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Jimmy McPartland

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Jimmy McPartland was an American cornettist, born in Chicago in 1907. His father was a music teacher and baseball player. He grew up partly in children's homes and got into trouble with the law. By his own account, music saved him: he took up the violin at the age of five and the cornet at fifteen.

Music and breakthrough

In the 1920s he played in the Austin High School Gang, together with Bud Freeman, Frank Teschemacher, his brother Dick, Joe Sullivan and Dave Tough, among others. The group learned from records they heard in the sweet shop Spoon and Straw and tried to play them note for note. They helped shape the Chicago style: lively, full of improvisation and inspired by New Orleans. In 1924 he went to New York to take Bix Beiderbecke's place in the Wolverines. Beiderbecke became his friend and chose for him the cornet that he played throughout his career. In 1927 he took part in a recording session by McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans, with China Boy and Nobody's Sweetheart. He then played with Ben Pollack for two years.

Influence

Later he worked with Eddie Condon, Art Hodes, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden and Tommy Dorsey, and often led his own band. He was married to the pianist Marian McPartland. His career spanned more than fifty years. He also contributed to the Dixieland revival of the 1940s and 1950s.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to China Boy by McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans from 1927 and notice the lively interplay, in which the horns play across one another instead of neatly taking turns.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists