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Erskine Butterfield (Feb. 9, 1913, Syracuse, NY - July 11, 1961, New York, NY) was an American pianist, singer, combo leader and composer, active in the 1930s to the 1950s best known for his boogie-woogie and swing piano. Butterfield has been “credited with helping to invent the style of 'cocktail piano'"

Early career

Butterfield played piano at an early age when his family moved to Newark where he later studied piano. In the 1930s, he regularly appeared on radio, including WOR in New York City, and played with Noble Sissle’s orchestra. He made his first recordings in 1937 on the Variety label. In 1938, he signed with Decca Records for which he recorded over 40 titles between 1940 and 1942, almost all of which were released. Butterfield was called the "Singing Vagabond of the Keys" by the Chicago Defender in 1939. He “was innovative in utilizing Black and White musicians together in his combo,” which included studio musicians such as Jimmy Lytell (clarinet), Carmen Mastren (guitar), and Haig Stevens (bass).

In 1939, Butterfield signed with Joe Davis of Beacon Records, with whom he would maintain a long term relationship. In 1943, Butterfield was drafted, but continued to play in a group including such musicians as Slim Furness (guitar), drummer Eugene Brooks (drums) and Lynwood Jones (bass), and he cut V-Discs in 1945. In 1944, he recorded eight titles for Joe Davis under the name Erskine Butterfield and his Blue Boys.

Post war

After the war, Butterfield formed a trio and toured extensively, but his music style was less successful commercially. He recorded for a number of small labels in the late 1940s, after which his recording activity dropped off. In 1956, however, he again recorded a number of titles for Joe Davis with a reformed group, Butterfield and his Blue Boys, including musicians such as Sam "The Man" Taylor (saxophone) and Panama Francis (drums).

Discography

78s

Decca Records

Erskine Butterfield And His Blue Boys, "Blackberry Jam" b/w "Monday's Wash"

Vinyl

• Erskine Butterfield and his Blue Boys, Tuesday at Ten. Probably recorded in 1941 by World Broadcasting, Inc., for radio broadcast, and released on vinyl in 1983 by Circle Records, No CLP-62. (Music written by Butterfield is indicated by his name in parenthesis following the title.)

• Tuesday at Ten
• A Zoot Suit (Butterfield)
• Blackberry Jam (Butterfield)
• Something’s Bound to Happen
• Lighthouse (Butterfield)
• Monday’s Wash (Butterfield)
• J.P. Dooley, III
• The Boogie Beat’ll Get You
• Flying Home
• You Should Live So Long

• 1944-1956/Part-Time Boogie. Eight titles recorded at WOR Studios, New York, on August 17, 1944, and 10 titles recorded at Mastertone Studios, New York, on June 13, 1956, but released in 1957. Harlequin Records, 1986, No. HQ 2050. All are original Butterfield compositions.

(1944)

• Lighthouse
• Part Time Boogie
• Saturday Night Twist
• Piano Cocktail
• Boogie Woogie Barcarolle
• Fantasy in Blue
• Six-Thirty Express
• Dream Time

(1956)

• Blackberry Jam
• Light-House
• Part-Time Boogie
• Piano Cocktail
• Saturday Nite Twist
• Chocolate
• Monday’s Wash (Butterfield’s theme song for WOR radio)
• Six-Thirty Express
• Piano Time
• Movin’ Along

References

Sources

• Bruce Bastin, sleeve notes for Erskine Butterfield, 1944-1957/Part-Time Boogie (including unsigned sleeve notes from 1957 album “Piano Cocktail”). Harlequin HQ 2050 (1986).
• Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide.
• Frank Driggs, Sleeve notes to Erskine Butterfield and His Blue Boys, Tuesday at Ten, Circle Records, 1983.

Category:1913 births Category:1961 deaths Category:African American musicians Category:American blues musicians Category:American blues singers Category:American blues singer-songwriters Category:American music arrangers Category:American songwriters Category:New York blues musicians Category:Decca Records artists Category:Boogie-woogie pianists Category:Swing bandleaders Category:Swing pianists Category:Swing composers