Ralph Escudero

Rafael "Ralph" Escudero (July 16, 1898 in Manatí, Puerto Rico – April 10, 1970 in Puerto Rico) was a bassist and tubist active on the early American jazz scene.

Escudero began playing bass in a school band at the age of 12, and moved to New York City, playing with the New Amsterdam Musical Association in 1920–21. In 1923 he was playing with Wilbur Sweatman at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C. when Fletcher Henderson overheard his playing and offered him a job. He remained in Henderson's employ until 1926, when he joined McKinney's Cotton Pickers, where he played and recorded until 1931. In the 1930s he played with Kaiser Marshall, the Savoy Bearcats, and W.C. Handy, then returned to Puerto Rico, playing there into the 1960s.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 16, 1898, Died April 10, 1970

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: tuba

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-46092 10-in. 7/11/1928 Sweet Sue, just you McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46093 10-in. 7/11/1928 Four or five times McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46094 10-in. 7/11/1928 Put it there McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46095 10-in. 7/11/1928 Crying and sighing McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46096 10-in. 7/11/1928 Milenberg joys McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46098 10-in. 7/12/1928 Cherry McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46099 10-in. 7/12/1928 Stop kidding McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46400 10-in. 7/12/1928 Nobody's sweetheart McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (scat) instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46401 10-in. 7/12/1928 Some sweet day McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-46402 10-in. 7/12/1928 Shim-me-sha-wabble McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-48619 10-in. 11/23/1928 It's tight like that McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-48620 10-in. 11/23/1928 There's a rainbow 'round my shoulder McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51084 10-in. 4/8/1929 It's a precious little thing called love McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51085 10-in. 4/8/1929 Save it, pretty mamma McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51086 10-in. 4/8/1929 I found a new baby McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51087 10-in. 4/8/1929 Will you, won't you, be my babe? McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51204 10-in. 4/9/1929 Beedle-um bum McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51205 10-in. 4/9/1929 Do something McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-51206 10-in. 4/9/1929 Selling that stuff McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-58543 10-in. 1/31/1930 I'll make fun for you McKinney's Cotton Pickers ; George Thomas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-58544 10-in. 1/31/1930 Words can't express McKinney's Cotton Pickers ; George Thomas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-58545 10-in. 1/31/1930 If I could be with you one hour to-night McKinney's Cotton Pickers ; George Thomas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-58546 10-in. 2/3/1930 Honeysuckle rose McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-58547 10-in. 2/3/1930 Then someone's in love McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
Victor BVE-59140 10-in. 2/3/1930 Zonky McKinney's Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, tuba  
(Results 1-25 of 44 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Escudero, Ralph," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113629.

Escudero, Ralph. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113629.

"Escudero, Ralph." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/113629

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