Jimmy Blanton
Jimmy Blanton was an innovative American jazz double bassist, recognized for his significant contributions to the genre during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Born into a musical family, he initially played the violin before transitioning to the double bass while studying at Tennessee State University. After gaining experience with local bands in St. Louis, Blanton caught the attention of renowned bandleader Duke Ellington, joining his orchestra in 1939. His tenure with Ellington was marked by a series of groundbreaking recordings that showcased his exceptional rhythmic and improvisational skills, elevating the role of the bass from mere accompaniment to a prominent solo instrument.
Blanton's technique included advanced 'walking' styles and creative use of melodies, which set a new standard for bassists. His collaborations with Ellington resulted in notable tracks that solidified his legacy as a revolutionary figure in jazz. Despite his promising career being cut short by illness, Blanton's influence continued to resonate in the jazz community, inspiring musicians in the bebop movement that followed. His innovative approach and musical depth have made him a lasting figure in the history of jazz music.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Jimmy Blanton
Jazz musician
- Born: October 5, 1918
- Birthplace: Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Died: July 30, 1942
- Place of death: Monrovia (now in Duarte), California
Along with such influential players as Charles Mingus, Charlie Haden, and Jaco Pastorius, Blanton is considered one of the most important jazz bassists. During his short career, Blanton helped move the bass beyond its use in the rhythm section into a more flexible role that allowed it to be featured as a solo instrument.
Early Life
The son of a pianist, James H. Blanton, Jr., performed initially with local groups that were led by his mother. His early efforts on the violin ceased in 1936, during his time at Tennessee State University, when he shifted to the double bass. After playing with the State Collegians for two years, Blanton moved to St. Louis. Then an active center of swing music, St. Louis provided Blanton with good employment, including work with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra.
Life’s Work
In St. Louis, Blanton was noticed by Duke Ellington; according to Miles Davis, who was playing in the Blue Devils Band in the Rhumboogie Club at that time, Blanton was sitting in with the group one night when Ellington stopped by and “hired him on the spot.” Blanton joined Ellington’s band in late 1939, at about the same time as some other notable Ellington hires, including Billy Strayhorn, Ray Nance, and Ben Webster. It was during his tenure with the Ellington band that Blanton established his reputation and ensured his influence on subsequent jazz bassists.
Ellington was known for finding unique talent and quickly endeavored to highlight Blanton’s skills. Throughout the late 1930’s, Ellington was recording under his own name and with groups fronted by a member of his band, such as Cootie Williams or Johnny Hodges. Blanton caught the end of this activity, and Ellington also devoted one session to recording two duets with Blanton, “Blues” and “Plucked Again.” Both reveal Blanton to have had a thorough command of his instrument.
Ellington subsequently signed with RCA Victor, and in 1940-1941, Blanton was featured in a number of recordings. In “Jumpin’ Punkins” and “Ko-Ko,” for example, Blanton reveals himself to be a powerful rhythm section player. His “walking” style was quite advanced, with considerable use of nonharmonic tones, complex rhythms, a big sound, and frequent shifts between lower and upper registers. In “Sepia Panorama,” Blanton was given an opportunity to shine as soloist. His brief solos feature impressive technique, impeccable timing, and a great sense of swing. In an alternate take, Blanton’s melodic ideas differ considerably from those of the prime recording, revealing his creative depth; Blanton was an improviser of considerable ability—a truly exceptional talent for a bassist during that era.
In early October, 1940, Blanton andEllington again recorded as a duo, with the session yielding four numbers: “Pitter Panther Patter,” “Body and Soul,” “Sophisticated Lady,” and “Mr. J. B. Blues.” “Body and Soul” and“Sophisticated Lady” feature Blanton as soloist, using bowed and pizzicato techniques. That Ellington featured Blanton as he would any of his horn soloists, such as Hodges or Webster, is evidence of the esteem in which Ellington held the bassist. “Pitter Panther Patter” and “Mr. J. B. Blues” are in a more conversational style, in which Ellington responds to Blanton’s ideas and the bassist reacts to Ellington’s playing. These recordings, on the widely circulated Victor label, cemented Blanton’s reputation.
By late 1941, the symptoms of congenital tuberculosis led Blanton to leave the band. Blanton spent the remainder of his life in a sanatorium and died in Monrovia, California, on July 30, 1942.
Significance
Blanton is often credited with moving the bass beyond its role as a member of the rhythm section and into the ranks of the soloists. As early as 1942 Blanton was being hailed as “revolutionary.” While some later research debunked the myth of Blanton inventing the bass solo, there is no denying the fact that Blanton’s abilities on the instrument and his very considerable skills in improvisation, built upon a solid knowledge of theory and coupled with the opportunities provided by Ellington, set the stage for a body of immensely influential work. Blanton was clearly ahead of his time. If Blanton had lived longer, his impact on bebop probably would have been formidable; as it was, he was active in the after-hours sessions at Minton’s Playhouse and Monroe’s Uptown House, two of the jam session hotbeds from which bebop emerged. Blanton’s abilities provided considerable inspiration for the bebop-era players, including Oscar Pettiford.
Bibliography
Chevan, David. “The Double Bass as a Solo Instrument in Early Jazz.” The Black Perspective in Music 17, nos. 1/2 (1989): 73-92. Establishes a more accurate context for Blanton’s relatively quick ascendancy to the top of the bass world. While many critics and historians describe Blanton as “revolutionary,” Chevan discusses earlier bass players who were also active as improvisers, as well as a number of Blanton’s contemporaries, including Leroy “Slam” Stewart.
Davis, Miles, with Quincy Troupe. Miles: The Autobiography. New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 1990. Davis’s mentions of Blanton provide evidence of Blanton’s lasting influence.
Ellington, Duke. Music Is My Mistress. New York: Da Capo Press, 1973. Ellington’s memoir, written just one year before his death, includes a section on Ellington’s discovery and hiring of Blanton and the bassist’s terminal illness.
Gitler, Ira. The Masters of Be-Bop: A Listener’s Guide. 2d ed. Foreword by Stanley Crouch. New York: Da Capo Press, 2001. Detailed examination of key musicians and their instruments; includes discussion of Blanton’s influence. Discography.
Owsley, Dennis. “The War Years: Jimmy Blanton, Miles Davis’s St. Louis Years, and the Inception of Jazz Radio in St. Louis (1939-1949).” In City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973. Foreword by Clark Terry. St. Louis, Mo.: Reedy Press, 2006. This photo-filled narrative of the city’s jazz history includes several anecdotes about Blanton, his talent, and how he met Ellington.