June Cole

June Lawrence Cole ( * 1903 in Springfield ( Ohio), † October 10, 1960 in New York City ) was an American jazz bassist (double bass, tuba, bass saxophone).

He was in a local band in Springfield, emerged from the McKinney 's Cotton Pickers, where he played from 1924 to 1926. 1926 to 1929 he was with Fletcher Henderson. In Henderson, he moved permanently from the low wind instruments to the double bass. After that he went with Benny Peyton to Europe, where he stayed for a while, after Peyton with Sam Wooding and Willie Lewis. 1936-1939 he was more ill and could not play. During this time he lived in Paris. In 1941 he returned to the U.S. back to New York City where he played with his own groups and in the quartet of Willie The Lion Smith. He became the owner of a popular record store in Harlem, but still occasionally played in small clubs.

He took up with Henderson, Wooding, Willie Lewis, Django Reinhardt, Bill Coleman, Don Redman, Tommy Ladnier, Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Clarence Williams and Bessie Smith.