Jazzsnap: Ray Linn (C. 1940s)

Here's Ray Linn, on of the great section trumpeters of the big band era, ready for some long ball in sunny California. It could be 1941 based on the license plate. Or the “1" in the plate's date could be a “7," as in '47.

This snapshot comes from Betty's fabulous collection  of photos, sent along by her friend Chris. Betty has donated all of her prints, including this one, to Rutgers University's Institute of Jazz Studies. But since she and Chris also are big JazzWax readers, they wanted you to see them, too.

If the photo was indeed snapped in the summer of '41, Linn would have been with Woody Herman's band on the West Coast after leaving Tommy Dorsey's orchestra. Herman's band had some great ballplayers. If it's from '47, Linn had already relocated to Los Angeles to work as a studio trumpeter.

JazzWax clip: Here's Woody Herman's Ten Day Furlough, a Lowell Martin arrangement from September 1941, recorded in Los Angles for Decca with Ray Linn on trumpet. Also in the trumpet section were Steady Nelson and Cappy Lewis...



If the image is from 1947, here's Linn with Herman in August on Civilization...