Claude Hopkins
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Biography
Claude Hopkins studied piano while simultaneously pursuing medical studies at Howard University, of which his parents were members. In 1924, Claude Hopkins joined Wilbur Sweatman's band for a few months, and the following year he conducted an orchestra and toured Europe and France with music-hall singer Joséphine Baker (1906-1975). The orchestra included clarinet saxophonist Sidney Bechet, who would settle permanently in France after the Second World War. Hopkins returned to the U.S. in 1926, took charge of Charlie Skeete's orchestra and played the same year as Louis Armstrong at Harlem's Cocoanut Grove (1930). The orchestra played in many New York clubs: the Savoy Ballroom, the Roseland Ballroom and the Cotton Club. Claude Hopkins is very popular among the black population, and his growing popularity (he records numerous radio programs) allows him to have brilliant soloists on the desks (Edmond Hall, Vick Dickenson, Jabbo Smith). The orchestra performed well until 1942, when a slight decline set in. Hopkins decided to disband the orchestra (1942), and worked for two years as an inspector in an aircraft factory. He then reformed his orchestra (1944-1946), but like most of his big-band colleagues, he was faced with management and money problems. This time the band closed for good (1946). He devoted a lot of time to arrangements, sometimes playing in small bands until the 70s, notably with Henri "Red" Allen (1954-55), and with Will Bill Davison's Jazz Giants (1967-1968). Hopkins' piano playing is supple and melodious, with powerful accents in the left hand to accentuate the swing.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Offbeat Blues
- Spareribs and Spaghetti by Claude Hopkins
- Home Cookin' Mamma by Claude Hopkins
- How Much Do You Mean to Me? by Claude Hopkins
- The Singing Hills by Claude Hopkins
- Muskrat Ramble featuring Claude Hopkins
- Junk-Man's Serenade by Claude Hopkins
- Ja-Da! (Ja-Da, Ja-Da, Jing, Jing, Jing) by Claude Hopkins
- Walkin' the Dog by Claude Hopkins
- I Let a Tear Fall in the River by Claude Hopkins
- Gulf Coast Blues featuring Buster Bailey
- Three Little Words
- It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) featuring Buddy Tate
- Twinkle Dinkle by Claude Hopkins
- Muddy Water featuring Buster Bailey
- What Is This Thing Called Love featuring Buddy Tate
- The Way You Look Tonight
- When The Saints Go Marching In featuring Claude Hopkins
- Down Hearted Blues featuring Buster Bailey
- Arkansas Blues featuring Buster Bailey
- Late Evening
- Willow Weep For Me featuring Buddy Tate
- I Surrender Dear
- Trouble in Mind featuring Buster Bailey
