Hal Singer

Singer was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma's African-American district, Greenwood. He was a survivor of the Tulsa race massacre (also called the Tulsa race riot, Greenwood Massacre, or the Black Wall Street Massacre), which took place on May 31 and June 1, 1921. Singer grew up in Greenwood where he studied violin as a child but, as a teenager, switched to clarinet and then tenor saxophone, which became his instrument of choice.

From the late 1930s Singer began playing in local bands, including Ernie Fields', before joining Jay McShann's orchestra in 1943 and then moving to New York. After working in other bands, he joined Oran "Hot Lips" Page's band in 1947 and began working as a session musician with King Records.

In early 1948, he left Page, formed his own small group, and was signed to Mercury Records where he cut his first single "Fine As Wine" with a B side "Rock Around the Clock" (not the same title made famous by Bill Haley), co-written with Sam Theard.[2] For the Savoy label of Newark, New Jersey, he recorded the instrumental "Corn Bread", which made No. 1 on the R&B charts in September 1948, and gave Singer a new popularity and nickname. His follow-up the following year, "Beef Stew", was a much smaller hit.

In the early and mid-1950s, he recorded with Mercury, toured with R&B artists such as The Orioles and Charles Brown, and increasingly worked as a session musician. In 1958, he began recording with Prestige Records as a jazz soloist and performing at the Metropole Cafe in New York with leading jazz musicians such as Roy Eldridge and Coleman Hawkins.

In 1965, after touring Europe with Earl "Fatha" Hines' band, Singer stayed in France to settle near Paris. He continued to record and also toured extensively around Europe and Africa, performing with various bands including Charlie Watts' and the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Singer's 1969 album, Paris Soul Food, featuring him on saxophone and vocals; Robin Hemingway, vocals, arrangements and album production; and Manu Dibango, saxophone, organ and arrangements won a French Record Academy award for best international LP.

In 1974, he went on a State Department tour of Africa with Horace Parlan.[3] Singer was awarded the prestigious title of "Chevalier des Arts" by the French government.

A documentary film, Hal Singer, Keep the Music Going, was made by Haitian-American director Guetty Felin in 1999. It was made in collaboration with the CNC in France and the French cable music network Muzzik. The documentary wove into the narrative Singer's personal super-8 movies, archival images of the jazz era, and footage of Singer's home in Paris, in concert and teaching jazz to the younger generation of musicians in France. Spoken word poet Jessica Care Moore is featured in a duet with Singer.

Singer became a centenarian on 8 October 2019.[4] He died on August 18, 2020.[5]

• 1948 "Fine As Wine" & "Rock Around the Clock" (Mercury)
• 1948 "Corn Bread" – as leader
• 1949 "Beef Stew" – as leader
• 1959 Blue Stompin' – Hal Singer and the Charlie Shavers Quintet (Prestige)
• 1960 Blues by Lonnie Johnson – Lonnie Johnson Quintet (Bluesville)
• 1963 Blues in the Night – as leader (Fidelio)
• 1968 A Funky Day in Paris – Johnny Letman (Black & Blue)
• 1968 Milt and Hal – Milt Buckner (Black & Blue)
• 1969 Paris Soul Food – as leader (Polydor)
• 1969 Kidney Stew is Fine − Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (Delmark)
• 1971 Blues and News – as leader (Marge)
• 1973 Grey's Mood – Al Grey (Black & Blue)
• 1975 Soul of Africa – as leader (Le Chant du Monde)
• 1977 Le Grand Voyage / The Long Trip – as leader (Pastoral)
• 1981 Rocket 88 – Rocket 88
• 1981 Swing on it – as leader (JSP)
• 1990 Royal Blue – as co-lead with Al Copley – (Black Top)
• 2010 Challenge – as co-lead with David Murray – (Marge)

• More information
• Details on early career
• Hal Singer discography at Discogs