JAM: June/July 2004 Issue: Obituaries

Marcellus Lee
After 44 years of contributing to the jazz community, pianist, drummer and vocalist Marcellus Lee passed away April 8. He was 74 years of age.

Lee was born on November 19, 1929 , in Lexington , VA. “He was a Virginia gentleman,” says his wife Babe Lee. “He went to Virginia State University three years behind Billy Taylor. Whenever they he was in town, they would kid each other about being Virginia gentlemen.”

He joined the service after two years in college and later married his first wife and moved to Kansas City in 1953. They had 5 children. They divorced. He later in life married Babe.

In addition to performing in various bands, including his own, in Kansas City , Lee was active in the jazz community. Mayor Richard Berkley appointed him as a charter member of the Kansas City Jazz Commission in 1982. He played as a drummer for the Lou Donaldson Quartet and the Queen Bey Quartet. He was active in the 18th and Vine Jazz Festival and helped organize the Wayne Minor Drum and Bugle Corps, Kansas City, Mo. Lee served as president of the Mutual Musicians Foundation and was responsible for placing the MMF building on the National Register of Historic Places.

“He was Kansas City 's best kept secret,” says Babe. “His talent was immeasurable.”

Jay Hearn
Drummer Jay Hearn with the Frank Smith Trio. Jay Hearn Jazz drummer Jay Hearn passed away March 22. He is survived by his children Jennie, Rufus and Tate.

Hearn was born in1943 and raised in Bowling Green , MO. While in high school he played with many area bands, even fronting his own jazz quintet for a while.

Upon graduating from Bowling Green High School , Jay moved to Kansas City . He roomed with drummer Barry Gould and worked with Russ Long and Bob Branstetter at the Hampton House on Broadway. He then moved to the Playboy Club and was a member of the Frank Smith Trio.

In the mid 60's Jay moved to Las Vegas . He played with many bands there. One of his more unusual jobs was sight reading new charts for Buddy Rich. Buddy wasn't a reader but had “photographic ears” and could learn the chart from someone else playing it with the band. Jay said Buddy was always very pleasant to him - Buddy even gave Jay one of his cymbals.

Around 1970 Jay went to Sweden for a couple of years. He became very good friends with Red Mitchell, and Jay always had some wonderful stories to tell about his experiences there.

After a quick stop back in Kansas City in 1972-1973, Jay moved to Tulsa . He worked with many name acts that came through town and was friends with bass player John Hurst and singer Angelo Garcia.

In 1982 Jay packed up again, this time moving to San Diego , CA . He was a well respected member of the jazz community there.

Bassist John Hurst (now living in San Diego ) said, “Jay was in San Diego most of the 80s and 90s doing what he did best, making music and making people feel good. Jay was the most melodic drummer I ever played with. I mean, you could actually hear him playing the melody on his "in tuned" drums.”

In 2002, Jay decided he would come back “home” to Kansas City once again. He was working with Brian Hicks and Rod Fleeman, and playing in a band that was backing singer Jay Mowbray (Jaymo) with Steve Rigazzi and Paul Smith.

He seemed to enjoy his return. He called his friend John Hurst and said,
“John, I've been here a year now and I haven't had to play "In The Mood" once!!"

But health problems that began in San Diego worsened here.

“When Jay said he wanted to go back home (to K.C.) we gave him a nice send off,” said John Hurst. “Jay had been ill for quite some time and most of us knew that we were saying ‘good bye' for the last time. He left a lot of friends and wonderful memories. Our lives are much richer because of Jay touching them. I don't know where Jay is going, but what I do know is where ever it is, the rhythm section is going to be a whole lot better!”

--Paul Smith

Claude “Fiddler” Williams
Jazz violinist Claude “Fiddler” Williams passed away April 25. He was 96 years old. He leaves behind a wife, Blanche, and a son.

Williams was born in Muskogee , OK , in 1908. By the age of 10 he was playing guitar, mandolin, banjo and cello. One night while hearing Joe Venuti play violin at a fair, Williams decided he wanted to play the violin. He got his first violin the next day and by nightfall was able to play “You've Got to See Mamma Every Night or You Can't See Mama At All.”

Williams married his first wife, Mabel, in 1925. He traveled with his brother-in-law Ben Johnson's string band where he made good money--$5 - $6 per night at a time when $7 was a weekly wage. He eventually traveled with the territory band Petteriford Family Band with a young Oscar Pettiford.

He came to Kansas City in 1928 when it was a hotbed for swing. That same year he recorded with the Twelve Clouds of Joy. Two years later, the band made their New York debut with Williams in it. When they returned to Kansas City , cutting sessions were going round the clock. Claude insisted the best musicians could only make it big after a Kansas City trial, saying they "had to earn their Kansas City Stamp, then they could go anywhere." From those cutting sessions, Williams was influenced by Lester Young, Ben Webster, Buddy Tate and Hershel Evans. He performed with the Alonzo Trent Band and the George E. Lee Orchestra.

It was in Chicago in when Williams was touring with the Cole Brothers (including a young Nat “King” Cole) when Count Basie came calling. It was 1936 and he wanted Williams to be in his newly assembled band. During this time, he was voted Best Guitarist of the Year by Downbeat magazine. But he was soon replaced by Freddie Green.

In the 1940s and 50s, Williams played in Michigan , Chicago , New York and Los Angeles before returning home in 1953. He started his own band which consisted of Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. In the 1960s he freelanced in the Kansas City area. And in the 70s he toured Europe and recorded “Man from Muskogee ” with friend Jay McShann.

He continued to record and perform, but received a big break late in life in 1989 when he was chosen to perform in the Tony-award winning Broadway play “Black and Blue.” He joined an all-star orchestra that included Leonard Oxley, Sir Roland Hanna, Virgil Jones and Grady Tate.

After Mabel's death in 1989, he married Blanche in 1991. Blanche, along with his New York manager Russ Dantzler, greatly influenced his success late in life. (See Russ's farewell.)

In 1994 and 1995, he headlined the Masters of the Folk Violin tour of 23 cities. Williams also performed at the White House a number of times, including President Clinton's second inauguration. In 1998, he received the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Williams recorded 10 albums in his lifetime. He was the last known active jazz artist who recorded in the 1920s. Williams was busy until the end, performing at the Club at Plaza III in December.






	Search our site:		Marcellus Lee After 44 years of contributing to the jazz community, pianist, drummer and vocalist Marcellus Lee passed away April 8. He was 74 years of age. Lee was born on November 19, 1929 , in Lexington , VA. “He was a Virginia gentleman,” says his wife Babe Lee. “He went to Virginia State University three years behind Billy Taylor. Whenever they he was in town, they would kid each other about being Virginia gentlemen.” He joined the service after two years in college and later married his first wife and moved to Kansas City in 1953. They had 5 children. They divorced. He later in life married Babe. In addition to performing in various bands, including his own, in Kansas City , Lee was active in the jazz community. Mayor Richard Berkley appointed him as a charter member of the Kansas City Jazz Commission in 1982. He played as a drummer for the Lou Donaldson Quartet and the Queen Bey Quartet. He was active in the 18th and Vine Jazz Festival and helped organize the Wayne Minor Drum and Bugle Corps, Kansas City, Mo. Lee served as president of the Mutual Musicians Foundation and was responsible for placing the MMF building on the National Register of Historic Places. “He was Kansas City 's best kept secret,” says Babe. “His talent was immeasurable.” Jay Hearn Drummer Jay Hearn with the Frank Smith Trio. Jay Hearn Jazz drummer Jay Hearn passed away March 22. He is survived by his children Jennie, Rufus and Tate. Hearn was born in1943 and raised in Bowling Green , MO. While in high school he played with many area bands, even fronting his own jazz quintet for a while. Upon graduating from Bowling Green High School , Jay moved to Kansas City . He roomed with drummer Barry Gould and worked with Russ Long and Bob Branstetter at the Hampton House on Broadway. He then moved to the Playboy Club and was a member of the Frank Smith Trio. In the mid 60's Jay moved to Las Vegas . He played with many bands there. One of his more unusual jobs was sight reading new charts for Buddy Rich. Buddy wasn't a reader but had “photographic ears” and could learn the chart from someone else playing it with the band. Jay said Buddy was always very pleasant to him - Buddy even gave Jay one of his cymbals. Around 1970 Jay went to Sweden for a couple of years. He became very good friends with Red Mitchell, and Jay always had some wonderful stories to tell about his experiences there. After a quick stop back in Kansas City in 1972-1973, Jay moved to Tulsa . He worked with many name acts that came through town and was friends with bass player John Hurst and singer Angelo Garcia. In 1982 Jay packed up again, this time moving to San Diego , CA . He was a well respected member of the jazz community there. Bassist John Hurst (now living in San Diego ) said, “Jay was in San Diego most of the 80s and 90s doing what he did best, making music and making people feel good. Jay was the most melodic drummer I ever played with. I mean, you could actually hear him playing the melody on his "in tuned" drums.” In 2002, Jay decided he would come back “home” to Kansas City once again. He was working with Brian Hicks and Rod Fleeman, and playing in a band that was backing singer Jay Mowbray (Jaymo) with Steve Rigazzi and Paul Smith. He seemed to enjoy his return. He called his friend John Hurst and said, “John, I've been here a year now and I haven't had to play "In The Mood" once!!" But health problems that began in San Diego worsened here. “When Jay said he wanted to go back home (to K.C.) we gave him a nice send off,” said John Hurst. “Jay had been ill for quite some time and most of us knew that we were saying ‘good bye' for the last time. He left a lot of friends and wonderful memories. Our lives are much richer because of Jay touching them. I don't know where Jay is going, but what I do know is where ever it is, the rhythm section is going to be a whole lot better!” --Paul Smith Claude “Fiddler” Williams Jazz violinist Claude “Fiddler” Williams passed away April 25. He was 96 years old. He leaves behind a wife, Blanche, and a son. Williams was born in Muskogee , OK , in 1908. By the age of 10 he was playing guitar, mandolin, banjo and cello. One night while hearing Joe Venuti play violin at a fair, Williams decided he wanted to play the violin. He got his first violin the next day and by nightfall was able to play “You've Got to See Mamma Every Night or You Can't See Mama At All.” Williams married his first wife, Mabel, in 1925. He traveled with his brother-in-law Ben Johnson's string band where he made good money--$5 - $6 per night at a time when $7 was a weekly wage. He eventually traveled with the territory band Petteriford Family Band with a young Oscar Pettiford. He came to Kansas City in 1928 when it was a hotbed for swing. That same year he recorded with the Twelve Clouds of Joy. Two years later, the band made their New York debut with Williams in it. When they returned to Kansas City , cutting sessions were going round the clock. Claude insisted the best musicians could only make it big after a Kansas City trial, saying they "had to earn their Kansas City Stamp, then they could go anywhere." From those cutting sessions, Williams was influenced by Lester Young, Ben Webster, Buddy Tate and Hershel Evans. He performed with the Alonzo Trent Band and the George E. Lee Orchestra. It was in Chicago in when Williams was touring with the Cole Brothers (including a young Nat “King” Cole) when Count Basie came calling. It was 1936 and he wanted Williams to be in his newly assembled band. During this time, he was voted Best Guitarist of the Year by Downbeat magazine. But he was soon replaced by Freddie Green. In the 1940s and 50s, Williams played in Michigan , Chicago , New York and Los Angeles before returning home in 1953. He started his own band which consisted of Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. In the 1960s he freelanced in the Kansas City area. And in the 70s he toured Europe and recorded “Man from Muskogee ” with friend Jay McShann. He continued to record and perform, but received a big break late in life in 1989 when he was chosen to perform in the Tony-award winning Broadway play “Black and Blue.” He joined an all-star orchestra that included Leonard Oxley, Sir Roland Hanna, Virgil Jones and Grady Tate. After Mabel's death in 1989, he married Blanche in 1991. Blanche, along with his New York manager Russ Dantzler, greatly influenced his success late in life. (See Russ's farewell.) In 1994 and 1995, he headlined the Masters of the Folk Violin tour of 23 cities. Williams also performed at the White House a number of times, including President Clinton's second inauguration. In 1998, he received the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Williams recorded 10 albums in his lifetime. He was the last known active jazz artist who recorded in the 1920s. Williams was busy until the end, performing at the Club at Plaza III in December. RETURN TO JUNE/JULY 2004 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2004. All rights reserved.