Home » Jazz Musicians » Big Sid Catlett

Big Sid Catlett

Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett was an American jazz drummer. Catlett was one of the most versatile drummers of his era, adapting with the changing music scene as it progressed toward bebop.

Catlett was born in Evansville, Indiana and at an early age he was instructed in the rudiments of piano and drums under the tutelage of a music teacher hired by his mother. When he and his family relocated to Chicago, Catlett received his first drum kit, and immersed himself in the diverse styles and techniques of Zutty Singleton, Warren "Baby" Dodds, and Jimmy Bertrand, among others.

In 1928, Catlett began playing with violinist and clarinet player Darnell Howard, before joining pianist Sammy Stewart's Orchestra in New York City and making appearances at the Savoy Ballroom.

After performing for several lesser established musical acts, Catlett began recording and performing with multiple musicians including Benny Carter, McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Fletcher Henderson, and Don Redman throughout the 1930s. Between 1938 and 1942, Catlett was Louis Armstrong's drummer of choice as he was regularly featured in Armstrong's big band, while also periodically joining Benny Goodman's group. Following a brief stint in collaboration with Duke Ellington in 1945, Catlett led some of his own bands through the remainder of the 1940s, and was involved in Armstrong's All-Stars between 1947 and 1949.

Catlett was one of the few drummers to successively transition into bebop, appearing on Dizzy Gillespie's progressive recordings in 1945. In 1950 he performed with Hoagy Carmichael at the Copley Plaza Hotel. In early 1951, he began to suffer from pneumonia. In that same year, he died of a heart attack while visiting friends backstage at a Hot Lips Page benefit concert in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1996, he was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame. Source: Wikipedia

Tags

Video / DVD

Big Sid Catlett in 5 Clips

Big Sid Catlett in 5 Clips

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Sidney “Big Sid" Catlett was an extraordinary drummer who immediately grasped and advanced nearly all jazz styles—New Orleans, Chicago, Swing and bebop—to widen his playing and recording opportunities. As a result, he played with masters of the forms: Louis Armstrong; Eddie Condon and Muggsy Spanier; Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington; and Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. With bebop, he helped establish the drumming approach almost from the jazz style's start in 1945. Born in Evansville, Ind., Catlett spent ...

Recording

Big Sid Catlett: 1944-46

Big Sid Catlett: 1944-46

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Back in January, I posted on drummers Gene Krupa and Big Sid Catlett, whose styles were quite similar in their tap-dance attack. As noted then, Catlett was one of the most influential and dynamic drummers of the 1940s. Sadly, he died in 1951, which means his entire career was spent in the 78rpm era, and his clutch of leadership sessions were recorded between 1944 and 1946. In 1944, these included four sides for Commodore, featuring Ben Webster (ts), Marlowe Morris ...

Photos

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.