Jerome Darr

Jerome Darr (December 21, 1910—October 29, 1986) was an American blues, jazz, bebop, and rhythm and blues guitarist.

Active from the early 1930s through the 1970s, he worked with many famed musicians of the time, including Buddy Johnson, Chocolate Williams, Champion Jack Dupree, Paul Quinichette, and Charlie Parker.

Jerome Darr was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 21, 1910.

Darr began his professional music career in 1933 with a "jug" band named "The Washboard Serenaders", playing his guitar with Len Harrison (double bass); Harold Randolph (kazoo, vocals); Clarence Profit and Arthur Brooks (piano); Bruce Johnson (washboard, vocals); Teddy Bunn (guitar); Gladys Bentley (vocals); Henry "Red" Allen (trumpet); and Derek Neville (clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone).

He was with the Serenaders through 1936, during which time he also toured Europe with them. He also made an appearance with the band in three films:

• That's the Spirit (1933) — directed by Roy Mack; starring Mantan Moreland; bandleader Noble Sissle
• Carnival Time (1936) — directed by Milton Schwarzwald
• The Black Network (1936) — directed by directed by Roy Mack; starring Nina Mae McKinney

In the 1940s, Darr was involved in numerous rhythm & blues and blues sessions with Jimmy Wright and Freddie Mitchell.

In November 1945, he worked with Buddy Johnson Orchestra ("Opus Two", "One Thing I Could Never Do", "Since I Fell for You", "Walk 'em") with Frank Brown, Dupree Bolton, Willis Nelson and John Wilson (trumpet); Jimmy Stanford and David Van Dyke (tenor saxophone); Al Robinson and John (Joe) O'Laughton (alto saxophone); Teddy Conyers (baritone saxophone); Teddy Stewart (drums); Leon Spann (string bass); Gordon Thomas, Leonard Briggs, and Bernard Archer (trombone); Arthur Prysock and Ella Johnson (vocalist).

In 1951, Darr worked with Joe Black and his Boogie Woogie Boys. In 1952, he recorded "Good Story Blues" with Chocolate Williams And His Chocolateers (Hi-Lo Records). In November 1954, he played his guitar on saxophonist Paul Quinichette's album Moods (released in 1955 on EmArcy) with Sam Most (flute); Charles Thompson (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Paul Chambers (bass); and Harold Wing (drums).

From 1945 to 1954, Darr was also involved in several recordings for Charlie Parker with Teddy Kotick (bass), drummer Roy Haynes, and pianist Walter Bishop, Jr.. The compilation album titled Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve was released on October 25, 1990, on Verve Records. In 1957, Darr was heard on Charlie ParkerPlays Cole Porter, accompanied by Teddy Kotick (bass); Art Taylor and Roy Haynes(drums); Billy Bauer (guitar); and Walter Bishop, Jr. (piano).

In 1955, Darr played on pianist Champion Jack Dupree's recordings of "Two Below Zero" and "Blues for Everybody" on King Records with saxophonist Sidney Grant, bassist Cedric Wallace, and drummer Cornelius Thomas. In 1962, he was on Champion Jack Dupree + Jimmy Rushing's album Two Shades of Blues.

In the 1950s, he also worked with Frankie Lymon's band The Teenagers.

In 1960, Darr was heard on Rex Stewart's Swingville Records release of The Happy Jazz of Rex Stewart alongside John Dengler (bass saxophone, kazoo, washboard); Wilbert Kirk (harmonica, tambourine); Chauncey "Lord" Westbrook (guitar); Benny Moten (bass); and Chuck Lampkin (drums);

In 1972, Darr was on Earl Hines + Jonah Jones + Buddy Tate + Cozy Cole's album Back On The Street (Solid Records).

In 1978, Darr played on 6 tracks of Jonah Jones' Nice Jazz 1978 with Bob Wilber (alto saxophone); Ivan Rollé (bass); Johnny Mince (clarinet); Clyde Lucas (drums); Bob Fields (piano); Claude Gousset and Vic Dickenson (trombone); and Wild Bill Davison (trumpet).

Darr died in Brooklyn, New York, on October 29, 1986, at age 75.