(1927-08-20)August 20, 1927 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died
May 10, 1995(1995-05-10) (aged 67) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genres
Jazz, cool jazz
Occupation(s)
Musician
Instrument(s)
Guitar
Years active
1944–1994
Labels
Prestige, Xanadu, Criss Cross
Musical artist
James Elbert Raney (August 20, 1927 – May 10, 1995)[1] was an American jazz guitarist, born in Louisville, Kentucky, United States,[2] known for his work from 1951 to 1952 and then from 1953 to 1954 with the Red Norvo trio (replacing Tal Farlow) and, during the same time period, with Stan Getz. In 1954 and 1955, he won the DownBeat Critics' Poll for guitar.[3] Raney worked in a variety of jazz mediums, including cool jazz, bebop, post bop, hard bop, and mainstream jazz.
In 1946, he worked for a time as guitarist with the Max Miller Quartet at Elmer's in Chicago, his first paying gig. Raney also worked in the Artie Shaw Orchestra and collaborated with Woody Herman for nine months in 1948. He also collaborated and recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Al Haig and later on with Bob Brookmeyer. In 1967, alcoholism and other professional difficulties led him to leave New York City and return to his native Louisville.[4] He resurfaced in the 1970s and also did work with his son Doug, who was also a guitarist.[1] His other son Jon is a jazz pianist and maintains a website, The Raney Legacy devoted to Jimmy and Doug Raney.
Raney lived with Ménière's disease for thirty years, a degenerative condition that led to near deafness in both ears, although this did not stop him from playing. He died of heart failure in Louisville on May 10, 1995. His obituary in The New York Times called him "one of the most gifted and influential postwar jazz guitarists in the world".[5]
Jon is a jazz pianist and maintains a website, The Raney Legacy devoted to Jimmy and Doug Raney. Raney lived with Ménière's disease for thirty years, a...
Doug Raney (August 29, 1956 – May 1, 2016) was an American jazz guitarist. He was the son of jazz guitarist JimmyRaney. Raney was born in New York City...
guitarist; son of JimmyRaney George P. Raney (1845–1911), American politician and jurist; justice of the Florida Supreme Court 1885–1894 JimmyRaney (1927–1995)...
recorded in 1987 Art Pepper, Gettin' Together (Contemporary, 1960) JimmyRaney, Here's That Raney Day (Ahead, 1980) Wayne Shorter, Introducing Wayne Shorter (Vee-Jay...
Quintet at Storyville with JimmyRaney and Al Haig (Roost, 1952) 1951: Stan Getz Quintet at Storyville, Vol. 2 with JimmyRaney and Al Haig (Roost, 1954)...
Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Higgins was born in Los Angeles,...
Vol. 1 (Documents) 1957: The Street Swingers with Bob Brookmeyer and JimmyRaney (World Pacific, 1958) 1958?: A Girl & a Guitar with Lee Schaefer (United...
band formed in the 1960s The Influence (album), an album by jazz artist JimmyRaney. Influences (album), a 1984 album by Mark King Influence (Ardijah album)...
Guitarist (Savoy, 1953 [1956]) With others 1954 JimmyRaney Quintet, JimmyRaney 1956 The Middle Road, Jimmy McPartland 1957 Dream of You, Helen Merrill 1957...
JimmyRaney featuring Bob Brookmeyer is an album by jazz guitarist JimmyRaney and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer which was recorded in 1956 for the ABC-Paramount...
(Atlantic, 1957) With JimmyRaneyJimmyRaney Plays (Prestige, 1953) JimmyRaney Quartet Featuring Hal Overton (New Jazz, 1954) JimmyRaney Quartet Hifi Vol...
after organizing tours for jazz musicians such as JimmyRaney and Warne Marsh. Early issues included Raney and Marsh, Chet Baker, Pete Christlieb, Stan Getz...
The Master (Stan Getz album), recorded 1975, released 1982 The Master (JimmyRaney album) (1983) The Masters, a 1998 compilation album by The Stranglers...
Brookmeyer, Maynard Ferguson, Jim Hall, Helen Merrill, Carmen McRae, JimmyRaney, Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, and Sarah Vaughan. Janis Joplin, with Big Brother...
Jims and Zoot (also reissued as Otra Vez) is an album by guitarists JimmyRaney and Jim Hall with saxophonist Zoot Sims which was recorded in 1964 for...
New Beat Bossa Nova Vol. 2 (Colpix, 1962) 1964: Two Jims and Zoot with JimmyRaney and Jim Hall (Mainstream, 1964) – also released as Outra Vez 1965: Inter-Action...