Hayes Alvis

Hayes Alvis ( born May 1, 1907 in Chicago, † December 29, 1972 in New York City ) was an American jazz bassist and tuba with the swing.

Life and work

Hayes Alvis began his professional career as a drummer, but later switched to bass and tuba, as he worked with Jelly Roll Morton in 1927/28. His career began in the Drum Corps of the Chicago Defender Boys Concert Band at the side of Lionel Hampton and Sid Catlett. He also played 1928/30 Tuba with Earl Hines and also arranged for his band ( " Blue Nights "). In 1931 he moved to New York and worked with Jimmie Noone in the Mills Blue Rhythm Band 1931-1934, where he fungiurte as road manager. A very early bass solo by Alvis is on an intake of 1932 to hear ( "Rhythm Spasm "). Alvis played in this formation occasionally baritone saxophone and was their tour manager. From 1935 to 1938 Alvis member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, where he collaborated with his friend, bassist and tuba player Billy Taylor.

After his time with Ellington, he had just a band with Freddy Jenkins, with whom he appeared in the Revue Blackbird 1938; then Alvis worked in Benny Carter's band in 1939 with Joe Sullivan and Leonard Feathers All-Star Jam Band and 1940/41, with Louis Armstrong ( in his ensemble he replaced Pops Foster). From 1942 to 1945 he played in a U.S. Army band, which was led by Sy Oliver. After the Second World War he worked until 1947 when Dave Martin, after which he was for many years the house musician at the New York jazz club Cafe Society. After working hours outside the music scene when he ran an interior decorating business and went to the Merchant Navy, he returned in the 1950s back to the jazz scene, playing in various swing and Dixieland revival bands, like Wilbur De Paris. In the early 1970s he played with Jay McShann and Tiny Grimes Trio.

Throughout his career, Hayes also acted on LP recordings by Omer Simeon, Jabbo Smith 1929, Ivie Anderson, Johnny Hodges, Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams in 1937, Joe Marsala, Leonard Feather 's All Stars, Pete Brown in 1939, Lionel Hampton 1940 Louis Armstrong in 1941.