Calvin Boze (October 15, 1916 – June 1970) was an American
trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his recordings at the turn of the
1950s.
Born in Trinity County , Texas ,
Boze began playing in a high school band, which also featured Illinois Jacquet,
Arnett Cobb, and singer Charles Brown. He went on to play in the bands of
Marvin Johnson and then Milton
Larkins, again with Jacquet and also Eddie Vinson.
After wartime service he settled in Los
Angeles and, as singer and trumpet player, took part
in the development of the jump blues style, heavily influenced by Louis Jordan.
Boze first recorded in 1945, but his biggest successes came with Aladdin
Records after 1949. In May 1950 he released "Safronia B", a classic
if unsophisticated recording which, with its refrain of "I surrender! I
surrender!", epitomised the sense of fun in the West Coast music scene
just before the dawn of rock and roll. It made #9 on the Billboard R&B
chart in June 1950, and has since been included on several anthologies of the
period. The song was later recorded by The Manhattan Transfer.
He toured widely around this time, particularly with Dinah Washington .
However, his later recordings, including "Looped" and an early
version of "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", were less successful, and he did not
record after 1952. He continued to play at jam sessions around Los
Angeles , while also developing a career as a social
worker and school teacher, before his death, aged 53, after prolonged ill
health.
He died in Los Angeles , California
in June 1970.
.
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