Doc West

Harold "Doc" West (August 12, 1915, Wolford, North Dakota, United States – May 4, 1951, Cleveland, Ohio, United States) was an American jazz drummer.[1]

Doc West
Birth nameHarold West
Born(1915-08-12)August 12, 1915
Wolford, North Dakota, United States
DiedMay 4, 1951(1951-05-04) (aged 35)
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Jazz drummer
Associated actsHot Lips Page
Dizzy Gillespie
Charlie Parker
Tiny Grimes
Count Basie
Billie Holiday
Big Joe Turner
Roy Eldridge

West learned to play piano and cello as a child before switching to drums. In the 1930s he played in Chicago with Tiny Parham, Erskine Tate, and Roy Eldridge (1937–38). Late in the 1930s he filled in for Chick Webb when Webb was unable to lead his own orchestra. Early in the 1940s he played with Hot Lips Page, and played on the early bebop scene at Minton's Playhouse in New York City with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Tiny Grimes, and Don Byas. He played with Oscar Pettiford in 1944 and stood in for Jo Jones occasionally in Count Basie's orchestra.

West appears on recordings from Slam Stewart, Leo Watson, Wardell Gray, Billie Holiday, Erroll Garner, Big Joe Turner, and Jay McShann. He died in 1951 while on tour with Roy Eldridge.

He was married to Florence West (deceased); they had one daughter Alita West-Kelly born December 6, 1949 (deceased 2011).

References


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