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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 76-85 of 85 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 106807 3/16/1959 Little white lies Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106808 3/18/1959 Coral rock Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106809 3/18/1959 Aqua-tonic Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106810 3/18/1959 Maroon Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106811 3/18/1959 Black and tan fantasy Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106812 3/18/1959 Mood indigo Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106813 3/18/1959 Blue serge Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106814 3/18/1959 Golden cress Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106815 3/18/1959 The moon was yellow Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 106816 3/18/1959 Down of a greenhorn Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 76-85 of 85 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Baker, Harold," accessed November 19, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198.

Baker, Harold. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 19, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198.

"Baker, Harold." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/107198

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