Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Dan “Slamfoot” Minor was born August 10, 1909 in Dallas, Texas, and played trombone for a local church orchestra in his teens before joining local band the Blue Moon Chasers. In 1927, his first major professional engagement was as a member of Walter Page’s Blue Devils.

In 1929 Minor joined the Blues Syncopaters led by Ben Smith, and during this period he also worked in bands led by Earl Dykes, Gene Coy, Lloyd Hunter and Alphonse Trent. By 1931 he joined the Bennie Moten band, remaining after Moten’s death in 1935, when its leadership was taken over by Count Basie, and stayed with the Basie orchestra until 1941. During that period he performed at the From Spirituals to Swing concerts in New York City in 1938 and 1939.

However, Dan tended to be overshadowed by other trombonists such as Benny Morton and Vic Dickenson, and rarely took solos. He joined the Buddy Johnson band in 1942, and also played around that time with Cab Calloway. He worked with Mercer Ellington in 1945, and also recorded and played with Lucky Millinder and Willie Bryant.

After the 1940s, through to the 1960s, he continued to perform occasionally on a freelance basis. Trombonist Dan Minor transitioned in New York City on April 11, 1982 at the age of 72.

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