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Description
TitleCharlie Holmes oral history interview
IntervieweeHolmes, Charlie
InterviewerVollmer, Albert
Date Created1982-10-09, 1982-10-11, 1982-10-31
Genreoral histories
Genreinterviews
Note(s)As a boy, alto sax player Charlie Holmes (1910 – 1985) was friends with Harry Carney and Johnny Hodges both of whom went on to long careers in the Duke Ellington band. Holmes was a technically skilled musician at an early age, having played oboe in the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra and could double on clarinet. A native of Boston, Holmes moved to New York with Harry Carney in 1927, worked briefly with Chick Webb and got his start with pianist Luis Russell’s band. In the Russell orchestra, Holmes played alongside early luminaries Henry “Red” Allen and J. C. Higginbotham. Later Holmes joined the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, and then returned to Russell’s band (under the direction of Louis Armstrong) as lead alto. After a stint in the USO, Holmes returned to the US to play with John Kirby and Billy Kyle before retiring as a full-time musician and taking a job at an insurance company. Holmes alto style is often compared with Johnny Hodges’s based on their early association but unlike Hodges, Holmes never led his own band remaining a sideman his whole career.
Note(s)Tape 2, Side 1: There is a minute of talking that isn't in the transcript from 45:30 to 46:40.
Tape 2, Side 2: A minute of dialogue is missing from transcript in the beginning to 1:18.
Tape 3: A sentence is missing at end of recording, not in transcript.
Tape 5: Has a minute missing from transcript at end of recording from 45:33 to end.
Tape 7, Side 2 From the beginning of the recording to around 1:27 there is missing dialogue in the transcript. 97-206, including 106a, a missing page from scanning.
Table of ContentsPage numbers here indicate page numbers for "Read Online" interface. Page numbers listed on transcripts may differ.
Tape 1 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 1-30
Tape 1 Side 2 ... Transcript pages 30-56
Tape 2 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 57-85
Tape 2 Side 2 ... Transcript pages 85-97
Tape 3 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 98-129
Tape 4 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 129-155
Tape 4 Side 2 ... Transcript pages 155-179
Tape 5 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 179-208
Tape 6 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 209-236
Tape 6 Side 2 ... Transcript pages 236-264
Tape 7 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 265-291
Tape 7 Side 2 ... Transcript pages 291-317
Tape 8 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 317-346
Tape 9 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 347-370
Tape 9 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 371-393
Tape 10 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 393-422
Tape 11 Side 1 ... Transcript pages 423-452
Tape 11 Side 2 ... Transcript pages 452-460
CollectionJazz Oral History Project
Organization NameRutgers University, Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University. Institute of Jazz Studies
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