Bill Coleman was one of the most important jazz trumpeters of the swing era. Born in Kentucky in 1904, he moved to New York in 1927. Over the next few years he made his name playing with many of the top bandleaders, including Luis Russell and Fats Waller. In 1933 he performed in France with Lucky Millinder. He spent the war years in New York, playing with, among others, Andy Kirk, Mary Lou Williams, Sy Oliver and Billy Kyle, before moving to Paris in 1948 to lead his own band. Bill Coleman toured widely and the book contains fascinating anecdotes about his trips to India, Egypt, the Philippines and Japan. He died in 1981 and Trumpet Story was published first in French in that year.

back to previous page