Hilton Jefferson

A fine soloist whose sound and style became strongly influenced by Benny Carter (who was four years his junior), Hilton Jefferson was considered a valuable musician during the swing era although he never gained much fame. Jefferson actually began his professional career as a banjoist in 1925 (with Julian Arthur's Orchestra in Philadelphia) but he soon switched permanently to alto. He worked with Claude Hopkins on four occasions (1926-1928, 1932, 1934-1936, and 1939), Chick Webb also four times (1929-1930, 1930-1931, 1936, and 1938) and had stints with King Oliver (1930), McKin...