Socarras, Alberto
Socarras, Alberto
Socarras, Alberto, reed player, saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, leader; b. Manzanillo, Cuba, Sept. 19, 1908. He may have been the first to play flute on jazz recordings in 1929. Socarras was born in Cuba, where he played with local orchestras; when he moved to the U.S. he began a regular series of recordings with Clarence Williams. He was with the “Blackbirds” shows from 1928 until 1933, including a tour of Europe. Socarras played briefly with Benny Carter in 1933, then formed his own band. In 1934 he visited Europe, this time as musical director of an all-girls’ band. He was with Sam Wooding in 1935, then again formed his own band. He worked with Erskine Hawkins for the 1937 Cotton Club Parade, then again formed a for residency at Harlem Uproar House from September 1937. From 1939, he regularly led his own band in N.Y. area clubs. For many years, Socarras specialized in classical flute, and gave a solo performance at Carnegie Hall in 1945. He was solo flutist in the first performance of Eddie Bonnemere’s “Missa Hoosierna” (May 1966). Socarras was actively teaching through the 1970s.
—John Chilton/Lewis Porter