b.: 1903 in Lake Charles, LA.
d.: 1961 in Paris, France

American jazz trumpeter and conductor. Growing up in Kansas City he associated musically with Bennie Moten, George E. Lee and Jimmy Smith. Among his school mates at Lincoln High were DePriest Wheeler, Eli Logan and Leroy Maxey. He left KC in 1922 with the Virginia Liston's touring band. Moved to Europe in the late 1920s with Leon Abbey's Orchestra. He apparently became a French citizen in 1941 through his wedding and stayed in Europe for the rest of his life.