Darnell Howard 1895

Clarinettista, sassofonista e violinista statunitense (Chicago, Illinois, 25.7.1895 – San Francisco, California, 2.9.1966). Proviene da una famiglia di musicisti, comincia a studiare il pianoforte con Charlie Elgar ed esordisce a Milwaukee (1913), suona quindi a Minneapolis e al Lamb’s Café a Chicago (1916). Registra al violino con W.C. Handy (1917), dirige la sua orchestra e dà una serie di concerti nel Midwest con Charlie Elgar (1921). Va a Londra con James P. Johnson e la rivista Plantation Days (1923).

Lavora con Carroll Dickerson a Chicago, poi con Dave Peyton, prima di entrare a far parte dei Dixie Syncopators di King Oliver. Accompagna i New York Singing Syncopators a Shanghai, nelle Filippine e in Giappone. Poi ritorna da King Oliver (1926), da Erskine Tate (1926-27) e Carroll Dickerson (1927), Jimmy Wade (1928), a capo del suo quartetto a Chicago, con Charlie Elgar al Savoy di Harlem (1928), con Dave Peyton (1929-30), mentre dirige anche la sua Jungle Band al Ritz Café.

Entra a far parte della grande orchestra di Earl Hines (1931-37), poi si esibisce nei diversi club di Chicago con il suo gruppo (1938-40 e 1943-45), con Fletcher Henderson e Coleman Hawkins (1941), Kid Ory in California (1945), Doc Evans e Mel Grant a Chicago, Muggsy Spanier in California (1948-53), Bob Scobey (1950), Jimmy Archey (1954). Ritrova la piccola formazione di Earl Hines dal 1954 al 1962. In seguito riprende a dirigere un’orchestra, suona con Elmer Snowden, il pianista Burt Bales e ritorna in Europa con la New Orleans All Stars nel 1966.

Per quanto sia nato e si sia formato musicalmente altrove, è la scuola di New Orleans del clarinetto che lo ricollega a Darnell Howard; la sua sonorità è molto vicina a quella dei creoli, fluida e cristallina, la sua dinamica esecuzione può evocare quella di Jimmie None. Con Joe Venuti, egli è stato il primo violinista importante nella storia del jazz e a questo titolo ha influenzato Eddie South.
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[J.P.D.]

American clarinetist, saxophonist, and violinist (Chicago, Illinois, 25.7.1895 - San Francisco, California, 2.9.1966). He comes from a family of musicians and begins to study the piano with Charlie Elgar and debuts in Milwaukee (1913) and then plays in Minneapolis and Lamb's Café in Chicago (1916). Record on violin with W.C. Handy (1917) directs his orchestra and gives a series of concerts in the Midwest with Charlie Elgar (1921). He goes to London with James P. Johnson and Plantation Days show (1923).

He worked with Carroll Dickerson in Chicago, then with Dave Peyton, before joining King Oliver's Dixie Syncopators. He accompanies the New York Singing Syncopators in Shanghai, the Philippines, and Japan. Then he returns to King Oliver (1926), Erskine Tate (1926-27) and Carroll Dickerson (1927), Jimmy Wade (1928), head of his quartet in Chicago, with Charlie Elgar at Harlem Savoy (1928), with Dave Peyton (1929-30), while also directing his Jungle Band at the Ritz Café.

He joined the great orchestra of Earl Hines (1931-37). He performed in the various clubs of Chicago with his group (1938-40 and 1943-45), with Fletcher Henderson and Coleman Hawkins (1941), Kid Ory in California (1945), Doc Evans and Mel Grant in Chicago, Muggsy Spanier in California (1948-53), Bob Scobey (1950), Jimmy Archey (1954). He found Earl Hines' small line-up from 1954 to 1962. He later resumed conducting an orchestra, played with Elmer Snowden, pianist Burt Bales, and returned to Europe with the New Orleans All Stars in 1966.

As much as he was born and trained musically elsewhere, it is the New Orleans school of clarinet that links him to Darnell Howard; its sound is very close to that of the Creoles, fluid and crystalline, its dynamic performance can evoke that of Jimmie None. With Joe Venuti, he was the first significant violinist in the history of jazz and influenced Eddie South.
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[J.P.D.]