Jesse Price

Jesse Price (May 1, 1909, Memphis, Tennessee – April 19, 1974, Los Angeles) was an American jazz drummer.

Price began on drums at age 14, and played locally with blues singers, including Ida Cox, and in the Palace Theater pit orchestra, early in his career. He moved to Kansas City in 1934, where he played with George E. Lee, Thamon Hayes, Count Basie (1936), and Harlan Leonard (1939–41). He then moved to Los Angeles, where he worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong (1943), Stan Kenton (1944), Basie again (1944), Benny Carter, and Slim Gaillard (1949). He recorded with Jay McShann when back in Kansas City again in the 1950s. He led a band at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1971, which included Harry Edison, Jimmy Forrest and Big Joe Turner.

Price recorded 23 tracks as a leader between 1946 and 1948, most of them for Capitol Records. All are published on a Blue Moon CD: The Singing Drummer Man; Jesse Price. The Complete Recordings 1946–1957 (BMCD 6019).

Birth and Death Data: Born May 1, 1909, Died April 19, 1974

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1940 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: drums, traps

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-044589 10-in. 1/11/1940 Rockin' with the Rockets Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-044590 10-in. 1/11/1940 Hairy Joe jump Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-044591 10-in. 1/11/1940 Contact Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-044592 10-in. 1/11/1940 Snaky feelin' Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Jimmy Ross Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-044593 10-in. 1/11/1940 My gal Sal (They called her Frivolous Sal) Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-044594 10-in. 1/11/1940 Skee Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-047796 10-in. 3/11/1940 I don't want to set the world on fire Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Myra Taylor Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-047797 10-in. 3/11/1940 Ride my blues away Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Ernie Williams Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-047798 10-in. 3/11/1940 I'm in a weary mood Darwin Jones ; Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-047799 10-in. 3/11/1940 Parade of the stompers Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, traps  
Victor BS-053206 10-in. 7/15/1940 Rock and ride Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053207 10-in. 7/15/1940 400 swing Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053208 10-in. 7/15/1940 My dream Darwin Jones ; Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053209 10-in. 7/15/1940 My pop gave me a nickel Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Myra Taylor Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053210 10-in. 7/15/1940 Please don't squabble Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Ernie Williams Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053211 10-in. 7/15/1940 A-la-bridges Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053638 10-in. 11/13/1940 Dameron stomp Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053639 10-in. 11/13/1940 Rachmaninoff jumps Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053640 10-in. 11/13/1940 Mistreated Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Ernie Williams Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053641 10-in. 11/13/1940 Too much Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053642 10-in. 11/13/1940 It couldn't be Darwin Jones ; Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053643 10-in. 11/13/1940 Keep rockin' Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; William H. Smith Jazz/dance band, with trumpet solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053644 10-in. 11/13/1940 Take 'um Henry Bridges ; Harlan Leonard ; Rockets Jazz/dance band, with saxophone solo instrumentalist, drums  
Victor BS-053645 10-in. 11/13/1940 Dig it Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Myra Taylor Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, drums  
Atlantic 702 10-in. 11/24/1951 Charmaine Loumel Morgan Quintet instrumentalist, drums  
Atlantic 704 10-in. 11/24/1951 Jock-o-mo Loumel Morgan Quintet ; Jesse Price instrumentalist, drums  
Decca DLA 2607 10-in. 7/31/1941 I can't believe that you're in love with me Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca DLA 2608 10-in. 7/31/1941 I must have that man Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca DLA 2609 10-in. 7/31/1941 When my sugar walks down the street Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca DLA 2610 10-in. 7/31/1941 I got it bad (And that ain't good) Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca DLA 2611 10-in. 7/30/1941 Melinda the Mousie Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  
Decca DLA 2612 10-in. 7/30/1941 Can't help lovin' dat man Ella Fitzgerald and her Famous Orchestra instrumentalist, drums  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Price, Jesse," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109956.

Price, Jesse. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109956.

"Price, Jesse." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109956

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