * Eddie Harris, '' Bossa Nova'' (Vee Jay, 1963) *

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel music, gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was ...

, ''Great Gettin' Up Morning'' (Columbia, 1959) * Dick Katz, ''Piano & Pen'' (Atlantic, 1959) *

Irene Kral Irene Kral (January 18, 1932 – August 15, 1978) was an American jazz singer. Life She was born to Czechoslovak parents in Chicago and settled in Los Angeles, California, in the early 1960s. She died from breast cancer in Encino, Los Angeles. ...

, '' SteveIreneo!'' (United Artists, 1959) * Barbara Lea, ''Lea in Love'' (Prestige, 1956) * Mary Ann McCall, ''Detour to the Moon'' (Jubilee, 1958) * Gary McFarland, '' Point of Departure'' (Impulse!, 1964) * Hal McKusick, ''Hal McKusick Plays, Betty St. Claire Sings'' (Juibilee, 1955) * Hal McKusick, ''The Jazz Workshop'' (RCA Victor, 1957) * Charles McPherson, '' Live in Tokyo'' (Xanadu, 1976) * Helen Merrill, '' The Artistry of Helen Merrill'' (Mainstream, 1965) *

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album '' The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signi ...

, '' Full Nelson'' (Verve, 1963) * Dave Pike, '' Limbo Carnival'' (New Jazz, 1962) * Dave Pike, '' Dave Pike Plays the Jazz Version of Oliver!'' (Moodsville, 1963) * Dannie Richmond, '' "In" Jazz for the Culture Set'' (Impulse!, 1965) * Aaron Sachs, ''Clarinet and Co.'' (Rama, 1957) *

Lalo Schifrin Boris Claudio "Lalo" Schifrin (born June 21, 1932) is an Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor. He is best known for his large body of film and TV scores since the 1950s, incorporating jazz and Music of Latin America, Lati ...

, '' Lalo = Brilliance'' (Roulette, 1962) * Shirley Scott, '' Latin Shadows'' (Impulse!, 1965) *

Cal Tjader Callen Radcliffe Tjader Jr. ( ; July 16, 1925 – May 5, 1982) was an American Latin Jazz musician, often described as the most successful non-Latino Latin music (genre), Latin musician. He explored other jazz idioms, especially small group mod ...

, '' Warm Wave'' (Verve, 1964) * Lennie Tristano &

, ''Crosscurrents'' (Capitol, 1972) * Lennie Tristano & Buddy DeFranco, ''Cool & Quiet'' (Capitol, 1982) * Phil Woods, ''Early Quintets'' (Prestige, 1969)

References

External links

*
Jimmy Raney website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raney, Jimmy 1927 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American guitarists Hard bop guitarists Mainstream jazz guitarists Bebop guitarists Cool jazz guitarists American jazz guitarists Musicians from Louisville, Kentucky SteepleChase Records artists Xanadu Records artists Prestige Records artists Criss Cross Jazz artists Pausa Records artists Muse Records artists Jazz musicians from Kentucky Guitarists from Kentucky American male guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Orchestra U.S.A. members Black & Blue Records artists People with Ménière's disease

Discography

As leader

As sideman

See also

References

External links