Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' that I Love You" as he passed by a shop window.

Early years

Clayton learned to play the piano from the age of six. His father was an amateur musician associated with the family's local church, who was responsible for teaching his son the scales on a trumpet, which he did not take up until his teens. From the age of 17, Clayton was taught the trumpet by Bob Russell, a member of George E. Lee's band. In his early twenties he was based in California, and was briefly a member of Duke Ellington's Orchestra and worked with other leaders. Clayton was also taught at this time by trumpeter Mutt Carey, who later emerged as a prominent west-coast revivalist in the 1940s. He also met Louis Armstrong, while Armstrong was performing at Sebastian's Cotton Club, who taught him how to glissando on his trumpet. After high school, Clayton moved to Los Angeles.

From there, there are multiple sources claiming different ways in which Clayton ended up in Shanghai, China. Some claimed that he was picked by Teddy Weatherford for a job at the Canidrome ballroom in the French Concession in Shanghai.

From 1934 or 1935 (depending on the sources), he was a leader of the "Harlem Gentlemen" in Shanghai. Some of the bureaucratic social groups he was with included Chiang Kai-shek's wife Soong Mei-ling and her sister Ai-ling, who were regulars at the Canidrome in Shanghai.

Discography

As leader

  • 1946: The Classic Swing of Buck Clayton (Riverside, 1960)
  • 1945-1947: The Chronological (Classics 968, ?)
  • 1946-1949 Back to Buck_New York-Paris (Ocium, ?)
  • 1949-1953 The Chronological (Classics 1362, ?)
  • 1953: The Chronological (Classics 1394, 2005)
  • 1953: The Chronological (Classics 1449, 2006)
  • 1953<!--.12-->: The Huckle-Buck and Robbins' Nest (Columbia, 1954)
  • 1953-1954: How Hi the Fi (Columbia, 1954)
  • 1954<!--.07-->: Buck Meets Ruby (Vanguard, 1954) reissued as Just a Groove (Vanguard, 1973)
  • 1953-1954: Buck Clayton Jams Benny Goodman (Columbia, 1955)
  • 1954-1955: Jumpin' at the Woodside (Columbia, 1955)
  • 1955?: "Jazz Spectacular" featuring Frankie Laine (Columbia, 1956)
  • 1953-1956: All the Cats Join In (Columbia, 1956)
  • 1953-1956: Jam Sessions from the Vault (Columbia, 1988) – Anthology of the following CBS sessions
  • 1953-1956: The Complete CBS Buck Clayton Jam Sessions (Mosaic, 1993)[6CD]
  • 1956: Duke Ellington and the Buck Clayton All-Stars at Newport (Columbia, 1956)
  • 1957<!--.03-->: Buck 'n' The Blues (Vanguard, 1954) – reissued as Just a Groove (Vanguard, 1973)
  • 1957<!--.10-->: Very Special Buck Clayton (Philips, 1958)
  • 1958<!--.11--> Songs for Swingers (Columbia, 1959)
  • 1959: - Buck Clayton Plays (Society, 1966)
  • 1959<!--.09-->: Copenhagen Concert (SteepleChase, 1979)
  • 1959<!--.11-->: Swingin' And Dancin (Disques Pop, 1960) reissued as Tenderly (Inner City, 1979)
  • 1960<!--.12-->: Buck & Buddy (Swingville, 1961)
  • 1961<!--.04-->: One for Buck (Columbia, 1961)
  • 1961<!--.04-->: All Stars Performance (Vogue, 1962) – reissued as Olympia Concert (Vogue, 1978-87)
  • 1961<!--.05-->: Passport to Paradise (Vogue/POP) – reissued with the same title (Inner City, 1979)
  • 1961<!--.05-->: A la Buck (Vogue/POP, 1981)
  • 1961<!--.05-->: B C All Stars_Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series: Basel 1961, Vol.7 (1997)
  • 1961<!--.09-->: Buck & Buddy Blow the Blues (Swingville, 1961)
  • 1966<!--.03-->: Buck Clayton Meets Joe Turner (Black Lion, 1992)
  • 1967<!--.03-->: Jazz from a Swinging Era [2CD] (?) B C & Earl Hines All-Stars
  • 1963<!--.07-->: Buck Clayton's Canadian Caper (Discus, 1963)
  • 1974<!--.03-->: A Buck Clayton Jam Session (Chiaroscuro, 1974)
  • 1975<!--.06-->: Jam Session (Chiaroscuro, 1976)
  • 1976<!--.09-->: Jam Session vol. 3 (Chiaroscuro, 1977)
  • 1988<!--.10-->: A Swingin' Dream (Stash, 1989)
  • 1990<!--.02-->: Swing The Village (Nagel Hayer, 2002)

As co-leader

With Harry Edison

  • Harry Edison Swings Buck Clayton (Verve, 1958)

As sideman

With Count Basie

  • The Original American Decca Recordings (GRP, 1992)

With Coleman Hawkins

  • The High and Mighty Hawk (Felsted, 1958)

With Frankie Laine

  • Jazz Spectacular (Columbia, 1956)

With Mel Powell

  • Mel Powell Septet (Vanguard, 1953)

With Paul Quinichette

  • Basie Reunion (Prestige, 1958)

With Red Richards

  • In a Mellow Tone (West 54)

With Buddy Tate

  • Swinging Like Tate (Felsted, 1958)

With Dicky Wells

  • Bones for the King (Felsted, 1958)

References

  • The Buck Clayton Collection at the Miller Nichols Library of the University of Missouri – Kansas City
  • Digitized photographs from the Buck Clayton Collection in the University of Missouri Digital Library
  • Dan Morgenstern, "The Complete CBS Buck Clayton Jam Sessions"