Cripple Clarence Lofton
Cripple Clarence Lofton (actually Albert Clement, born March 28, 1887 in Kingsport (Tennessee ); † January 9, 1957 in Chicago) was an American boogie woogie and blues pianist and dancer, songwriter and singer.
Life and work
Cripple Clarence Lofton began his career, although he limped, as tap dancers, where his artist name derives. Later he became known as a pianist in blues and boogie woogie idiom and moved to Chicago. Hallmark of his performances was his energetic stage presence, where he also danced to his singing and whistling. The author was William Russell in his book Boogie Woogie a description of his stage show:
"No one can complain about a lack of variety or versatility in Clarence., When he really gets going, he's a circus with three rounds. During a number plays and sings it, whistles a chorus, and snaps his fingers like a flamenco dancer to give his blues playing additional percussive accompaniment. Sometimes he turns sideways, usually with his back to the piano, as if he then trot and he trudges to the feet. Meanwhile, he begins, he begins to sing again and gets the audience. , or to his drummer Suddenly he jumps in the middle of a number on, clasped his hands, and runs around the piano stool, and then, quite unexpectedly, he grumbles something in a deep bass voice a second later, he turns around and returns to. piano back, both hands will fly at high speed over the keys his actions and his facial expression is so intense dramatic and entertaining as his music. ".
Most of his songs were twelve -bar blues; with his unique style soon found Lofton the main pillar of his work. His first recordings were made in April 1935, Big Bill Broonzy for Vocalion Records. He joined later in the night club Big Apple in Chicago and played until the end of the 1940s more records, until he sat down to rest. He continued to live in Chicago until he died of a cerebral embolism in 1957.
Lofton was an important part of the boogie-woogie genre in Chicago. Among his best known songs were: " Strut That Thing ", " Monkey Man Blues ", " I Do not Know " and " Pitchin 'Boogie ". His talent influenced more players like Pinetop Smith and other well known boogie-woogie artists like Meade Lux Lewis, Cow Cow Davenport and Jimmy Yancey. Lofton said himself, his model would have been Erwin helpers.
Disco Graphical Notes
- Cripple Clarence Lofton Vol 1 1935 - 1939 ( Document Records )
- Cripple Clarence Lofton Vol 2 1939 - 1943 ( Document Records )
- Cripple Clarence Lofton ( Riverside Records, 1954)
- Honky -tonk and boogie woogie piano ( Riverside, 1954)
- Cripple Lofton & Walter Davis ( Kazoo )