Shorty Baker

Harold "Shorty" Baker (May 26, 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri, US – November 8, 1966) was an American jazz trumpeter.^[1]

Shorty Baker, c. November 1946

Baker began on drums, but switched to trumpet during his teens. He started his career on riverboats and played with Don Redman in the mid-1930s.^[1] He also worked with Teddy Wilson and Andy Kirk before joining Duke Ellington.^[1] He married Kirk's pianist Mary Lou Williams^[1] and though the two separated shortly thereafter, they never officially divorced.

Baker worked on and off in Duke Ellington's Orchestra from 1942 to 1962.^[1] He also worked with Johnny Hodges's group in the early 1950s, during the period when Hodges was not a member of Ellington's orchestra.^[1]

He died of throat cancer in New York at the age of 52.^[2]

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• 1958.09 - The Broadway Beat (King, 1959)
• 1960.05 - The Bud Freeman All-Stars featuring Shorty Baker (Swingville, 1960) with Bud Freeman^[1]
• 1960.05 - Summer Concert 1960 (Jazz Archives, 1960) The Bud Freeman/Shorty Baker All-Stars
• 1961.01 - Shorty & Doc (Swingville, 1961) with Doc Cheatham^[1]

As sideman

See also: Duke Ellington discography

With Johnny Hodges

• 1950 - The Rabbit (Vogue, 1950)
• 1954 - Johnny Hodges (Norgran, 1954) reissued as Used to Be Duke (Norgran, Verve)
• 1955 - Dance Bash (Norgran, 1955) reissued ad Perdido (Norgran and Verve, ?)
• 1957 - The Big Sound (Verve, 1957)
• 196' - The Smooth Sound (Verve, ?)
• 1961 - Soloist W BIlly Strayhor and Orchestra (Verve, ?)

With Billy Strayhorn

• 1959 - Cue for Saxophone (Felsted, 1959)