Eddie Barefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddie Barefield
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Barefield c. 1947
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edward Emanuel Barefield |
| Born | December 12, 1909 Scandia, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | January 4, 1991 (aged 81) New York City, U. S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, arranger, conductor |
| Instruments | Saxophone, clarinet |
Edward Emanuel Barefield (born December 12, 1909 – died January 4, 1991) was a talented American jazz musician. He played the saxophone and clarinet. He was also an arranger, which means he wrote and organized music for bands. Eddie Barefield was famous for working with jazz legends like Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington. He also helped arrange music for the ABC Orchestra and appeared in movies.
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About Eddie Barefield
Eddie Barefield was born in Scandia, Iowa, on December 12, 1909. He grew up in Des Moines. His father was a coal miner, boxer, baseball player, and guitarist. His mother was a pianist.
Eddie started playing the saxophone when he was twelve years old. His mother gave him the instrument as a Christmas gift. He was so curious that he took it apart to see how it worked!
Early Music Career
Eddie began playing music all over the Midwest. He got his first big chance with a "big band" in 1932. This was the Bennie Moten orchestra. This band later became the famous Count Basie Orchestra.
This opportunity led him to play with Zach Whyte's band. When he was 24, he joined Cab Calloway's orchestra in 1933. Eddie arranged and wrote music for Cab Calloway for over 40 years!
After Chick Webb passed away in 1939, Eddie conducted the orchestra for the amazing singer Ella Fitzgerald. He also performed with many other famous musicians. These included McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Les Hite, Fletcher Henderson, Don Redman, and Benny Carter.
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Later Years and Other Work
After the time of the big bands ended, Eddie Barefield kept working. He conducted shows and played music on his own. He even played at a jazz festival in Nice, Europe.
In 1947, Eddie was the music director for the first Broadway show of Streetcar Named Desire. He also spent ten years playing in the band for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
He composed and arranged music for other famous musicians. These included Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Paul Whiteman, and Jimmy Dorsey. Later in his life, Eddie worked with the Illinois Jacquet big band.
Eddie also appeared in several movies. Some of these films include Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho (1934) and The Singing Kid (1936). He also appeared in Every Day's a Holiday (1937) and The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968).
Eddie Barefield lived in the Bronx with his wife, Connie Harris. She was a dancer who appeared in many films.
Eddie passed away from a heart attack on January 4, 1991. He was at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He was survived by his wife and his daughter, Patricia Poindexter.
Eddie Barefield's Music
Eddie Barefield recorded several albums during his career.
- 1974: Eddie Barefield (RCA)
- 1977: The Indestructible Eddie Barefield (Famous Door)
- 1982: Jazz (Comprehensive Video Supply Corporation)
See also
- List of Jazz Arrangers
