Hal Singer

Jazz, blues, and R&B saxophonist Harold Singer – a.k.a. Hal ‘Cornbread’ Singer - was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on October 8, 1919. He was just two years old when he survived the Tulsa race massacre that took place, on May 30 - June 1, 1921. As a young musician, he studied violin and clarinet before settling on the saxophone. His long musical career began in orchestras led by Ernie Fields, Lloyd Hunter, and Nat Towles. The then joined pianist Jay McShann’s group in 1943 shortly after the departure of Charlie Parker. In 1941, the New York-based saxophonist joined the ranks of trumpeter Oran ‘Hot Lips’ Page’s band and worked as session man for the King Records label. He then signed with Mercury Records, where he cut his first jump blues sides. Moving over to the Savoy label, he recorded the instrumental "Cornbread" (1948), which reached number 1 in the R&B charts for four weeks. Other similarly styled recordings such as "Beef Stew" and "Neck Bones" consolidated the saxophonist's reputation. With his first album for the Prestige label, Blue Stompin' (1959), Hal Singer moved away from blues and R&B and embraced jazz. After sessions with Lonnie Johnson's quintet (1960), a collaboration with Jef Gilson (1962) and a European tour with Earl ‘Fatha Hines, he settled in Paris, France and recorded the album Paris Soul Food (1969), followed by Blues and News (1971) and Happy to Be Free with Champion Jack Dupree (1972). In 1975, the fruit of his sessions with Jef Gilson was released under the title Soul of Africa, followed by the albums Le Long Voyage - The Long Trip (1977), Swing on It (1981), Royal Blue with Al Copley (1990), and Challenge with David Murray (2010). Hal Singer died at his home in Chatou, France on August 18, 2020, at the age of 100.