Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

CHILTON, John

(b 16 July 1932, London; d 25 February 2016) Trumpeter, bandleader, composer, arranger, author. He played with Bruce Turner's Jump Band in the 1950s, led the Swing Kings '60s (backed visiting Americans, e.g. Charlie Shavers), and led his Feetwarmers backing George Melly from the '70s for several albums and many successful appearances including TV.

Not only a fine trumpet (and flugelhorn) player and bandleader, Chilton is an important jazz historian: he had operated a bookshop in London for jazz literature; he published his first book Louis '71 (with Max Jones), since perhaps superseded but still a good read. Who's Who Of Jazz '72 (fifth edition '85) had more than 400 entries for jazz musicians and singers born before 1920 and active mainly in the USA. Chilton's Billie's Blues '75 was the best book on Billie Holiday until new research was published '94-5. Further publications were McKinney's Music '78, a short illustrated history/discography of McKinney's Cotton Pickers; A Jazz Nursery '80, a short illustrated account of the Jenkins Orphanage Band (formed in Charleston SC by Rev. Daniel Jenkins, toured England 1895); Stomp Off, Let's Go! '83, a history of the Bob Crosby band; and definitive biographies: Sidney Bechet: The Wizard Of Jazz '87, The Song Of The Hawk: The Life And Recordings of Coleman Hawkins '90, Let The Good Times Roll: The Story Of Louis Jordan And His Music '92. Who's Who Of British Jazz '96 was accurate and invaluable, like all of Chilton's work.