Edgar Melvin Sampson (October 31, 1907 – January 16, 1973), nicknamed "The Lamb", was an American jazz composer, arranger, saxophonist, and violinist. Born in New York City, he began playing violin aged six and picked up the saxophone in high school. He worked as an arranger and composer for many jazz bands in the 1930s and 1940s. He composed several well-known jazz standards, including "Stompin' at the Savoy", and "Don't Be That Way".
Life and career
Born in New York City,
In 1934, Sampson joined the Chick Webb band. It during his period with Webb that Sampson created his most enduring work as a composer, writing "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't Be That Way". He continued to play sax through the late 1940s and started his own band (1949–51).
Compositions and arrangements
- "Dark Rapture" (Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Manny Kurtz)
- "If Dreams Come True" (Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Irving Mills)
- "Lullaby in Rhythm" (Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Clarence Profit, Walter Hirsch)
- "Stompin' at the Savoy" (Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Andy Razaf)
- "Hoopdee Whodee (Edgar Sampson)
- "I'll Be Back for More" (Edgar Sampson, Candido Camero, Sammy Gallop)
- "Happy and Satisfied" (Edgar Sampson, Walter Bishop)
- "Cool and Groovy" (Edgar Sampson)
- "Blue Lou" (Edgar Sampson, Irving Mills)
- "The Blues Made Me Feel This Way" (Edgar Sampson)
- "Light and Sweet" (Edgar Sampson, Bill Hardy)
- "The Sweetness of You" (Edgar Sampson)
- "Don't Be That Way" (Edgar Sampson, Benny Goodman, Mitchell Parish)
(Source: Liner notes from Swing Softly Sweet Sampson, Coral Record CRL 57049 (1957)