Claude Hopkins
A talented stride pianist, Claude Hopkins never became as famous as he deserved. He was a bandleader early on, and toured Europe in the mid-'20s as the musical director for Josephine Baker. Hopkins returned to the U.S. in 1926, led his own groups, and in 1930 took over Charlie Skeete's band. Between 1932-1935, he recorded steadily with his big band (all of the music has been reissued on three Classics CDs), which featured Jimmy Mundy arrangements and such fine soloists as trumpeter/vocalist Ovie Alston, trombonist Fernando Arbello, a young Edmond Hall on clarinet, and baritone and tenorman Bobby Sands, along with the popular high-note vocals of Orlando Roberson. The orchestra's recordings are a bit erratic, with more than their share of mistakes from the ensembles and a difficulty in integrating Hopkins' powerhouse piano with the full group, but they are generally quite enjoyable. Mundy's eccentric "Mush Mouth" is a classic, and Hopkins introduced his best-known original, "I Would Do Anything for You." Although they played regularly at Roseland (1931-1935) and the Cotton Club (1935-1936), and there were further sessions in 1937 and 1940, the Claude Hopkins big band never really caught on and ended up breaking up at the height of the swing era. Hopkins did lead a later, unrecorded big band (1944-1947), but mostly worked with small groups for the remainder of his career. He played with Red Allen's group during the second half of the 1950s, led his own band during 1960-1966, and in 1968 was in the Jazz Giants with Wild Bill Davison. Claude Hopkins led an obscure record for 20th Century Fox (1958) and three Swingville albums (1960-1963), but his best later work were solo stride dates for Chiaroscuro and Sackville (both in 1972), and a trio session for Black & Blue in 1974; it is surprising that his piano skills were not more extensively documented.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Golden Era Of Dixieland Jazz
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 1 feb. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Safari Stomp
Jazz - Released by Disques Black & Blue on 1 jan. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Big Bands of Jazz, Claude Hopkins 1932-1935
Jazz - Released by SendDigital on 1 dec. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Special Rhapsody Masters
Jazz - Released by Special Rhapsody Masters TM on 24 okt. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just You Just Me
Jazz - Released by Jazz League Music on 21 jul. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Apologize
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on 1 jan. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Transcription Performances 1935
Jazz - Released by Hep Records on 19 mei 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Complete Jazz Series 1932 - 1934
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 16 feb. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Stormy Weather
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on 2 apr. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Everything You Need to Know from Claude Hopkins' Scientific Advertising
Claude Hopkins, Anne Emerick, John Merriam
Educational - Released by Claude Hopkins on 1 aug. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Scientific Advertising
Divers - Released by Mind Kontrol on 1 jan. 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1937 - 1940
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 16 feb. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1934 - 1935
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 16 feb. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Everybody Shuffle
Pop - Released by Unique Musique on 1 nov. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Claude Hopkins 1932-34
Jazz - Released by Documents on 1 sep. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Claude Hopkins 1934-35
Jazz - Released by Documents on 1 sep. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo