Milt Hinton

Bassist Milt Hinton has probably appeared on more records than any other musician in the world and he remains a vital figure in jazz up until his death in 2000. He grew up in Chicago and worked with many legendary figures from the late '20s to the mid-'30s, including Freddie Keppard, Jabbo Smith, and Tiny Parham (with whom he made his recording debut in 1930). He was with Cab Calloway's Orchestra and later, his small group during 1936-1951. Considered the best bassist before the rise of Jimmy Blanton in 1939, Hinton was an ally of Dizzy Gillespie in modernizing Calloway's music. After leaving Calloway, Hinton worked in clubs with Joe Bushkin, had brief stints with Count Basie and Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, and in 1954 became a staff musician at CBS. He appeared on a countless number of recordings (jazz and otherwise) during the next 15 years, everything from Jackie Gleason mood music and polka bands to commercials and Buck Clayton jam sessions. By the 1970s, Hinton was appearing regularly at jazz parties and festivals; in 1995, he toured with the Statesmen of Jazz. Although he was a modern soloist, Hinton kept the art of slap bass alive.