Last updated: 14 hours ago
Major Holley was best known for using the <a href="spotify:artist:3O2UhWvOcdi6WFCAaY4gNB">Slam Stewart</a> trademark of singing along with his bowed bass solos, although he sang in unison while <a href="spotify:artist:3O2UhWvOcdi6WFCAaY4gNB">Stewart</a> vocalized an octave above his bass. Otherwise, Major Holley (known as "Mule") was a fine supportive bassist. He originally played violin and tuba, but switched to bass while playing in Navy bands. He played with <a href="spotify:artist:3NUsiT2JSyaWAnWaXxDzhQ">Dexter Gordon</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4Ww5mwS7BWYjoZTUIrMHfC">Charlie Parker</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5V0MlUE1Bft0mbLlND7FJz">Ella Fitzgerald</a> in the mid- to late '40s, and in 1950 did a series of duet recordings (never reissued) with <a href="spotify:artist:6zkX5fhrSD4tdVOmimR9wB">Oscar Peterson</a>. After a period working for the BBC in England, he toured with <a href="spotify:artist:2KSxJY1WxGGVYSmoM0N54P">Woody Herman</a> (1958), played with the <a href="spotify:artist:4yPUoMbYxVJ6XNJWZVJV7Y">Al Cohn</a>-<a href="spotify:artist:1pwr5rTWLVfqhvHfB7Reap">Zoot Sims</a> quintet (1959-1960), and worked in the studios, in addition to appearing on some jazz recordings and having a stint with <a href="spotify:artist:4F7Q5NV6h5TSwCainz8S5A">Duke Ellington</a> (1964). Major Holley taught at Berklee (1967-1970), freelanced in New York, and recorded with everyone from <a href="spotify:artist:4RvXA7BDgqNgGDjsSSJnPc">Roy Eldridge</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4YNvbaOaqp5pzC5US5t48k">the Lee Konitz Nonet</a>, to <a href="spotify:artist:3rxIQc9kWT6Ueg4BhnOwRK">Quincy Jones</a>; he even met up on two records with <a href="spotify:artist:3O2UhWvOcdi6WFCAaY4gNB">Slam Stewart</a>. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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