Avery Parrish

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James Avery Parrish (January 24, 1917 – December 10, 1959) was an American jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He wrote and recorded "After Hours". Injuries from a bar fight in 1943 ended his career as a pianist.

Early life

Parrish was born in Birmingham, Alabama.[1] His parents were Curley and Fannie G Parrish.[2] Avery had at least one brother, who became an educator.[3]

Parrish graduated from Parker High School in Birmingham.[4] According to a gossip columnist in 1935, Parrish was at that time married to singer Velma Middleton.[5][6]

Later life

Parrish studied at the Alabama State Teachers College, where he played in the Bama State Collegians, an ensemble led by Erskine Hawkins.[1] He remained in Hawkins's employ until 1942,[7] and recorded with him extensively. Parrish wrote the music to "After Hours", and a 1940 recording of the tune with Hawkins's orchestra resulted in its becoming a jazz standard. He also wrote arrangements for Hawkins.[8]

In August 1942 Parrish was injured in a car crash that killed Marcellus Green, one of Hawkins's trumpeters.[9] They were in a group of five in the vehicle, driving between Pittsburgh and Chattanooga to gigs when it overturned.[10] Parrish left Hawkins later that year[7][11] and moved to California.[1] He was a commercially successful solo pianist there.[12] He was involved in a bar fight in 1943[13] – he was hit in the head by a bar stool[12] – which put him in hospital for a few months.[14] This left him partly paralyzed; he was unable to play music for the rest of his life.[1]

Parrish died of unknown causes[1] on December 10, 1959.[2][15] A contemporary report stated that he "had been found lying in Harlem streets five days before he died at the Harlem Hospital. There were no marks of violence on his body."[4] Author and music executive Arnold Shaw stated that Parrish suffered "a fall down a flight of stairs".[12] At the time, Parrish was living with his mother on Saint Nicholas Avenue and "working as a porter for a local bottling company."[16] He was buried in Ferncliff Cemetery, New York.[16] He was survived by his mother and a brother, Julian.[16]

In 1979, Parrish was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

References

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  1. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ a b Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  3. ↑ Lambert, Katherine Kent (November 18, 1939) "Birmingham News". The Chicago Defender. p. 10.
  4. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". Template:Open access
  5. ↑ McMillan, Allan (November 16, 1935) "Hi Hattin' in Harlem". The Chicago Defender. p. 9.
  6. ↑ McMillan, Allan (July 4, 1964) "On Broadway: Private Papers of a Dawn Patroller". New Pittsburgh Courier p. 15.
  7. ↑ a b "'Record Man' Returns to WOR Program" (May 9, 1942) The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 20.
  8. ↑ McCarthy, Albert J (1974) Big Band Jazz. Putnam. p. 233.
  9. ↑ "Erskine Hawkins Bandsman Is Killed: Hawkins Bandsman Killed in Accident Avery Parrish, Pianist. Among Others Hurt in Auto Capsizing". (August 15, 1942) New York Amsterdam Star-News. p. 1.
  10. ↑ "Hawkins Band Member Dies in Car Crash". (August 15, 1942) The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 1.
  11. ↑ "Rowe's Notebook". (October 17, 1942) The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 20.
  12. ↑ a b c Shaw, Arnold (1978) Honkers and Shouters: The Golden Years of Rhythm and Blues. Collier. p. 60. Template:ISBN.
  13. ↑ "Avery Parrish, Erskine Hawkins' Swing Pianist, Is Still Alive!". (August 14, 1943) The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 20.
  14. ↑ "Avery Parrish Leaves Hospital". (November 6, 1943) The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 19.
  15. ↑ Bruyninckx, Walter (1981) 60 Years of Recorded Jazz 1917–1977, Volume 9. W. Bruyninckx. p. 97.
  16. ↑ a b c "Avery Parrish Pianist Dies; Was Composer". (December 19, 1959) New York Amsterdam News. p. 38.

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