Sammy Benskin
Encyclopedia
Samuel "Sammy" Benskin was an African American pianist and bandleader.
He was born in The Bronx
, New York City
, and made his professional debut around 1940 as piano accompanist to singer and guitarist Bardu Ali
. He worked throughout the 1940s with jazz musicians including Stuff Smith
, Benny Morton
and Don Redman
. By the early 1950s he had begun leading his own piano trio, as well as appearing as a soloist and as accompanist to singers including Roy Hamilton
and Al Hibbler
. In 1954 he also joined a group, The Three Flames. Later in the 1950s he worked as accompanist to Dinah Washington
.
In 1959, with a band credited as The Spacemen, he recorded an instrumental, "The Clouds", written and produced by Julius Dixson
and issued on Dixson's Alton record label. Other session musicians playing on the record were Panama Francis, Haywood Henry
, and Babe Clark. The song originally had vocals, which Dixson removed, releasing the instrumental version This rose to # 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and # 41 on the pop chart. "The Clouds" was the first number one on any chart released by an African-American owned independent record label, predating Motown's first # 1 by a year.
From the 1960s Benskin worked primarily as a vocal coach, arranger and producer. In 1986 he recorded an album in Paris for the Black & Blue record label, These Foolish Songs, which was reissued on CD in 2002. He died in Teaneck, New Jersey
, aged 69.
He was born in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and made his professional debut around 1940 as piano accompanist to singer and guitarist Bardu Ali
Bardu Ali
Bardu Ali was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an American jazz and rhythm and blues singer and guitarist, and a musical promoter....
. He worked throughout the 1940s with jazz musicians including Stuff Smith
Stuff Smith
Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith , better known as Stuff Smith, was a jazz violinist. He is known well for the song "If You're a Viper".-Biography:...
, Benny Morton
Benny Morton
Benny Morton , born in New York City, was a jazz trombonist most associated with the swing genre. He was praised by fellow trombonist Bill Watrous among others. One of his first jobs was working with Clarence Holiday, and he appeared with Clarence's daughter Billie Holiday towards the end of her...
and Don Redman
Don Redman
Donald Matthew Redman was an American jazz musician, arranger, bandleader and composer.Redman was announced as a member of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame on May 6, 2009....
. By the early 1950s he had begun leading his own piano trio, as well as appearing as a soloist and as accompanist to singers including Roy Hamilton
Roy Hamilton
Roy Hamilton was an American singer, who achieved major success in the US R&B and pop charts in the 1950s...
and Al Hibbler
Al Hibbler
Albert George "Al" Hibbler was an American baritone vocalist, who sang with Duke Ellington's orchestra before having several pop hits as a solo artist. Some of his singing is classified as rhythm and blues, but he is best classified as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music...
. In 1954 he also joined a group, The Three Flames. Later in the 1950s he worked as accompanist to Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
.
In 1959, with a band credited as The Spacemen, he recorded an instrumental, "The Clouds", written and produced by Julius Dixson
Julius Dixson
Julius Edward Dixson was an African-American songwriter and record company executive.-Life and work:...
and issued on Dixson's Alton record label. Other session musicians playing on the record were Panama Francis, Haywood Henry
Haywood Henry
Frank Haywood Henry was an American jazz baritone saxophonist. He was a 1978 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame....
, and Babe Clark. The song originally had vocals, which Dixson removed, releasing the instrumental version This rose to # 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and # 41 on the pop chart. "The Clouds" was the first number one on any chart released by an African-American owned independent record label, predating Motown's first # 1 by a year.
From the 1960s Benskin worked primarily as a vocal coach, arranger and producer. In 1986 he recorded an album in Paris for the Black & Blue record label, These Foolish Songs, which was reissued on CD in 2002. He died in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, aged 69.