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Freddie Slack

 
  • Genres: Jazz

Biography

Freddie Slack was a part of two hit records during the swing era, making his mark on jazz history. Originally a drummer, he switched to piano soon after moving to Chicago in 1927. Slack worked early on with Johnny Tobin. After moving to Los Angeles in 1931, he appeared with bands led by Henry Halstead, Earl Burtnett, Archie Rosate, and Lennie Hayton. Slack gained some recognition for his playing with Ben Pollack (1934-1936) and Jimmy Dorsey (1936-1939). As a key piano soloist with Will Bradley & His Orchestra during 1939-1941, Slack was well showcased on the famous recording of "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" that helped launch the boogie-woogie fad. Slack was a key voice on many other Bradley recordings in the same vein; he also played quite effectively on some Big Joe Turner records. In 1942 Slack formed his own orchestra, which soon scored with the very successful "Cow Cow Boogie" and "Strange Cargo." Initially featuring singer Ella Mae Morse, for a short time Freddie Slack & His Orchestra were one of the more popular swing big bands, appearing in several films and recording for Capitol during 1942-1947. Freddie Slack was based in California in the 1950s and '60s, but he faded from the spotlight at the end of the 1940s, recording a final small-group album for EmArcy in 1955. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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Freddie Slack

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Frederick Charles Slack (August 7, 1910 – August 10, 1965) was an American swing and boogie-woogie pianist and bandleader.

He played with the Jimmy Dorsey Band in the 1930s and was a charter member of the Will Bradley Orchestra when it formed in 1939. Known to bandmates as "Daddy Slack," he played the piano solo on Bradley's recording of "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", one of the early white boogie-woogie hits and a classic of the Big Band era.

After forming his own band in 1942 and signing with the newly-founded Capitol Records, he recorded three songs at the third Capitol recording session on May 21, 1942. His recording of "Cow Cow Boogie," sung by the 17-year-old Ella Mae Morse, was the second record Capitol issued on July 1, and by July 25 it had reached number 1 on the hit parade. It was Capitol's first gold single.[1]

T-Bone Walker was a member of Slack's band from 1942 to 1944 and Slack later accompanied Walker on his first solo recording for Capitol, Mean Old World.[2] This band also had a hit with "Strange Cargo."

Slack continued to record with Capitol until at least 1950, recording some 80 tracks for the label.[3]

Slack also recorded as an accompanist for Big Joe Turner, Johnny Mercer, Margaret Whiting, and Lisa Morrow.

In the original version of the song "Down the Road a Piece", recorded in 1940 by the Will Bradley Orchestra, Slack is mentioned in the lyrics:

If you wanna' hear some boogie then I know the place
It's just an old piano and a knocked-out bass.
The drummer-man's a guy they call 8-beat Mack
You remember Doc and old "Beat Me Daddy" Slack.
Man it's better than chicken fried in bacon grease
Come along with me boys, it's just down the road a piece.

"Eight Beat Mack" refers to drummer Ray McKinley, and "Doc" refers to the band's bass player, Doc Goldberg.

His 1955 album Boogie Woogie on the 88 featured a horn section including jazz musicians Shorty Sherock and Herbie Harper among others, and with arrangements by Benny Carter.

He also co-wrote the 1946 classic "The House of Blue Lights" which was later recorded by Chuck Miller, The Andrews Sisters, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

References

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Related topics:
The Swingin' Singin' Years (1960 Music Film)
Aug. 1943 & Dec. 15, 1944 Broadcasts (1997 Album by Freddie Slack)
Jim Reynolds (Jazz Artist, '30s, '40s)

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