Jesse Drakes

Jesse Drakes ( born October 22, 1926 in New York City, † 2010 ) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Life and work

Drake's wrong as a teenager in New York's Minton 's Playhouse; in the 1940s, he studied at the Juilliard School. He began his career in 1945 with Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans and then worked with Sid Catlett, JC Heard, Eddie Heywood, Deke Watson and Sarah Vaughan. Between 1948 and 1956 he worked often with the tenor saxophonist Lester Young, u a. to listen to the recordings for Savoy Records (The Masters Touch). During these years he also played with Harry Belafonte, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Louie Bellson and the Duke Ellington Orchestra (1956). In the field of jazz, he was involved 1945-1961 to 34 recording sessions.

In the late 1950s and 1960s, Drake has shifted more to the rhythm and blues, toured with King Curtis, played in the Motown studios and occurred in the backing band for Ray Charles. From 1969 he lived in New York, led dance bands and accompanied singers. Drake, who died at the age of 85 years, in early May 2010 was found dead in his New York apartment.