Beryl Booker

Beryl Booker (June 7, 1922 – September 30, 1978) was an American jazz pianist who gained some attention in the 1950s. Born in 1922 in Philadelphia, PA, she played with Slam Stewart's trio in 1946, and played off and on with him until 1951. She also played accompaniment for Dinah Washington. In early 1952, Booker led a quintet which played Birdland, featuring Don Elliot, Chuck Wayne, Clyde Lombardi and Connie Kay. Recordings with Miles Davis sitting in on the group have been preserved. In 1953, she formed her own trio with Bonnie Wetzel and Elaine Leighton. This group toured Europe in 1954 as part of a show entitled "Jazz Club USA", which featured Billie Holiday. After another stint with Dinah Washington in 1959, she slipped into obscurity. In the 1970s she continued to play and record with small groups. Booker died September 30, 1978 in Berkeley, CA Discography: Girl Met a Piano (1952) (on EmArcy Records) Beryl Booker Trio (1954) (on Discovery Records) Don Byas with Beryl Booker (1954) (on Discovery Records) The Beryl Booker Trio (1954) (on Cadence Records) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.