Mills Blue Rhythm Band Biography
Late in 1929, a group of New York musicians, under the nominal leadership of drummer Willie Lynch, formed a big band that they named the Blue Rhythm Band. A succession of front men, who included pianist Edgar Hayes and singer Cab Calloway, led the band, but despite high musical standards, it failed to attract a large following. In 1931, Irving Mills took over management of the band and appended his name. The Mills Blue Rhythm Band became third string in Mills' stable, behind the bands of Duke Ellington and Calloway. Later conducted by Jimmy Ferguson ("Baron Lee") and then Lucky Millinder, the band made many fine records. Subsequently billed as the Instrumental Gentlemen From Harlem, the band eventually folded in 1938. During its existence, several top-flight musicians played in its ranks, among them trumpeters Henry "Red" Allen, Shelton Hemphill, Charlie Shavers, Harry Edison and Edward Anderson, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, saxophonists Charlie Holmes, Caster and Ted McCord, and clarinettist Buster Bailey. Especially in its middle and later years, the band was musically outstanding, playing fine arrangements by Tab Smith, Joe Garland and others. Regrettably, the band's lack of a charismatic frontman seemed to carry more weight with the public than its musical excellence, and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band sank into undeserved latter-day obscurity. In the late 40s, the band was briefly re-formed for record dates.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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