Tuts Washington
Tuts Washington | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Isidore Washington |
Born | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | January 24, 1907
Died | August 5, 1984 New Orleans | (aged 77)
Genres | Blues, jazz, boogie-woogie |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument | Piano |
Years active | 1920s–1984 |
Labels | Imperial, Rounder, Night Train International Records, 504 Records |
Isidore "Tuts" Washington (January 24, 1907 – August 5, 1984)[1][2] was an American blues pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.[3]
He taught himself to play the piano at age 10 and studied with the New Orleans jazz pianist Joseph Louis "Red" Cayou.[4] In the 1920s and 1930s, he was a leading player for dance bands and Dixieland bands in New Orleans. His style blended elements of ragtime, jazz, blues, and boogie-woogie.[1]
After World War II, Washington joined Smiley Lewis in a trio with drummer Herman Seals.[4] They released several popular songs for Imperial, including "Tee-Nah-Nah", "The Bells Are Ringing", and "Dirty People". Washington moved to St. Louis to play with Tab Smith.[1] He returned to New Orleans in the 1960s, performing in restaurants in the French Quarter, in clubs such as Tipitina's and at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For years he had a regular engagement playing piano at a bar in the Pontchartrain Hotel. He avoided recording for most of his career,[4] but he released the solo piano album New Orleans Piano Professor for Rounder in 1983.[1] A live recording by Washington, Live at Tipitina's '78, was released by Night Train International Records in 1998.[5]
Washington is featured, along with Professor Longhair and Allen Toussaint, in the 1982 documentary film, Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together.
Washington died on August 5, 1984, after having a heart attack while performing at the World's Fair in New Orleans.[1]
Discography
[edit]New Orleans Piano (with Lemon Nash, ukulele and vocal, incorrectly listed as Charles "Little Red" Lajoie, vocal and banjo)* - 504 Records – 504 CD 32
- "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
- "Muskrat Ramble"
- "Fast Blues #1"*
- "Blue Moon"
- "Basin Street Blues"
- "Some of These Days"*
- "Yancey Special #1"
- "After You've Gone"
- "Early One Morning"*
- "Cow Cow Blues"
- "Pinetop's Boogie"
- "Trouble Trouble"*
- "Tack Head Blues"
- "Yancey Special #2"
- "Indiana"*
- "St. Louis Blues[6]
Live At Tipitina's '78 - Night Train International – NTI CD 7101
- "Miss Lucy's Blues"
- "Honky Tonk"
- "Tuts Washington's Blues"
- "Intro & Stardust"
- "When the Saints Come Marching In"
- "Yancey Special"
- "Gravel Road Blues"
- "How High the Moon"
- "Corrine Corrina"
- "Flood Water Blues"
- "Tuts's Rag"
- "Blue Moon"
- "Someone to Watch Over Me"
- "Sweet Georgia Brown"
- "Pool Hall Blues"
- "Tuts's Tee Na Na"
- "Poydras Street"
- "Sweet Georgia Brown" - Reprise
- "After Hours"[5]
Tuts Washington - New Orleans Piano Professor - Rounder Records – Rounder CD 11501
- "When the Saints Go Marching In"
- "Tin Roof Blues"
- "Arkansas Blues"
- "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans"
- "Honky Tonk"
- "Wolverine Blues"
- "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
- "Jambalaya"
- "Misty"
- "Mr. Freddie Blues"
- "Stardust"
- "Frankie and Johnny"
- "Hattie Rogers Blues"
- "Georgia on My Mind"
- "Tee Nah Nah"
- "White Christmas"
- "Forty-Four Blues"
- "Blue Moon"
- "Yancey Special"
- "Tipitina"
- "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White"
- "Santa Fe Blues"
- "Papa Yellow Blues"[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Ankeny, Jason. "Tuts Washington". AllMusic. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
- ^ du Noyer, Paul, ed. (August 22, 2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Flame Tree. p. 181. ISBN 978-1904041702.
- ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 367–9. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
- ^ a b c "Isidore Tuts Washington". Thebluestrail.com. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
- ^ a b "Live at Tipitina's '78 - Tuts Washington". AllMusic. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
- ^ Fancourt, Les; McGrath, Bob (2006). Blues Discography- 1943- 1970. Eyeball Productions. ISBN 0968644570.
- ^ Ford, Robert; McGrath, Bob (2011). The Blues Discography, 1971-2000 : The Later Years : A Selective Discography. Eyeball Productions. ISBN 0986641731.
- 1907 births
- 1984 deaths
- American blues pianists
- American male jazz pianists
- American jazz pianists
- Boogie-woogie pianists
- Rhythm and blues musicians from New Orleans
- Jazz musicians from New Orleans
- Blues musicians from New Orleans
- Louisiana blues musicians
- 20th-century American pianists
- 20th-century American male musicians