Jimmy Yancey

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Jimmy Yancey
Birth name James Edwards Yancey
Born (1894-02-20)February 20, 1894
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died September 17, 1951(1951-09-17) (aged 57)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres Boogie-woogie
Instruments Piano
Years active 1939–1950
Labels Atlantic
Associated acts Jimmy and Mama Yancey

James Edwards "Jimmy" Yancey (February 20, 1894 – September 17, 1951)[1][2][3] was an African American boogie-woogie pianist, composer, and lyricist. One reviewer noted him as "one of the pioneers of this raucous, rapid-fire, eight-to-the-bar piano style".[2]

Contents

Biography[edit]

Yancey was born in Chicago in (depending on the source) 1894,[2] or 1898.[3] His older brother, Alonzo Yancey (1894 – 1944) was also a pianist, while their father was a guitarist. Yancey started performing as a singer in traveling shows during his childhood. He was a noted pianist by 1915, and influenced younger musicians, such as Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons.[1][2]

While he played in a boogie-woogie style, with a strong-repeated figure in the left hand and melodic decoration in the right hand, his playing was delicate and subtle, rather than hard driving. He popularized a left hand figure which became known as the 'Yancey bass', and was later used in Pee Wee Crayton's "Blues After Hours", Guitar Slim's "The Things That I Used to Know" and many other songs.[4] Part of Yancey's distinctive style was that he played in a variety of keys but ended some pieces in E flat, even if it was in another key. And he favored keys atypical for barrelhouse blues, like E flat and A flat.[1]

Although Yancey didn't record in the twenties, he only performed at houseparties and clubs then, his influence was as great as ever. Only in 1939 Yancey made his first recordings, which immediately caused a great stir in Blues and Jazz circles.[5]

Most of his recordings were of solo piano, but late in his career he also recorded with vocals by his wife, Estelle Yancey, under the billing 'Jimmy and Mama Yancey'.[4] They appeared in concert at the Carnegie Hall in 1948.[1] In 1951, the twosome recorded the first album that was released by Atlantic Records the following year.[1]

During World War I, Yancey played baseball in a Negro league baseball team, the Chicago All-Americans. Throughout his life, Yancey kept a job as groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox.[4]

Yancey died of a stroke secondary to diabetes in Chicago on September 17, 1951.[3] He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.[3]

Discography[edit]

Singles[edit]

Year Title Label and Number
1939 Beezum Blues Solo Art - unissued
1939 Big Bear Train Solo Art - unissued
1939 Janie's Joys Solo Art - unissued
1939 Jimmy’s Stuff Solo Art 12008
1939 How Long Blues Solo Art - unissued
1939 How Long Blues No. 2 Solo Art - unissued
1939 Lean Bacon Solo Art - unissued
1939 LaSalle Street Breakdown Solo Art - unissued
1939 Lucille's Lament Solo Art - unissued
1939 P.L.K. Special Solo Art - unissued
1939 Rolling The Stone Solo Art - unissued
1939 South Side Stuff Solo Art - unissued
1939 Steady Rock Blues Solo Art - unissued
1939 Two O'Clock Blues Solo Art - unissued
1939 The Fives Solo Art 12008
1939 Yancy Getaway Solo Art - unissued
1939 Yancy Limited Solo Art - unissued
1939 Five O'Clock Blues Victor 26590-A
1939 Slow and Easy Blues Victor 26591-B
1939 State Street Special Victor 26589-A
1939 Tell 'Em About Me Victor 26590-B
1939 The Mellow Blues Victor 26591-A
1939 Yancy Stomp Victor 26589-B
1940 Bear Trap Blues Vocalion 05490
1940 Crying In My Sleep Bluebird B-8630
1940 Death Letter Blues Bluebird B-8630
1940 I Love To Hear My Baby Call My Name Gannet 5138
1940 Old Quaker Blues Vocalion 05490
1940 35th and Dearborn Victor 27238-B
1940 Yancey's Bugle Call Victor 27238-A
1943 Boodlin' Session 10-001
1943 Jimmy's Rocks Session 10-001
1943 Yancey's Mixture Session - unissued

Selected albums[edit]

  • 1974 - The Immortal Jimmy Yancey 1898-1951, Oldie Blues, OL 2802
  • 1980 - The Immortal Jimmy Yancey 1898-1951 Vol. 2, Oldie Blues, OL 2813

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Biography by Chris Kelsey". Allmusic.com. Retrieved August 11, 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 165. ISBN 1-904041-96-5. 
  3. ^ a b c d Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed August 2011
  4. ^ a b c Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 193–194. ISBN 1-85868-255-X. 
  5. ^ Olderen, Martin van, The Immortal Jimmy Yancey 1898-1951, liner notes, Oldie Blues, OL 2802, 1974

External links[edit]