Teddy McRae

Theodore " Teddy" McRae ( born January 22 1908 in Waycross, Georgia; † March 4, 1999 in New York City ) was an American jazz saxophonist (tenor ), arranger, bandleader, and composer of Swing.

McRae grew up in Philadelphia. McRae studied medicine, but then switched to music and founded in the mid 1920s with his four brothers a band. In 1926 he played with June Clark. In 1927, he was with his own band in New York and played with Chick Webb, Elmer Snowden, Stuff Smith, Lil Hardin Armstrong. In 1934 he made ​​his recording debut with Benny Morton. In 1936 he was back with Chick Webb, where he composed with Ella Fitzgerald You Showed Me The Way ( 1937). He not only played saxophone in the band as a soloist, but was also the arranger. After the death of Webb Ella Fitzgerald took over the management until its dissolution in 1941, and McRae had at this time the musical direction of the band.

While at Webb, he recorded with Teddy Wilson and Red Allen. His compositions Back Bay Shuffle ( 1938) and Traffic Jam (1939 ) were hits for Artie Shaw. 1941/43 he was with Cab Calloway, Jimmie Lunceford 1942, 1943 Lionel Hampton and 1944/45, he was musical director of the Jazz of Louis Armstrong. In 1945 he also had a short time their own big band.

After that, he played occasionally in small groups and focused on composing and arranging. In 1958 he founded with Eddie Wilcox the short-lived label Raecox Records. They brought out, among other recordings by Bennie Green and Edmond Hall. 1955/56, he took with Champion Jack Dupree, and in 1955 and 1958 under his own name.

Along with the aforementioned musicians, he recorded with Benny Morton, Putney Dandridge, Cab Calloway.

Lexical entry

• Carlo Bohländer et al Reclams Jazz guide, 1989