Slam Stewart
| Slam Stewart | |
|---|---|
 Slam Stewart, ca. 1946 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leroy Elliott Stewart |
| Born | September 21, 1914 |
| Origin |  Englewood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 1987 (aged 73) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Double bass |
Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart (September 21, 1914 – December 10, 1987) was an African American jazz bass player whose trademark style was his ability to bow the bass (arco) and simultaneously hum or sing an octave higher. He was originally a violin player before switching to bass at the age of 20.
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[edit] Biography
Stewart was born in Englewood, New Jersey in 1914. While attending the Boston Conservatory, he heard Ray Perry singing along with his violin. This gave him the inspiration to follow suit with his bass. In 1937 Stewart teamed with Slim Gaillard to form the novelty jazz act Slim and Slam. The duo's biggest hit was "Flat Foot Floogie (with a Floy Floy)" in 1938 (see 1938 in music).
Stewart found regular session work throughout the 1940s with Lester Young, Fats Waller, Coleman Hawkins, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, Johnny Guarnieri, Red Norvo, Don Byas, the Benny Goodman Sextet, and Beryl Booker, among others. One of the most famous sessions he played on took place in 1945, when Stewart played with Dizzy Gillespie's group (which featured Charlie Parker). Out of those sessions came some of the classics of bebop such as "Groovin' High" and "Dizzy Atmosphere."
Throughout the rest of his career, Stewart worked regularly and employed his unique and enjoyable bass-playing style. He died in 1987 in Binghamton, New York.
[edit] Audio samples
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This sample highlights Slam Stewart's style of bowing and simultaneously singing/humming one octave higher. Stewart's solo picks up at the end of a Charlie Parker saxophone solo, and leads into a trumpet solo by Dizzy Gillespie.
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[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
- Slam Stewart (1971)
- Slamboree (1972)
- Fish Scales (1975)
- Two Big Mice (1977)
- Dialogue (1978)
- Shut Yo' Mouth! (1981)
- The Cats Are Swingin' (1987)
- Slam Bam (2000)
[edit] Compilations
- Bowin' Singin' Slam (1945)
- Memorial Album 1914-1987 (1978)
- 1945-1946 (1997)
- Jumpin' at the Deuces
[edit] Films
- Hellzapoppin' (1941)
- Almost Married (1942)
- Boy! What a Girl! (1947)
