Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Benjamin Waters was born on January 23, 1902 in Brighton, Baltimore, Maryland. He began on organ, then switched to clarinet and later added saxophone. The first band he joined in 1918 was Charly Miller’s band. In 1922 he attended the New England Conservatory of Music where he gave lessons to Harry Carney.

From 1926 until 1931, Waters was a member of Charlie Johnson’s band. He would later work with King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson, Claude Hopkins, and others. During these years he made several recordings with King Oliver and Clarence Williams.

In the years 1941 and 1942 he played with the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, and later in the 1940s with Roy Milton. He went on to form his own band, playing at the Red Mill in New York City. After this stint in the city he moved to California for four years.

From 1952 to 1992 Benny lived in Paris, France. In 1996, he received the Legion of Honour from the French Ministry of Culture. He continued to perform regularly up to his 95th birthday.

Saxophonist and clarinetist Benny Waters, who became blind in 1992 due to cataracts, transitioned on August 11, 1998 in Columbia, Maryland.

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