James Douglas "Trump" Davidson (November 26, 1908 - May 2, 1978) was a

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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 ...

bandleader and cornetist. Davidson formed one of Canada's earliest jazz bands in 1925, under the name The Melody Five. From 1929 to 1936 he played in

Luigi Romanelli Luigi Romanelli (July 21, 1751March 1, 1839) was an Italian opera librettist. Romanelli was born in Rome. He wrote tens of librettos, most of them for operas to be performed at La Scala in Milan. In the same city he was professor of declamation ...

's orchestra, then led a dance band from 1937 to 1942, which broadcast on NBC and toured in the UK with

Ray Noble Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 3 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United S ...

in 1938–39. He worked in Horace Lapp's orchestra in 1942, then led a dance band in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

at the Palace Pier from 1944 until 1962. This group appeared often on

CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...

radio and recorded several times during the 1960s. He led a

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

from 1974 to 1978, also singing with this group.

References

*Jack Litchfield, "Trump Davidson". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 1908 births 1978 deaths Canadian jazz bandleaders Musicians from Greater Sudbury 20th-century Canadian male musicians {{Jazz-musician-stub