Cornelius "Tenoo" Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornelius "Tenoo" Coleman
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cornelius Jessie Coleman |
| Also known as | Tenoo |
| Born | July 5, 1928 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Died | February 20, 1973 (aged 44) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Genres | Rhythm and blues |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer |
| Years active | c.1951 – 1973 |
| Associated acts | Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Clarence "Frogman" Henry |
Cornelius Jessie Coleman (born July 5, 1928 – died February 20, 1973), known as "Tenoo", was an American R&B drummer. He was famous for playing with the legendary Fats Domino and on many of his popular songs. Tenoo was born and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Contents
Becoming a Drummer for Fats Domino
Tenoo Coleman first played with Fats Domino at the Mac Hansbury Lounge. He officially joined Fats Domino's band in early 1951. Around the same time, guitarist Walter "Papoose" Nelson and sax player Wendell Duconge also joined the group.
In 1951, only one of Fats Domino's songs, "Rockin' Chair," became a hit. Fats and his new band continued to tour. Fats Domino's producer, Dave Bartholomew, had a disagreement with Imperial Records owner Lew Chudd. So, Fats worked with a different producer, Al Young, for a short time. In January 1952, Fats and his band, including Tenoo, went into the studio. They recorded "Goin' Home" and "Reelin' and Rockin'". "Goin' Home" became the number one R&B song. It was also one of the first R&B songs to appear on the Pop music charts.
Playing with Fats Domino's Band
From 1952 onwards, Fats Domino's band included Fats on piano and vocals, Buddy Hagans and Wendell Duconge on saxophone, Walter "Papoose" Nelson on guitar, Billy Diamond on bass, and Tenoo Coleman on drums. Years later, Fats Domino said this was his "best ever" band. He especially liked Tenoo's drumming. Fats remembered, "Tenoo was left-handed and could really keep a beat. I used to have him set up his drums right next to the piano because the drummer is where I get my drive from."
Tenoo Coleman was Fats Domino's main drummer for fifteen years. He toured with the band and played on most of their recordings for Imperial Records. Between 1950 and 1962, Fats Domino sold sixty million records. During this time, he became a very important figure in rock 'n' roll music.
Touring was a big part of life for the Fats Domino band. For example, in 1957, the band traveled 13,000 miles across the United States. They performed 355 shows, and many of them were sold out.
Television and Film Appearances
On September 2, 1956, Tenoo Coleman and the Fats Domino band appeared on national television for the first time. This was on The Steve Allen Show. Two months later, on November 18, Fats performed with the band on The Ed Sullivan Show. However, Ed Sullivan only showed Fats at the piano, keeping the band off-camera.
In early 1957, on February 2, Fats and his band performed on The Perry Como Show. Like Sullivan, Como also kept the cameras focused only on Domino. Later, on May 25, Como had the band back and showed Domino performing with his full band. In 1957, Fats also appeared twice on the new nationwide show, American Bandstand. These TV appearances helped keep the Fats Domino band very popular.
Coleman also appeared with Fats and his band in the movie "Shake Rattle And Rock"! in 1956. A 2015 documentary about Fats Domino, "The Big Beat," shows concert footage of Fats' band with Tenoo Coleman playing drums.
International Tours and Influence
In January 1961, the Domino band, with Tenoo on drums, toured Jamaica. They played at the Jamaica Music Festival and had many shows in Kingston. Jamaicans could listen to radio signals from New Orleans and Miami. Fats' songs were often played on Jamaican sound systems in the 1950s. His way of emphasizing the offbeat (a rhythm style) was one of the beginnings of ska music. His song "Be My Guest" was especially important in Jamaica. Musicians there started to copy his style, and this beat eventually led to the unique Jamaican sound. Bob Marley even said that reggae music had its roots in Domino's music.
Recording Sessions and Other Artists
From 1957 until the early 1960s, Charles "Hungry" Williams was a very popular drummer for recordings in New Orleans. But for Fats Domino's own recordings, Fats and Dave Bartholomew preferred Tenoo Coleman. Dave Bartholomew said, "Tenoo was one hell of a drummer, one of the best drummers in the world..."
Coleman also recorded for some of Dave Bartholomew's own songs. He played drums for other famous musicians like Smiley Lewis, Pee Wee Crayton, T-Bone Walker, Billy Tate, Roy Brown, and Roosevelt Sykes. He was featured on a song called "Rhumba Rockin' With Coleman" from Herb Hardesty's album "The Domino Effect: Wing & Federal Recordings 1958-1961". This album was recorded in 1958 but was not released until 2012.
Tenoo's Unique Style and Impact
Many drummers learned from Tenoo Coleman. Charles "Hungry" Williams, another important New Orleans drummer, studied Tenoo's playing. Williams remembered watching Tenoo play at clubs. He said, "I'd sit and watch him, because I idolized the dude. He was fast, man, fast." Williams would even set up Tenoo's drums before a show and practice on them.
Tenoo, who was left-handed, also taught Walter "Popee" Lastie. Lastie later played with Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, and Dr. John. Lastie recalled that Tenoo would stand behind him and play beats on his shoulders. If Lastie played it wrong, Tenoo would correct him!
John "Jabo" Starks, an R&B drummer who played with James Brown, also learned from Tenoo. Starks said, "Tenoo [Coleman] was...as funky as any of them... I learned some of that funk by listening to Tenoo."
In the mid-1950s, author Charles Suhor saw Tenoo Coleman in a drum battle against Ed Blackwell. Suhor noted that Blackwell played complex, light rhythms. Coleman, however, was a "slasher," playing strong, accented rhythms with Afro-Cuban beats. His playing had a lot of "pre-funk energy." The crowd loved Coleman's powerful style.
When Domino's band was on tour, other musicians, like drummer Elvin Jones, would watch Tenoo play. Musician Bill Doggett said, "Everybody paid attention to Tenoo. He had that funny kind of rhythm that later became the style, that double stuff on the bass drum. The way he played his snare was, in what we call the vernacular now, a real funky beat."
Author Rick Coleman explained that a "funky beat" meant a drummer added extra beats. This wasn't just for show, but to make people dance even harder. New Orleans was known for its funky rhythms, going back to Congo Square and Second Line parades. Drummers like Tenoo, Charles "Hungry" Williams, Joseph "Smokey" Johnson, and Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste of The Meters were famous for this style.
Later Life and Passing
In the early 1970s, Tenoo Coleman played in Clarence "Frogman" Henry's band. They performed at the 500 Club on Bourbon Street. Other former Fats Domino band members, like sax player Clarence Ford and bass player Lawrence Guyton, also played in this band. In early 1973, after a show with Dave Bartholomew's band, Tenoo had a stroke. He passed away at the age of 44.
