ProJazz.net

Benjamin E. “Benny” Payne (also Bennie Payne , born June 18, 1907 in Philadelphia , † January 2, 1986 in Los Angeles ) was an American jazz pianist , singer and arranger .

Payne learned piano at the age of twelve and worked as a church organist in Philadelphia in his youth. He began his career in 1926 and played in 1928 with Wilbur Sweatman . Fats Waller , who was also his mentor, recorded in 1930 with him as a piano duo (including ” St. Louis Blues ” / ” After You’ve Gone “, Victor 22371). From 1929 to 1931 he worked in touring shows (including Blackbirds of 1929 in Europe) and accompanied Elisabeth Welch and Gladys Bentley . In 1930/31 he worked as a singer in the Duke Ellington Orchestra , with which it came to recordings (“Wang Wang Blues”, ” Rockin ‘Chair”). From 1931 to 1943 he worked as a musician and arranger for Cab Calloway and also participated in his music films, such as Cab Calloway’s Jitterbug Party and The Singing Kid . He then completed military service in the Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis; after release from the army he played until 1946 again at Calloway. In 1944 he had his own trio in New York, with Everett Barksdale and Joe Benjamin ,  that for one of Joe Davis , the blues singer organized session Basil Spears accompanied.

In his later years he worked u. a. with Pearl Bailey and also as musical director with the singer Billy Daniels . In the field of jazz he was involved between 1930 and 1957 in 103 recording sessions.  In the 1950s, he joined one of the first African-American to entertainers in national television. In 1953 he had an appearance in Richard Quine’s movie Cruisin ‘Down the River . From 1955 he lived in Los Angeles, where his only album was created under his own name. In 1964, Payne guested on Broadway in a re-release of Golden Boy starring Daniels and Sammy Davis, Jr.; shortly afterwards he retired from the music business.

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Track listing:

00:00 A1 I’m Gonna Sit Right Down
03:26 A2 You Were Meant For Me
07:04 A3 I Understand
10:18 A4 When Somebody Thinks
14:05 A5 If I Could Be With You
18:00 A6 Sunny Side Up
21:11 B1 Ooh! What You Do To Me
24:32 B2 Aint Misbehavin’
27:54 B3 The Most Beautiful Girl
31:22 B4 Blue Turning Grey
34:53 B5 Memories Of You
39:00 B6 Glory Of Love

Personnel:

Benny Payne – piano, vocals
Mundell Lowe – guitar
Trigger Alpert – bass
Phil Flatbush – tenor sax
Don Lamond – drums
Joe Wilder – trumpet
Jonah Jones – trumpet

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Label: Kapp Records ‎– KL 1004
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono
Country: US
Released: 1955