Singleton, Zutty (actually, Arthur James)

Singleton, Zutty (actually, Arthur James), early jazz drummer; b. Bunkie, La., May 14, 1898; d. N.Y, July 14, 1975. Singleton was raised in New Orleans; his uncle was Willie “Bontin” Bontemps (bass, guitar, banjo). He worked with local bands in the mid-teens, and then served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. After his discharge, he returned to New Orleans, gigging with various bands, as well as leading his own groups. He worked on Miss, riverboats with Fate Marable from late 1921–23, then returned to New Orleans. He did some pit band work, and then moved to St. Louis to join Charlie Creath for a year (for over 40 years, Singleton was married to Creath’s piano-playing sister, Marge). He briefly returned to New Orleans, then moved to Chicago, working with several bands, including several stints in 1927 with Dave Peyton and Jimmie Noone. That fall, he joined Clarence Jones’s Band at the Metropolitan Theatre, where he first worked with Louis Armstrong. He contnued to work with Armstrong in various settings, including Carroll Dickerson’s Band in later 1928; Singleton played on many of Armstrong’s Savoy Ballroom small band recordings. He moved to N.Y. with Dickerson and Louis Armstrong in spring 1929. During the early 1930s, Singleton worked for several other leaders, including Fats Waller, Bubber Miley, and Otto Hardwick. He also accompanied several dance acts, including the Berry Brothers and Bill Robinson, and toured accompanying Norman and Irene Selby (c. 1933). The latter show ended its run in Chicago, where Singleton settled for several years, rejoining Carroll Dickerson in 1934 as well as leading his own small groups. From September 1936-mid-1937, he worked with Roy Eldridge. He then moved back to N.Y. Until 1943, he played at various N.Y. Dixieland-revival clubs, including a stint with Sidney Bechet (winter-November 1938). Singleton then moved to Los Angeles, where he led his own quartet from April 1943; he did film and radio work, and continued to freelance with other leaders through the end of the 1940s. In 1950, he was back in Chicago working with Art Hodes, then with Bobby Hackett (spring 1951) before joining Bernie Billings in Los Angeles (August 1951). He sailed to Europe in November 1951, where he played with various groups through February 1953. He settled in N.Y., working the clubs throughout the 1950s, briefly with Wilbur de Paris (late 1954). In late 1963, together with Tony Parenti, Singleton began a long residency at Ryan’s. He left temporarily early in 1969, but soon returned to the same venue (with Max Kaminsky). He briefly returned to New Orleans in June 1969 to play at the Jazz Fest. Singleton was forced to retire from full-time music after suffering a stroke in 1970. His appearances in films include Stormy Weather (1943), New Orleans (1946), and Turned-up Toes (1949).

Discography

Battle of jazz, Vol. 2 (1953); Zutty and the Clarinet Kings (1967).

—John Chilton , Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter