Dan Minor

For a limited period of your time, Dan Minor was the primary trombone soloist with Count Basie’s Orchestra but he was ultimately overshadowed by stronger players; ironically, he’s still most widely known for his period with Basie. Small began playing skillfully in 1926 using the Blue Moon Chasers in Dallas. Small worked within the Midwest with Walter Page’s Blue Devils (1927-29), Ben Smith’s Blue Syncopators, Earl Dykes, Gene Coy’s Dark Aces, Lloyd Hunter’s Serenaders, Alphonso Trent (1931) and Bennie Moten’s last orchestra (1931-34). Small joined up with Basie’s big music group in Kansas Town in 1936 and remained for five years, through Basie’s successes in NY. Small was ultimately underfeatured because of the existence of Benny Morton, Dicky Wells and Vic Dickenson at several times within the trombone section. After departing Basie, Small was using the orchestras of Pal Johnson (1941-44), Mercer Ellington, Lucky Millinder and Willie Bryant (1946). He retired from full-time playing once the golf swing era finished, but played on the part-time basis through the entire remainder of his lifestyle. Furthermore to Basie, Small documented with Walter Web page (1929), Bennie Moten (including on his traditional program in 1932), Sidney Bechet (1938) and Pal Johnson, but hardly ever led his very own record date.