Jimmy Lytell

Jimmy Lytell (December 1, 1904 - November 28, 1972) was an American jazz clarinetist. Critic Scott Yanow described him as being "[o]ne of the most underrated clarinetists in jazz history".

Lytell (born James Sarrapede) had his first professional work at age twelve, and by the beginning of the 1920s he was recording in jazz ensembles. He played in the Original Indiana Five in 1921 and the Original Memphis Five in 1922–1925, and also played in the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1922–1924. After the 1920s, he rarely performed in jazz settings, spending more time as a studio and orchestra musician. He worked as a staff musician for NBC during this time, and in Johnny Green's orchestra in 1934–1935. From 1949 into the late 1950s, he appeared in the New Original Memphis Five revival band, and recorded with Connee Boswell in 1956. He continued to perform until a year before his death. As a leader, he recorded eighteen titles in 1926–1928 and six more for London Records in 1950.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 1, 1904, Died November 28, 1972

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: clarinet, tenor saxophone, saxophone, alto saxophone, composer, leader

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 126-150 of 153 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 71165 10-in. 7/23/1942 Sleepy town train Erskine Butterfield and his Blue Boys instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71258 10-in. 7/30/1942 Under a strawberry moon Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71259 10-in. 7/30/1942 Ching-1 Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71260 10-in. 7/30/1942 Oh! Pardon me-1 Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71261 10-in. 7/30/1942 Isabella kissed a fella-1 Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71443 10-in. 10/11/1943 No letter today Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71444 10-in. 10/11/1943 I walk alone Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71975 10-in. 4/11/1944 I'd like to give my dog to Uncle Sam Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71976 10-in. 4/11/1944 They took the stars out of heaven Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71977 10-in. 4/11/1944 You sang my love song to somebody else Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 71978 10-in. 4/11/1944 One face missing from the picture Dick Robertson Orchestra instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 72089 10-in. 5/8/1944 Precious Lord hold my hand Morton Downey leader  
Decca 75868 2/17/1950 That's a plenty Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 75869 2/17/1950 If you can't get a drum with a boom-1 Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 75870 2/17/1950 Rose room Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca 75871 2/17/1950 When my sugar walks down the street-2 Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, tenor saxophone  
Decca C 90829 10-in. 8/13/1936 I'm a rootin', tootin', shootin' man from Texas Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca C 90830 10-in. 8/13/1936 Was I drunk? Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca C 90831 10-in. 8/13/1936 Toot toot tootsie goodbye Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca C 90832 10-in. 8/13/1936 Ace in the hole Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca C 90833 10-in. 8/13/1936 Bye bye baby Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca C 90834 10-in. 8/13/1936 Everybody kiss your partner Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 90872 10-in. 9/19/1936 I'm afraid of bees Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 90873 10-in. 9/19/1936 Oh, you rogue (You stole my heart) Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
Decca 90874 10-in. 9/19/1936 Piles of it Dixie Demons, The instrumentalist, clarinet  
(Results 126-150 of 153 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lytell, Jimmy," accessed October 3, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109741.

Lytell, Jimmy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 3, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109741.

"Lytell, Jimmy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109741

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