William Henry Webb, usually known as Chick Webb (February 10, 1909–June 16, 1939) was a jazz and swing music drummer as well as a band leader. February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory and marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... Musically, swing can be either: (written with small s), refers to swung notes, the rhythmic feeling evoked by swinging music, esp. ... A session drummer at practice A drummer is a musician who plays the drums, particularly the drum kit, marching percussion, or hand drums. ... A Bandleader is the director of a band of musicians. ...

Webb was born in Baltimore, Maryland to William H. and Marie Johnson Webb. He suffered from childhood tuberculosis, leaving him with short height and a badly deformed spine. He supported himself as a newspaper boy and saved up money to buy drums, and first played professionally at age 11. Nickname: Monument City, Charm City, Mob Town, B-more Motto: Get In On It (formerly The City That Reads and The Greatest City in America; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Location of Baltimore in Maryland Coordinates: Country State County United States Maryland Independent City... It has been suggested that Antituberculant be merged into this article or section. ... The vertebral column seen from the side The vertebral column (backbone or spine) is a column of vertebrae situated in the dorsal aspect of the abdomen. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

At twenty he moved to New York City and by the following year, 1926, he was leading his own band in Harlem. Jazz drummer Tommy Benford said he gave Webb drum lessons when he first reached New York. Flag Seal Nickname: Big Apple Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article is about the Harlem neighborhood in New York City. ... Thomas Tommy Benford prominent African American jazz drummer. ...

He alternated between band tours and residencies at New York City clubs through the late 1920s. In 1931, his band became the house band at the Savoy Ballroom. He became one of the best-regarded bandleaders and drummers of the new "Swing" style. Drumming legend Buddy Rich cited Webb's powerful technique and virtuous performances as heavily influential on his own drumming, and even referred to Webb as "the daddy of them all" [1]. The Savoy often featured "Battle of the Bands" where Webb's band would compete with other top bands (such as the Benny Goodman Orchestra or the Count Basie Orchestra) from opposing bandstands. 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... The Savoy Ballroom located in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, was a public place for music and dance shows from 1926 to 1958. ... Musically, swing can be either: (written with small s), refers to swung notes, the rhythmic feeling evoked by swinging music, esp. ... Bernard Buddy Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. ...

Webb married a woman named Sallye, and in 1935 he began featuring a teenaged Ella Fitzgerald as vocalist. He formally adopted her. 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella (the First Lady of Song), was an American singer, considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century, alongside Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. ...

In November of 1938, Webb's health began to decline, and from then until his death he alternated time on the bandstand with time in hospitals. 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

After his death, Ella Fitzgerald led the Chick Webb band for the remainder of the swing era.

Disputed birthdate

Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Coleman Hawkins are among several early jazz musicians whose birthdates have been disputed. Many sources give Webb's birth year as 1909; however there is research that shows this may be incorrect. Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901[1] – July 6, 1971) (also known by the nicknames Satchmo for satchel-mouth and Pops) was an American jazz musician. ... For other uses, see King Cole (disambiguation). ... Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins, nicknamed Hawk and sometimes Bean, (November 21, 1901 or 1904 - May 19, 1969) was a prominent jazz tenor saxophone musician. ...

The Encyclopædia Britannica Online gives two possible years for his birthdate, 1902 and 1909. [2] Still other publications claim other years. The New York Times reported in 1939 that Webb was born in 1907. 1913 advertisement for the 11th edition, with the slogan When in doubt — look it up in the Encyclopædia Britannica The Encyclopædia Britannica (properly spelled with æ, the ae-ligature) was first published in 1768–1771 as The Britannica was an important early English-language general encyclopedia and is still... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Eric B. Borgman claims that he has proven that Webb was actually born in 1905, based on the 1910 and 1920 United States censuses. The Internet Movie Database has since adopted the 1905 year. 1880 US Census of Hoboken, New Jersey The United States Census is mandated by the United States Constitution[1]. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats (congressional apportionment), electoral votes, and government program funding. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ...

It appears that his death certificate gives his birth year as 1909 but only after 1907 was written over. During his lifetime a book entitled "Rhythm on Record" by Hilton Schleman believed his birth year was 1907. Hilton Schleman was an English author and wrote several book collections on jazz music. ...

At this time Webb's actual birthdate is still disputed.

Trivia

Webb is one of the jazz drummers whose style is imitated by street drummer Gene Palma in the film Taxi Driver, suggesting his influence is pervasive down the decades. Taxi Driver is a 1976 American motion picture drama directed by Martin Scorsese. ...

Sources

• American Rag, Uhl Tidings column, November 2005.

External links

• Internet Movie Database
• "Setting the Record Straight" article
• Chick Webb: Baltimore's Jazz Giant
• The Life and Music of Chick Webb