Page, Walter (Sylvester)

Page, Walter (Sylvester), noted jazz bassist, bandleader; b. Gallatin, Mo., Feb. 9, 1900; d. N.Y., Dec. 20, 1957. He is praised, and quite rightly, for his firm, propulsive beat, but he should also be noted for his creative ways of breaking up the beat (as on “He’s Funny That Way/” 1938) and even for double-timing, which was unheard of in that era. He played tuba and bass drum in local brass bands and in high school, and was taught string bass by Major N. Clark Smith. While taking a teachers’ course at Kans. Univ., he began playing in a band, and later worked with Bennie Moten in Kansas City. He regularly doubled on baritone sax throughout the 1920s. In January 1923 he joined Billy King’s Road Show, working in a band led by trombonist Emir Coleman. During 1925 the outfit disbanded in Oklahoma City and Page took the nucleus of the band to form his Blue Devils (Emir Coleman remaining to work for a while with Page). In 1931 he turned the band over to trumpeter James Simpson and worked with small bands in and around Kansas City before rejoining Bennie Moten. The Original Blue Devils (as they were then called) continued to work under various leaders including drummer Earnest Williams, Buster Smith, and trumpeter Leroy “Snake” White. Page remained with Moten until 1934, then worked in a band led by Count Basie before joining Jeter-Pillars’ Band in St. Louis (autumn 1934). Page returned to Kansas City to rejoin Count Basie (c. early 1936) and remained with him until September 1942. He toured with Nat Towle’s Band (spring 1945), then worked with Jesse Price’s Band in Joplin, Mo. he returned to Count Basie from summer 1946 until spring 1949, then joined Hot Lips Page, Worked with Jimmy Rushing (1951), then did extensive freelance work, mainly in N.Y. with Jimmy McPartland, at Eddie Condon’s Club, and with Ruby Braff, Wild Bill Davison (touring in summer 1956), Roy Eldridge (late 1956). He continued to work regularly until shortly before his death. He contracted pneumonia, and resultant complications caused his death. He is not related to Hot Lips Page, trumpeter Dave Page, or tuba-player Vernon Page.

—John Chilton (Who’s Who of Jazz)/Lewis POrter