Clyde Bernhardt

Clyde Bernhardt ( born July 11, 1905 in Gold Hill, North Carolina, † 20 May 1986 in Newark) was an American jazz trombonist and bandleader.

Life and work

Bernhardt grew up in Harrisburg ( Pennsylvania) and started playing trombone at age 17. In the 1920s he began his career in ensembles such as Bill Eady 's Ellwood Syncopators, Tillie Vennie, Odie Cromwell's Syncopators Wolverine, Charlie Grear 's Original Midnite Ramblers, the Richard Cheatham Orchestra, the Whitman Sisters, the Honey Brown Orchestra and Ray Parker. In 1931, he worked at King Oliver; in the middle of the decade, he also played with Alex Hill, The Alabamians, Billy Fowler, Ira Coffey 's Walkathonians and Vernon Andrade.

In 1937 he was a member of Edgar Hayes Orchestra, where he remained until 1942; then he worked in the bands of Jay McShann, Cecil Scott, Luis Russell, Leonard Feather, Pete Johnson, Wynonie Harris, Claude Hopkins, and with Paul and Dud Bascomb. During this time he also launched his own formations, called The Blue Blazers before he played from 1948 to 1951 again with Luis Russell. Under his own name he took 1946-1953 to some 78s; later he also sang under the pseudonym Ed Barron.

From 1952 to 1970 he played part-time in Joe Garland's Society Orchestra, otherwise worked outside the music business. From 1972 to 1979 he headed the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band; in the formation also played Doc Cheatham, Charlie Holmes, Happy Caldwell, Tommy Benford and Miss Rhapsody. After 1979, forced him to health reasons, leave the line of the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band; but he played until his death in 1986 in Barry Martyn's Legends of Jazz Formation. Shortly before, he published his autobiography, which he had co-authored with Sheldon Harris (I Remember).

Weblink

• Clyde Bernhardt biography by Scott Yanow for Allmusic

• Jazz trombonist
• American musician
• Born 1905
• Died in 1986
• Man