Cassino Simpson

Wendell " Cassino " Simpson ( born July 22, 1909 in Venice, or Chicago, † March 27, 1952 in Elgin (Illinois ) ) was an American jazz pianist and bandleader who became well known in the jazz scene in Chicago.

Life and work

Simpson had piano lessons with Zinky Cohn. 1923 made ​​his first recordings in the band of Bernie Young, then with the Moulin Rouge Orchestra (1925 ). In the following years he belonged to the Creole Roof Orchestra by Arthur Sims, with whom he recorded in 1926. After the death of bandleader Bernie Young took over the management of the band. Simpson remained until 1930 in the ensemble, which among other Chester Boone, Ed Burke, Scoops Carry and Keg Johnson played. In 1929, he took with Jabbo Smith's Rhythm Aces Brunswick on ( "Jazz Battle", " Little Willie Blues ," " Take Me to the River" ). From 1931 to 1933 he worked at Erskine Tate, with which, however, were no shots. He also accompanied Laura Rucker in some shots. 1932/33, he had his own orchestra and played under his own name, under various pseudonyms, with Jabbo Smith and Milt Hinton as an accompanist. In 1933 he accompanied Half Pint Jaxon, originated with the four sides of the board. Shortly thereafter, he became ill and mentally was housed in a 1935 psychiatric hospital in Elgin (Illinois ). There he played piano and vibraphone in the dance band of the device, also bass drum in the marching band. In 1942 he took there on some solo piano pieces; However, he did not leave the establishment until his death in 1952.

Lexical entries

• John Jorgensen, Erik Wiedemann Jazz Encyclopedia, Bertelsmann, undated

Weblink

• Cassino Simpson at Allmusic (English)