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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 1-25 of 85 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D6VB-2093 10-in. 7/9/1946 Rockabye river Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2094 10-in. 7/9/1946 Suddenly it jumped Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Jimmy Hamilton ; Taft Jordan ; Oscar Pettiford Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2095 10-in. 7/9/1946 Transblucency (a blue fog that you can almost see through) Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2096 10-in. 7/9/1946 Just squeeze me (but don't tease me) Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2113 10-in. 8/26/1946 Back home again in Indiana Duke Ellington Orchestra Piano solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2114 10-in. 8/26/1946 Blue is the night Duke Ellington Orchestra Piano solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2115 10-in. 8/26/1946 Lover man (Oh, where can you be?) Duke Ellington Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with piano and female vocal solo instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2116 10-in. 8/26/1946 Just you, just me Duke Ellington Orchestra Piano solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2117 10-in. 8/26/1946 Beale Street blues Duke Ellington Orchestra Piano solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2126 10-in. 9/3/1946 My honey's lovin' arms Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Ray Nance Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2129 10-in. 9/3/1946 St. Louis blues Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2130 10-in. 9/3/1946 Swamp fire Duke Ellington Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor D6VB-2131 10-in. 9/3/1946 Royal garden blues Duke Ellington Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, trumpet  
Atlantic 291 10-in. 9/18/1949 I'll get along somehow Ruth Brown ; Budd Johnson's Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Atlantic 293 10-in. 9/18/1949 Rocking blues Ruth Brown ; Budd Johnson's Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67893 10-in. 6/25/1940 Fine and mellow Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67894 10-in. 6/25/1940 Scratching in the gravel Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67895 10-in. 6/25/1940 Fifteen minute intermission Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67896 10-in. 6/25/1940 Take those blues away Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67917 10-in. 7/8/1940 Now I lay me down to dream Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67918 10-in. 7/8/1940 There is no greater love Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67919 10-in. 7/8/1940 Midnight stroll Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67920 10-in. 7/8/1940 Little Miss Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68317 10-in. 11/7/1940 The Count Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 68318 10-in. 11/7/1940 Twelfth Street rag Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 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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