13 Facts About Jimmy Blanton

James Blanton was an American jazz double bassist.

Jimmy Blanton is credited with being the originator of more complex pizzicato and arco bass solos in a jazz context than previous bassists.

Jimmy Blanton's mother Gertrude was a well known music teacher in Chattanooga, and he spent much of his youth playing in bands led by her.

Jimmy Blanton originally learned to play the violin, but took up the bass while at Tennessee State University, performing with the Tennessee State Collegians from 1936 to 1937, and during the vacations with Fate Marable.

Jimmy Blanton left university in 1938 to play full-time in St Louis with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra.

Jimmy Blanton joined Duke Ellington's band in October 1939 when the Ellington Orchestra came to St Louis for a residence and the band became enamored with Jimmy Blanton's playing at local late-night jam sessions.

Jimmy Blanton was the talk of the town everywhere the Ellington Orchestra went.

Jimmy Blanton was extremely dedicated to his craft, always practicing.

Jimmy Blanton formed relationships with bass players of local symphonies when on the road.

Jimmy Blanton developed an especially close friendship with tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, who had recently joined the Ellington Orchestra.

Jimmy Blanton died on July 30,1942, at a sanatorium in Duarte, California, aged 23.

When with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra, Jimmy Blanton added classical music pizzicato and arco techniques to jazz bass, making it into more of a solo instrument.

Jimmy Blanton's virtuosity placed him in a different class from his predecessors, making him the first master of the jazz bass and demonstrating its potential as a solo instrument.