Beryl Booker

Artist: Beryl Booker

Similar Artists:

Hazel Scott, Barry Harris, Art Tatum, Kenny Barron, Shirley Scott

Worked With:

Born: June 07, 1922, Philadelphia, PA
Died: September 30, 1978, Berkeley, CA
Active: '40s, '50s
Genres: Jazz
Instrument: Piano
Representative Albums: "1953-1954", "1946-1952", "Beryl Booker (Trio)
Representative Songs: "My Funny Valentine", "Body and Soul", "Let's Fall in Love

Biography

A fine swing pianist who gained some attention in the 1950's, Beryl Booker largely dropped out of music by the early 1960's. She was self-taught and never learned to read music. Booker's first major job was with Slam Stewart's trio in 1946; she played off and on with the bassist until 1951. Booker accompanied Dinah Washington and then in 1953 formed her own trio. She had an opportunity to tour Europe in 1954, (where she sometimes accompanied Billie Holiday) and was back with Dinah Washington for a time in 1959 before slipping away into obscurity. Beryl Booker recorded as a leader for Victor (1945), SIW (1948), Mercury/EmArcy (1952), Discovery (1953), Vogue (with Don Byas) and Cadence (1954). ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

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Discography: Beryl Booker

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1953-1954

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1946-1952

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Wikipedia: Beryl Booker

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Beryl Booker
Birth name	Beryl Booker
Born	June 7, 1922
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Died	September 30, 1978
Genre(s)	Swing Post bop Cool jazz
Occupation(s)	Pianist
Instrument(s)	Piano
Associated acts	Slam Stewart

Beryl Booker (June 7, 1922 – September 30, 1978) was a swing pianist of the 1950s. Born in 1922 in Philadelphia, she played with Slam Stewart's trio in 1946, and played off and on with him until 1951. She also played accompaniment for Dinah Washington. In early 1952, Booker led a quintet which played Birdland, featuring Don Elliot, Chuck Wayne, Clyde Lombardi and Connie Kay. Recordings with Miles Davis sitting in on the group have been preserved.^[1]In 1953, she formed her own trio with Bonnie Wetzel and Elaine Leighton. This group toured Europe in 1954 as part of a show entitled "Jazz Club USA", which featured Billie Holiday.^[1] After another stint with Dinah Washington in 1959, she slipped into obscurity. In the 1970s she continued to play and record with small groups.^[2]

Discography

Girl Met a Piano (1952) (on EmArcy Records)
Beryl Booker Trio (1954) (on Discovery Records)
Don Byas with Beryl Booker (1954) (on Discovery Records)
The Beryl Booker Trio (1954) (on Cadence Records)

Notes

^ ^a ^b Schenker, Anatol. Chronological Classics: 1946-1952. Liner Notes
^ Dahl, Linda. Stormy Weather: The Music and Lives of a Century of Jazzwomen. London 1984; ISBN 0704324776, p. 76.

External links

Beryl Booker at Allmusic

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