Teddy Hill

Teddy Hill (December 7, 1909 in Birmingham, Alabama – May 19, 1978 in Cleveland, Ohio) was an American big band leader and the manager of Minton's Playhouse, a seminal jazz club in Harlem.

He played a variety of instruments, including drums, clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophone.

After moving to New York City, Hill had early gigs with the Whitman Sisters, George Howe and Luis Russell's orchestra in the 1920s, later forming his own band in 1934, which found steady work over the NBC radio network.

Over several years it featured such major young musicians as Roy Eldridge, Bill Coleman, Frankie Newton and Dizzy Gillespie.

Teddy Hill married Louise Welton in the 1920s.

Their daughter Gwendolyn Louise Hill was born in 1930.

Over time, Teddy and Louise separated and eventually divorced.

In the late 1930s, a singer named Bonnie Davis started working in his band.

They later had a daughter together, Beatrice Hill, who would become known under the stage name Melba Moore.

In 1935, he recorded a four-song session for ARC (Banner, Conqueror, Melotone, Oriole, Perfect, Romeo).

1935: Teddy Hill And His Orchestra (Bill Coleman, Roy Eldridge, Bill Dillard, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope, Howard E. Johnson, Chu Berry, Teddy Hill, Sam Allen, John Smith, Richard Fullbright, Bill Beason):

In 1936, he recorded two sessions (four tunes) for Vocalion.

1936: Teddy Hill And His Orchestra (Shad Collins, Bill Dillard, Frank Newton, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope, Howard Johnson, Teddy Hill, Kenneth Hollon - later replaced by Cecil Scott, Sam Allen, John Smith, Richard Fullbright, Bill Beason):

Hill's band played at the Savoy Ballroom regularly, and toured England and France in the summer of 1937.

He signed with Bluebird in 1937 and recorded 18 songs over three sessions.

1937: Teddy Hill And His NBC Orchestra (Shad Collins, Frank Newton, Bill Dillard, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope, Cecil Scott, Howard Johnson, Teddy Hill, Sam Allen, John Smith, Richard Fullbright, Bill Beason, Beatrice Douglas):

1937: Teddy Hill And His Orchestra (Shad Collins, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Dillard, Dicky Wells, Russell Procope, Howard Johnson, Robert Carroll, Teddy Hill, Sam Allen, John Smith, Richard Fullbright, Bill Beason):

After leaving the band business, Hill began to manage Minton's Playhouse in 1940, which became a hub for the bebop style, featuring such major musicians as Thelonious Monk and Kenny Clarke.

Hill left Minton's in 1969, long after its musical significance had declined; he then became the manager of Baron's Lounge.