Eddie Durham

Edward Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in jazz. The orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie,

Early life Durham was born in San Marcos, Texas, on August 19, 1906, to Joseph Durham Sr. and Luella Rabb (née Mohawk) Durham. From an early age, Durham performed with his family in the Durham Brothers Band. At the age of eighteen, he began traveling and playing in regional bands.

Pioneer on the electric guitar From 1929, Durham started experimenting to enhance the sound of his guitar using resonators and megaphones. In 1935, he was the first to record an electrically amplified guitar with Jimmie Lunceford in "Hittin' the Bottle" that was recorded in New York for Decca. In 1938, Durham recorded single string electric guitar solos with the Kansas City Five (or Six), which were both smallish groups that included members of Count Basie's rhythm section along with the tenor saxophone playing of Lester Young.

Discography As leader Eddie Durham (RCA, 1974) Blue Bone (JSP, 1981)

As sideman Bennie Moten, Band Box Shuffle (Hep, 1929–32) Jimmie Lunceford, The Complete Jimmie Lunceford Vol. 3, 4, 5 (Decca, 1935–39) Count Basie, The Complete Decca Recordings (3CD) (Decca, 1937–41) Lester Young, Lester Young with the Kansas City Five (Commodore, 1938) Glenn Miller, The Complete Glenn Miller (RCA Bluebird, 1938–42)

Selected compositions and arrangements Bennie Moten: "Moten Swing" (1932) (composer, arranger) Jimmie Lunceford: "Rhapsody Junior" (1935) with Edwin Wilcox "Oh! Boy" (1935) "Avalon" (1935) "Hittin' the Bottle" (1935) "Harlem Shout" (1936) "Running a Temperature" (1936) "Honey Keep Your Mind On Me" (1936) "Count Me Out" (1936) "Pigeon Walk" (1937) "Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam)" (1939) "Lunceford Special" (1939) "Blues in the Groove" (1939) "It's Time To Jump and Shout" (1939) Count Basie: "Time Out" (Decca, 1937) "Topsy" (Decca, 1937) "Swinging the Blues" (Decca, 1938) "Jumpin' at the Woodside" (Decca, 1938) Glenn Miller "In The Mood" (RCA Bluebird, 1939) note: not composed by Durham, but the arrangement is his. "Slip Horn Jive" (RCA Bluebird, 1939) "Wham (Re-Bop-Boom-Bam)" (RCA Bluebird, 1939)