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Demas Dean was born on October 6, 1903 in Sag Harbor, New York. He began playing trumpet at age 10 and later picked up the violin but professionally became a trumpeter.

While in high school he played in Mazzeo’s Brass Band, and worked with Beatrice Van while still in his teens. He attended Howard University from 1922 – 23 and played with Elmer Snowden, Doc Perry, Russell Wooding and Lucille Hegamin in the first half of the decade.

Through the end of the 1920s Dean played with Billy Butler, Ford Dabney and Leon Abbey, touring South America. In 1928 he recorded with Bessie Smith and the following year worked with Noble Sissle in the Blackbirds revue in Europe.

By the early 1930s Demas was working with bandleaders Joe Jordan and Pike Davis but returned to play with Sissle from 1934 to 1944. Shortly after 1944 he quit music and took a post office position in Los Angeles, working there until his retirement in 1965. Jazz trumpeter Demas Dean passed away in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. (in picture – 2nd from left)

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