NICKNAMES IN JAZZ

Occasionally I have been asked by people why a ‘nickname’; and why would anybody ever go to the trouble of trying to get an autograph. The latter question will be addressed in a future article, but for now I will attempt to explain why there exists an abundance of nicknames in communal environments for the most part, especially in musical groups, and sporting units.

First of all, as Daniel Costa once described in an article, a nickname, also called sobriquet, is essentially an informal name used to sometimes replace the formal name. It often gives rise to familiar or humorous terms. The term ‘nickname’ is derived from the ‘Middle English’ “ekename”, literally meaning “also name” via nekename. This cultural phenomena actually goes back to before the 13th century, where surnames were uncommmon in England, and physical characteristics , as in jazz, played an important role in nicknaming.

In a group setting, one often inherits a nickname as a sign of endearment, a sense of belonging; that is to say, you have become one with the organization, be it a jazz orchestra or baseball team. It can reflect your appearance or how you play the instrument or game. The list below contains only some of the most notable nicknames in the history of jazz. Sometimes the names are simply shorter versions of the surname , such as Brownie for Clifford Brown, and Trane for John Coltrane. Often they shadow the artists physical appearance such as Big Joe Turner, Baby Dodds, Red Allen, Shorty Rogers, and Tiny Grimes. Here are some of the most well known and beloved nicknames in our favorite genre:

1. Duke Ellington (alias Edward Kennedy Ellington)
2. Count Basie (alias William
3. Sweetpea Strayhorn (alias Billy Strayhorn)
4. Lady Day (alias Billie Holiday or Eleanora Kagan Hough)
5. Yardbird or Bird (alias Charlie Parker)
6. Hawk or Bean (alias Coleman Hawkins)
7. Bags (alias Milt Jackson)
8. The Divine One (alias Sarah Vaughan)
9. Fatha (alias Earl Hines)
10. Cannonball (alias Julian Adderley)
11. Jelly Roll (alis Ferdinand Morton)
12. Cleanhead (alias Eddie Vinson)
13. Lockjaw (alias Eddie Davis)
14. Fathead (alias David Newman)
15. Chu (alias Leon Berry)
16. Dizzy (alias John Birks Gillespie)
17. Bix (alias Leon Bismarck Beiderbecke)
18. Tootie (alias Albert Heath)
19. Angry Man of Jazz (alias Charles Mingus)
20. The Velvet Fog (alias Melvin Torme)
21. The First Lady of Song (alias Ella Fitzgerald)
22. Rabbit (alias Johnny Hodges)
23. Sweets (alias Harry Edison)
24. Jughead (alias Gene Ammons)
25. Fats (alias Thomas Waller and Eugene Navarro)
26. Satchmo or Pops (alias Louis Armstrong)
27. King (alias Nat Cole or Benny Carter)
28. Klook (alias Kenny Clarke)
29. Mr. Gone (alias Wayne Shorter)
30. Sonny (alias Thadeus Walter Rollins)
31. Zoot (alias John Halley Sims)
32. Wild Bill (alias William Davis)
33. The Queen of the Blues (alias Besse Smith and Dinah Washington)
34. Tain (alias Jeff Watts)
35. Prez or Pork Pie Hat (alias Lester Young)

Essential Albums

1. Duke Ellington Meets Count Basie (Columbia 1961)
2. Bags & Trane – milt Jackson & John Coltrane) (Atlantic 1960?)
3. Dizzy Gillespie In Concert – Dateline:Europe (Reprise 1963)
4. Prez Vol. 2 – Lester Young in Washinton, D.C. 1956 (Pablo 1980)
   • Cannonball Adderley’s Fiddler On The Roof (Capitol Recs 1972?)
   • Satchmo Remembered: The Music of Louis Armsrong At Carnegie Hall (Atlantic 1975)
   • Lady In Satin – Billie Holiday with Ray Ellis Orchestra (Columbia Recs)
   • Zoot Sims Plays The Gershwin Brothers (Pablo)