Harold Baker
Harold "Shorty" Baker (May 26, 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri, US – November 8, 1966) was an American jazz trumpeter. Baker began on drums, but switched to trumpet during his teens. He started his career on riverboats and played with Don Redman in the mid-1930s. He also worked with Teddy Wilson and Andy Kirk before joining Duke Ellington. He married Kirk's pianist Mary Lou Williams and though the two separated shortly thereafter, they never officially divorced. Baker worked on and off in Duke Ellington's Orchestra from 1942 to 1962. He also worked with Johnny Hodges's group in the early 1950s, during the period when Hodges was not a member of Ellington's orchestra. He died of throat cancer in New York at the age of 52. |
Birth and Death Data: Born May 26, 1914 (St. Louis), Died November 8, 1966 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1959
Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 80 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decca | 68546 | 10-in. | 1/3/1941 | Cuban boogie woogie | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 68547 | 10-in. | 1/3/1941 | A dream dropped in | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 68548 | 10-in. | 1/3/1941 | Is it a sin (lovin' you) ? | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 68549 | 10-in. | 1/3/1941 | Ring dem bells | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 69519 | 10-in. | 7/17/1941 | Big time grip-1 | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 69520 | 10-in. | 7/17/1941 | 47th Street jive | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 69521 | 10-in. | 7/17/1941 | I'm misunderstood | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 69522 | 10-in. | 7/17/1941 | No answer | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | instrumentalist, trumpet | ||
| Decca | 82401 | 3/5/1952 | When you surrender | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 82402 | 3/5/1952 | Alone with a memory | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 82403 | 3/5/1952 | Something of a fool | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 82404 | 3/5/1952 | Do you mind if I hang around | (Little) Jimmy Scott | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83158 | 7/11/1952 | Down beat | Mary Lou Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83159 | 7/11/1952 | [Unknown title(s)] | Mary Lou Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83160 | 7/11/1952 | Out of nowhere | Mary Lou Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83161 | 7/11/1952 | C jam blues | Mary Lou Williams Orchestra | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83455 | 9/30/1952 | Down beat | Mary Lou Williams | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83456 | 9/30/1952 | C jam blues, part 1 | Mary Lou Williams | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 83457 | 9/30/1952 | C jam blues, part 2 | Mary Lou Williams | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 89718 | 4/5/1956 | Lullaby in rhythm | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 89719 | 4/5/1956 | Honey | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 89720 | 4/5/1956 | If I had you | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 89721 | 4/5/1956 | Stardust | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 89722 | 4/5/1956 | My melancholy baby | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
| Decca | 89723 | 4/5/1956 | This can't be love | Connie Boswell | instrumentalist, trumpet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Baker, Harold," accessed June 1, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198.
Baker, Harold. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198.
"Baker, Harold." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 June 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Harold "Shorty" Baker
Discogs: Harold Baker
Allmusic: Harold Baker
Grove: Harold Baker
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Baker, Harold, 1914-1966 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95005454
Wikidata: Harold "Shorty" Baker - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q353596
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/69114722
MusicBrainz: Harold "Shorty" Baker - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/5b38656a-b836-4585-9cc7-c5e731da9ea0
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