Vic (Victor) Dickenson (August 6, 1906 - November 16, 1984) was an African-American
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
trombonist. Dickenson's career started out in the 1920s and led him through musical partnerships with such legends as
Count BasieWilliam "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time, Basie led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years...
(1940-41),
Sidney BechetSidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist of any sort...
(1941) and
Earl HinesEarl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early life:...
. Also a
soloistIn music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
of wide acclaim, Vic Dickenson was known for the distinctive sound he coaxed out of the
tromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
.
He studied Organ from 1922 but changed to Trombone with local bands.
Vic (Victor) Dickenson (August 6, 1906 - November 16, 1984) was an African-American
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
trombonist. Dickenson's career started out in the 1920s and led him through musical partnerships with such legends as
Count BasieWilliam "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time, Basie led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years...
(1940-41),
Sidney BechetSidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist of any sort...
(1941) and
Earl HinesEarl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early life:...
. Also a
soloistIn music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
of wide acclaim, Vic Dickenson was known for the distinctive sound he coaxed out of the
tromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
.
He studied Organ from 1922 but changed to Trombone with local bands. Vic made his recording debut in December, 1930, as a vocalist with Luis Russell's band. He later joined Blanche Calloway's Orchestra in the early 1930s. Led his own groups both in east & west coast between 1947 to mid fifties. From then he was a session man for many legendary dates, among them CBS Sound Of Jazz 1957 with many great jazz musicians including:
Count BasieWilliam "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time, Basie led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years...
,
Coleman HawkinsColeman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was the first important jazz musician to use the instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
,
Roy EldridgeRoy David Eldridge , nicknamed "Little Jazz" was an American jazz trumpet player. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos and his strong influence on Dizzy Gillespie mark him as one of the most exciting musicians of the swing era and a...
,
Gerry MulliganGerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger.Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history - playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz - he was also a notable...
, Billie Holliday.
He was a favorite of many musicians, in large part because of the melodic sound he got from his horn, and for a keen sense of humor which was often evident in his playing.
Dickenson recorded several albums, many of which are still in print. But if you're looking for more ,listen to these recordings under the name of other jazz musicians with Vic as a sideman:
Jimmy RushingJames Andrew Rushing was an American blues shouter and swing jazz singer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, best known as the featured vocalist of Count Basie's Orchestra from 1935 to 1948.....
(Vanguard Rec.),
Coleman HawkinsColeman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was the first important jazz musician to use the instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
(Capitol Rec.),
Pee Wee RussellCharles Ellsworth Russell, much better known by his nickname Pee Wee Russell, was a jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but eventually focused solely on clarinet...
(Black Lion Rec.),
Benny CarterBennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
(BlueBird & Black & Blue Rec.),
Lester YoungLester Willis Young nicknamed "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He was also known to play the trumpet, violin, and drums....
(Blue Note & Verve Rec.),
Count BasieWilliam "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time, Basie led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years...
(Columbia & Pablo Rec.),
Sidney BechetSidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist of any sort...
(BlueBird, Black & Blue & Blue Note Rec.)
At one time he was a member of "The World's Greatest Jazz Band," which was the house band at The Roosevelt Grill in NYC. He also performed at the same venue in a smaller group that featured Dickenson with trumpeter Bobby Hackett.
Dickenson, for all his lively musical talent, was a laconic man who often liked to be alone between sets.
During his long time association with bands playing at Eddie Condon's, he would often retire to a single chair which sat in a small alcove just outside the men's room, instead of gathering with fellow musicians in the band room. When men mistook him for the men's room attendant and offered him dollars, he took them.
Dickenson was born in
Xenia-Thing or concept:* Xenia , the ancient Greek concept of hospitality* Xenia motif, the representation of a host's generosity to his guests* Xenia epigram, an epigram accompanying a present or gift* Xenia , a genus of coral...
,
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state of the United States. The thirty-fourth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the seventh-most populous with nearly 11.5 million residents...
and died in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
.