Shorty Baker

Harold "Shorty" Baker (May 26, 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri, US – November 8, 1966) was an American jazz trumpeter.^[1]

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.^[1] He also worked with Teddy Wilson and Andy Kirk before joining Duke Ellington.^[1] He married Kirk's pianist Mary Lou Williams^[1] 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.^[1] 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.^[1]

He died of throat cancer in New York at the age of 52.^[2]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• The Broadway Beat (King, 1959)
• The Bud Freeman All-Stars featuring Shorty Baker (Swingville, 1960) with Bud Freeman^[1]
• Shorty & Doc (Swingville, 1961) with Doc Cheatham^[1]

As sideman

With Johnny Hodges

• The Blues (Norgran, 1952–54, [1955])
• Used to Be Duke (Norgran, 1954)
• The Big Sound (Verve, 1957)

With Billy Strayhorn

• Cue for Saxophone (Felsted, 1959)

References

External links

• Shorty Baker at AllMusic
• Jazz trumpet site

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