Edgar Sampson
Edgar Melvin Sampson, nicknamed "The Lamb," was a prominent American jazz composer, arranger, saxophonist, and violinist, born on October 31, 1907, in New York City. He began playing the violin at the age of six and later took up the saxophone during high school. Sampson's professional career started in 1924 with a violin-piano duo alongside Joe Colman. Throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s, he played with several bands, including those led by Charlie "Fess" Johnson, Duke Ellington, Rex Stewart, and Fletcher Henderson.
In 1934, Sampson joined Chick Webb's band, where he made significant contributions as a composer and arranger. During his time with Webb, he composed the jazz standards "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't Be That Way." His reputation as a talented arranger led to freelance work with notable musicians such as Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Red Norvo, and Teddy Wilson. Sampson's arrangements were integral to the distinctive sound of Webb's band and later, Benny Goodman's orchestra, particularly during the legendary Carnegie Hall concert in 1938.
In the 1940s, Sampson studied the Schillinger System and continued to perform, forming his own band from 1949 to 1951. He also collaborated with Latin artists like Tito Rodríguez and Tito Puente as an arranger. Despite health issues that curtailed his career in the late 1960s, Sampson's influence in jazz continued, with his compositions featured in Broadway productions such as "Bubbling Brown Sugar" and "Swing!"
Edgar Sampson passed away on January 16, 1973, in Englewood, New Jersey, leaving behind a legacy of timeless jazz compositions and arrangements.
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