Wendell Marshall

Wendell Marshall
Born(1920-10-24)October 24, 1920
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
DiedFebruary 6, 2002(2002-02-06) (aged 81)
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
InstrumentsDouble bass

Wendell Lewis Marshall (October 24, 1920 – February 6, 2002) was an American jazz double-bassist.

Marshall was Jimmy Blanton's cousin. Marshall studied with the noted Ellington bassist, inheriting Blanton's bass upon his death.[1] He attended Sumner High School and studied at Lincoln University,[2] and in 1942 played briefly with Lionel Hampton, then served in the Army from 1943 to 1946.[3] Following his discharge, he performed with Jimmy Forrest, Buggs Roberts, and Stuff Smith,[4][2] then relocated to New York City, where he worked with Mercer Ellington. From 1948 to 1955, he performed with Duke Ellington.[5] He made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Ellington band on November 13, 1948.[2]

Following his time with Ellington, Marshall joined pit orchestras on Broadway, including Fiddler on the Roof and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. His freelance employers included Mary Lou Williams, Art Blakey,[6] Donald Byrd, Milt Jackson, and Hank Jones among others. During 1955–56, Marshall, Hank Jones, and Kenny Clarke were the house rhythm section for Savoy Records. Marshall played on over 370 record dates, but made only one record as a leader, Wendell Marshall and the Billy Byers Orchestra.[2]

Marshall retired from music in 1968, worked as an insurance agent and started his own insurance business in St. Louis in 1970.[4] He died of colon cancer in 2002, aged 81.[5][3]

Discography

as a leader

  • Wendell Marshall with the Billy Byers Orchestra (1955)

with Nat Adderley

With Gene Ammons

With Dorothy Ashby

With Shorty Baker and Doc Cheatham

With Louis Bellson

With Eddie Bert

With Art Blakey

With Kenny Burrell

With Kenny Clarke

With Arnett Cobb

With Earl Coleman

With Eddie Costa

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

With Duke Ellington

With Jimmy Giuffre

With Grant Green

With Dodo Greene

With Tiny Grimes

With Gigi Gryce

With Jimmy Hamilton

With Coleman Hawkins

With Johnny Hodges

With Claude Hopkins

With Milt Jackson

With Willis Jackson

With Illinois Jacquet

With Bill Jennings

With J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding

With Lonnie Johnson

With Hank Jones

With Herbie Mann

With Jack McDuff

With Carmen McRae

With Gerry Mulligan

With Oliver Nelson

With Joe Newman

With Ike Quebec

With Betty Roché

With Charlie Rouse and Paul Quinichette

With Pee Wee Russell

With A. K. Salim

With Shirley Scott

With Al Sears

With Hal Singer

With Al Smith

With Johnny "Hammond" Smith

With Sonny Stitt

With Buddy Tate

With Clark Terry

With Lucky Thompson

With Ben Webster

With Joe Wilder

With Ernie Wilkins

With Lem Winchester

With John Wright

With Larry Young

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ "Obituary of Wendell Marshall, jazz bass player who was a mainstay of Duke Ellington's Orchestra". The Daily Telegraph. February 26, 2002.
  2. ^ a b c d Owsley, Dennis (2006). City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis, 1895-1973. St. Louis, Missouri: Reedy Press. p. 102. ISBN 9781933370040.
  3. ^ a b Porter, Christopher (February 22, 2002). "Bassist Wendell Marshall Dies". JazzTimes. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "WENDELL LEWIS MARSHALL ; JAZZ MUSICIAN: [FIVE STAR LIFT EDITION]". St. Louis Post - Dispatch. February 10, 2002.
  5. ^ a b "Wendell L. Marshall, 81, Ellington Bassist: [Obituary (Obit)]". The New York Times. February 17, 2002. p. 1.41.
  6. ^ "Wendell Marshall: [final 2 edition]". The Times. February 25, 2002.
General references
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