Valaida Snow 1904

Trombettista e cantante statunitense (Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2.6.1904 – New York, 30.5.1956). La madre è insegnante di musica e le sorelle, Lavaida (Carter e Alvaida, fanno carriera come cantanti. Solo lei, tuttavia, suona uno strumento, poco apprezzato all’epoca dalle donne: la tromba. La sua carriera comincia nel 1920 ad Atlantic City, Filadelfia e New York (dove si esibisce in particolare al Barron Wilkins’ verso il 1922.) Partecipando a riviste itineranti, Valaida percorre in lungo e in largo gli Stati Uniti prima di imbarcarsi nel 1926 per Shanghai con l’orchestra del batterista Jack Carter (di cui fa parte anche Albert Nicholas). Dopo un soggiorno a Chicago (e una burrascosa relazione con Earl Hines) nel 1929, si esibisce per due anni in Europa dell’Est (URSS compresa), in Germania, in Francia, in Belgio. Partecipando nel 1933 alla Grand Terrace Revue, incide i suoi primi dischi come cantante con i Washboard Rhythm Kings poi, membro dell’edizione 1934 delle riviste Blackbirds, si ritrova in Inghilterra dove, nel 1935, incide con musicisti locali i primi dischi col proprio nome (o, piuttosto, col proprio nome di battesimo). Durante l’estate 1935 lavora a Los Angeles in un duetto insieme al suo primo marito, il ballerino Ananias Berry. Partecipa alle riprese di due film (Take It From Me e Irresistible You) prima di tornare in Europa. La troviamo quindi, dal 1936 al 1940, in Inghilterra (dove continua a incidere), in Belgio, in Francia (dove suona con Django Reinhardt e partecipa alle riprese del film L’imboscata, 1939), in Austria, in Svizzera, nei Paesi Bassi, in Danimarca, in Svezia (in questi ultimi due paesi incide anche alcuni dischi, 1939-40). Arrestata dalla polizia danese nel 1941, viene consegnata ai nazisti e deportata. Passa quasi due anni in un campo di concentramento dove subisce gravi sevizie. Scambiata finalmente con due prigionieri tedeschi, ritorna negli Stati Uniti (1943) e riprende a fatica la sua carriera. La troveremo, dal 1944 al 1956, a New York e in California: partecipa a spettacoli, a film, incide nuovi dischi, passa alla televisione. Mai rimessasi dalla prigionia, muore nel 1956, vittima di un’emorragia cerebrale, poco dopo aver assolto un ultimo ingaggio al Palace Theatre di New York.
Valaida Snow, nel ruolo di cantante, appartiene a quella famiglia di signore dalla voce chiara e fresca, vivace, che comprende Adelaide Hall, Maxine Sullivan, Midge Williams e la sorella Lavaida Carter. Come trombettista, fa pensare a Doc Cheatham e Benny Carter.
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[D.N.]

American trumpeter and singer (Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2.6.1904 - New York, 30.5.1956). Her mother is a music teacher, and her sisters, Lavaida (Carter and Alvaida, make a career as singers. However, only she plays an instrument, little appreciated by women at the time: the trumpet. Her career began in 1920 in Atlantic City, Philadelphia and New York (where he performed in particular at Barron Wilkins' around 1922.) By participating in itinerant shows, Valaida traveled the United States far and wide before embarking in 1926 for Shanghai with the orchestra of drummer Jack Carter (which also includes Albert Nicholas.) After a stay in Chicago (and a stormy relationship with Earl Hines) in 1929, he performed for two years in Eastern Europe (including the USSR), Germany, France, Belgium. Taking part in the Grand Terrace Revue in 1933, she recorded his first records as a singer with the Washboard Rhythm Kings. Then, as a member of the 1934 edition of the Blackbirds shows, she found herself in England where, in 1935, he recorded the first records with his name with local musicians (or, rather, with your first name). During the summer of 1935, she worked in Los Angeles in a duet with her first husband, the dancer Ananias Berry. Participate in the filming of two films (Take It From Me and Irresistible You) before returning to Europe. We find her then, from 1936 to 1940, in England (where it continues to record), in Belgium, in France (where he plays with Django Reinhardt and participates in the filming of the film L’Imboscata, 1939). Then in Austria, in Switzerland, in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden (in the latter two nations also records some records, 1939-40). Arrested by the Danish police in 1941, she was handed over to the Nazis and deported. He spends almost two years in a concentration camp where he suffers severe torture. Finally, exchanged with two German prisoners, she returned to the United States (1943) and barely resumed her career. From 1944 to 1956, she will find her in New York and California: she participates in shows and films, makes new records, and goes on television. Never recovering from captivity, he died in 1956, the victim of a cerebral hemorrhage, shortly after acquiring a final engagement at the Palace Theater in New York.
Valaida Snow, in the role of singer, belongs to that family of ladies with a bright and fresh, lively voice, including Adelaide Hall, Maxine Sullivan, Midge Williams, and her sister Lavaida Carter. As a trumpet player, it makes you think of Doc Cheatham and Benny Carter.
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[D.N.]