James Melvin Lunceford lived from June 6, 1902, to July 12, 1947. He was an American jazz saxophonist who played the alto saxophone and led a band during the swing era.

Early life

Lunceford was born on a farm in the Evergreen community, west of the Tombigbee River, near Fulton, Mississippi, United States. The 53-acre farm was owned by his father, James. His mother was Idella ("Ida") Shumpert of Oklahoma City, who had a talent for playing the organ. Seven months after James Melvin was born, the family moved to Oklahoma City.

Later, the family moved to Denver, where Lunceford attended high school and studied music with Wilberforce J. Whiteman, the father of Paul Whiteman. Paul Whiteman’s band would soon become famous nationwide. As a child in Denver, Lunceford learned to play several musical instruments. After high school, he continued his studies at Fisk University. In 1922, he played the alto saxophone in a local band led by violinist George Morrison. The band also included Andy Kirk, another musician who would later become famous as a bandleader.

Career

In 1927, while working as an athletic instructor at Manassas High School in Memphis, Tennessee, Lunceford created a student band called the Chickasaw Syncopators. The band later changed its name to the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. In 1929, the group began its professional career, and in 1930, they made their first recordings. Lunceford became the first public high school band director in Memphis.

After touring, the band accepted a performance at the Harlem nightclub The Cotton Club in 1934 for their show "Cotton Club Parade," which featured Adelaide Hall. The Cotton Club had previously showcased Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, who gained fame through their performances for the club's white audience. Lunceford's orchestra was well-suited for the club because of their strong musical skills and the humorous elements in their music and lyrics. This helped Lunceford's reputation grow.

Jimmie Lunceford's band was different from other famous bands of the time because it focused more on group performances than individual solos. Lunceford also used a unique two-beat rhythm, known as the Lunceford two-beat, instead of the common four-beat rhythm. This style was largely shaped by the creative arrangements of trumpeter Sy Oliver, who set high standards for other dance-band composers. Though Lunceford was not widely known as a musician, he could play several instruments and even performed on flute in the song "Liza."

Comedy and vaudeville were important parts of Lunceford's performances. Songs like "Rhythm Is Our Business," "I'm Nuts about Screwy Music," "I Want the Waiter (With the Water)," and "Four or Five Times" showed a playful style of swing music, often with clever arrangements by Sy Oliver and unusual lyrics. Lunceford's shows included costumes, short performances, and jokes about popular white bands such as Paul Whiteman's and Guy Lombardo's.

Even though the band's performances were often humorous, Lunceford remained professional, as expected of a former teacher. This professionalism helped the orchestra gain recognition during the 1930s, a time when swing music was popular. The band was considered equal in skill to groups led by Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, and Count Basie. Examples of their precise music include "Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam)," "Lunceford Special," "For Dancers Only," "Uptown Blues," and "Stratosphere." The saxophone section was led by alto sax player Willie Smith, and Lunceford often used a baton to conduct his band.

The orchestra recorded music for the Decca label and later signed with the Columbia subsidiary Vocalion in 1938. They toured Europe in 1937 but had to cancel a second tour in 1939 because of World War II. Columbia ended its partnership with Lunceford in 1940 due to declining sales. Sy Oliver left the group before the planned European tour to work with Tommy Dorsey. Lunceford returned to Decca, and the band appeared in the 1941 movie Blues in the Night.

Lunceford's band performed at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles on September 26, 1940, and again on June 26, 1947, under the direction of Leon Hefflin Sr. Many of Lunceford's musicians were not paid well and left for other bands, which led to the band's decline.

Death

After performing at McElroy's Ballroom in Portland, Lunceford and his orchestra traveled to Seaside, Oregon, to play at The Bungalow dance hall on July 12, 1947. Before the performance, Lunceford collapsed during an autograph session at a local record store. He died while being transported by ambulance to Seaside Hospital. Lunceford was 45 years old. Dr. Alton Alderman performed an autopsy in Astoria, Oregon, and determined that Lunceford died from a blocked artery.

Lunceford had mentioned experiencing pain in his leg when arriving in Seaside and had been dealing with high blood pressure for some time. He also recently reported feeling unwell. Some people claimed he was poisoned by a white restaurant owner who was upset about serving a "Negro" in his business. Lunceford was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis.

Legacy

Band members, such as Eddie Wilcox and Joe Thomas, helped keep the band active for a while but eventually had to end the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra in 1949.

In 1999, band leader Robert Veen and a group of musicians worked to gain permission to use the original music and arrangements from the Jimmie Lunceford collection. The Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Orchestra officially performed for the first time in July 2005 at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.

The Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival was started in 2007 by Bro. Ronald Cortez Herd II (also known as "R2C2H2 Tha Artivist"). The festival aimed to increase awareness of Lunceford’s contributions to jazz, especially in Memphis, Tennessee. The Jimmie Lunceford Legacy Awards were created by the festival to recognize musicians with connections to Memphis and individuals who have dedicated their lives to excellence in music and music education.

Lunceford’s music continues to influence others. Recently, the song "Rhythm Is Our Business" was included on the 2004 compilation set Memphis Jazz Box to honor Lunceford’s strong connection to Memphis.

Discography

• For Dancers Only (A Collection of His Most Famous Records) (78 rpm 4-disc album set/8 songs/ Decca #A-664: 1949; original 10-inch LP issue/8 songs/Decca #DL-5393: 1952)
• Jazz Heritage Series #3- Jimmie Lunceford 1: Rhythm Is Our Business (1934-1935) (LP: Decca #79237, 1968; LP reissue: MCA #1302, 1980)
• Jazz Heritage Series #6- Jimmie Lunceford 2: Harlem Shout (1935-1936) (LP: Decca #79238, 1968; LP reissue: MCA #1305, 1980)
• Jazz Heritage Series #8- Jimmie Lunceford 3: For Dancers Only (1936-1937) (LP: Decca #79239, 1968; LP reissue: MCA #1307, 1980)
• Jazz Heritage Series #15- Jimmie Lunceford 4: Blues In The Night (1938-1942) (LP: Decca #79240, 1968; LP reissue: MCA #1314, 1980)
• Jazz Heritage Series #21- Jimmie Lunceford 5: Jimmie's Legacy (1934-1937) (LP: MCA #1320, 1980)
• Jazz Heritage Series #22- Jimmie Lunceford 6: The Last Sparks (1941-1944) (LP: MCA #1321, 1980)
• Stomp It Off (1934-1935) (CD: GRP #608, 1992)
• For Dancers Only (1935-1937) (CD: GRP #645, 1994)
• Swingsation: Jimmie Lunceford (1935-1938) (CD: GRP #9923, 1998)
• The Complete Jimmie Lunceford Decca Sessions (1934-1938, 1941-1945) ( Mosaic #MD7-250, 2014) 7-CD box set

• Lunceford Special (1939-1940) (78 rpm 4-disc album set/8 songs/ Columbia #C-175: 1948; original 10-inch LP issue/8 songs/Columbia #GL-104: 1952; first LP issue/12 songs/Columbia #CL-634: 1956; expanded LP reissue/16 songs/Columbia #CL-2715 and #CS-9515: 1967; CD release/22 songs/Sony Legacy #CK-65647: 2001)
• "Chickasaw Stomp"/"Memphis Rag" (Columbia W-145.373/4) – recorded Memphis, December 13, 1927
• "Flaming Reeds and Screaming Brass"/"While Love Lasts" (test pressings for Columbia, not released until 1967 on LP) – recorded New York, May 15, 1933

• "In Dat Mornin'"/"Sweet Rhythm" ( Victor V-38141) – recorded Memphis, June 6, 1930
• "Jazznocracy"/"Chillun, Get Up" (Victor 24522) – recorded New York, January 26, 1934
• "White Heat"/"Leaving Me" (Victor 24586) – recorded New York, January 26, 1934
• "Breakfast Ball"/"Here Goes (A Fool)" (Victor 24601) – recorded New York, March 20, 1934
• "Swingin' Uptown"/"Remember When" (Victor 24669) – recorded New York, March 20, 1934,

• Margie (1946-1947) (LP and CD release/13 songs/ Savoy Jazz #SJL-1209: 1989)

Apart from live recordings and alternate takes, every recording by Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra is included in this ten-volume series from the Classics reissue label:

• The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1930-1934 (#501, EAN 3307517050120 )
• The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1934-1935 (#505, EAN 3307517050526 )
• The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1935-1936 (#506, EAN 3307517050601 )
• The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1936-1937 (#507, EAN 3307517050786 )
• The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1937-1938 (#508, EAN 3307517050861 )
• The Chronological Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra 1938-1939 (#509, EAN 330