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Tiny Parham
Hartzell Strathdene "Tiny" Parham (February 25, 1900 – April 4, 1943) was a Canadian-born American jazz bandleader and pianist of African-American descent. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Parham grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He began his career as a pianist at The Eblon Theatre, mentored by ragtime pianist and composer James Scott. Parham toured with territory bands in the Southwestern United States before moving to Chicago in 1926.

In Chicago, Parham made significant recordings between 1927 and 1930 for the Victor Talking Machine Company. He worked as an accompanist for Johnny Dodds and several female blues singers and led his own band. His recordings are noted for their sophisticated style, comparable to that of Jelly Roll Morton, and are highly collectible. Parham often featured violin solos in his music, alongside tuba, horns, and reeds, and he composed most of his material.

After 1930, Parham's contract with Victor was not renewed, and he worked in theater houses, primarily as an organist. His final recordings were made in 1940. Parham's complete recorded works fit on two compact discs. He was included in cartoonist R. Crumb's 1982 collection "Early Jazz Greats," as the only non-American-born artist featured. Parham passed away on April 4, 1943, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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