Lawrence Lucie has passed away at the age of 102 — he was the last remaining link to the earliest eras of recorded jazz, having performed with Jelly Roll Morton, Benny Carter, and Fletcher Henderson. He played The Apollo on its opening night to black audiences in 1934 and was in the band for Coleman Hawkins immortal recording of “Body and Soul.” The New Yorker had an article last year about Lucie’s close relationship with WKCR’s Phil Schaap. Well worth reading… There’s also a New York Times article celebrating Lucie’s centennial in 2007.
Here’s Lucie on guitar backing Billie Holiday on “These Foolish Things” with trumpeter Jonah Jones, pianist Teddy Wilson, clarinetist Harry Carney, alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, bassist John Kirby, and drummer Cozy Cole.
RIP, Lawrence “Larry” Lucie (1907-2009)
Lucie also performed and recorded with Louis Armstrong, and was the best man at his wedding to Lucille Wilson (the only one that lasted).
Larry was a great one. It was a pleasure to have known him. He cared about young rising stars and sensed what would be their legacy. He was a kind, and caring man. What touched me most about Larry was not that in his 90′s he was still playing at Arturo’s or any place else, but it was his undying love for his beloved wife. He had a binding love affair, a bond with her, that death could not break. In closing, I only remember one disturbing time with Mr. Lucie. We were sitting in our neighborhood diner, The Westway, having dinner. We were having a good chit chat. And as usual, I’m taking in everything. All of a sudden, Larry says to me, “Well, Benny Carter and I are the last of the great Jazz musicians of our era”. Everyone I knew, that knew Larry, referred to him as great, but Larry never referred to himself as great. His statement made me very uncomfortable. I just don’t know what he was feeling that night. Dinner ended. I saw him back to his residence and walked home. I Turned on the Television for background to do some work. Later that night there was a breaking story. Benny Carter had died. Larry Lucie was now the last of the great Jazz musicians of his era. Some will say, he lived a long, fulfilled life. But I say, the life he lived was lost too soon and that loss is great.
I agree with all those who have noted Lawrence Lucie’s significance as the last survivor of the “golden age of jazz and swing – and, in particular a last link with Mr Jelly Lord. Willie-May’s story (above) is lovely.
But – I have to ask the author of the main post – are you sure he was on Hawk’s “Body and Soul”? None of the personnel listings I’ve checked show him as a participant. And an aural check (I’m playing it now) does not suggest the presnce of a guitar.
I have found differing personnel descriptions for that tune. Most mention him, some don’t; he may have been at the session, but you’re right about not hearing him on that particular track. I’ll amend the post later.
“last survivor of the golden age of Jazz and Swing”? You’re leaving out some people who are still around: Snooky Young, Gerald Wilson, Hank Jones, Buddy Collette, Bob Bain, Paul Tanner, Ray Anthony, Trigger Alpert, Herb Jeffries, et al….
I agree with you on some of those names but Lucie was first wave (20′s, 30′s) while Wilson, Jones, and Collette were post-WWII.
I see what you’re saying. Gerald Wilson, though, is probably best known for the playing and arranging he did with Lunceford, and that was before WWII. I’ve heard him say so. He sang in the Lunceford trio and is in the movie the band made in 1941, “Blues In The Night”, and he wrote and arranged Yard Dog Mazurka, played muted solo on What’s Your Story, Morning Glory, et al. Whatever, Lawrence Lucie was not the last living all-star from that overall era, safe to say.
I didn’t know that about Wilson. Pretty cool!