Andy Kirk

Happy Birthday, Andy Kirk 1898-1992...Andy Kirk and his (delightfully named) Twelve Clouds of Joy  were the epitome of the early Kansas City jazz sound. from 1929 to 1946. Kirk himself never really soloed on sax, instead he depended on his talented sidemen, especially pianist and arranger Mary Lou Williams, to create the band's successful, consistent sound.

Kirk grew up in Denver, Colorado where he took music lessons from Wilberforce Whiteman, Paul Whiteman's father. In 1921, he started playing with Terence Holder's Dark Clouds of Joy in Dallas, Texas, taking over the leadership of the group in 1929 and moving it to Kansas City. Kirk changed the name of the group to the Clouds of Joy but it was often called the Twelve Clouds of Joy because of the number of musicians. They made their first recordings for Brunswick that same year, adding the talented Mary Lou Williams when their pianist didn't show up. Brunswick was so impressed with Williams that she became a permanent member of the group.

The band made no recordings for five years then burst back on the scene in 1936 after moving to New York, recording ten titles including a huge hit, "Until the Real Thing Comes Along." Kirk's band would eventually make over 200 recordings with a variety of sidemen including John Williams (Mary Lou's husband), Claude Williams, Edgar "Puddinghead" Battle, Ben Thigpen, Fats Navarro, Charlie Parker, Hank Jones, Joe Williams and early electric guitarist Floyd Smith among others.

In 1948 Kirk folded the band and concentrated on acquiring real estate, occasionally playing pick up gigs. In 1958 he became manager of the Hotel Theresa in New York and served as an official in the Musician's Union. He died at the age of 94.