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Albert Nicholas first presented me with the old canard:
"How big is the band?"
"Six musicians and a drummer!"
Baby Dodds may have been the first drummer to prove himself a
musician, but it seems that every drummer since the earliest days has
had to do so. The fact that Wilbur doubled on vibes and occasional
served as emergency pianist closes his case.
Bassist Truck Parham once played tuba and remembers a very young
Wilbur tossing pennies into his horn while he was playing. He also
recalls playing with Wilbur's brother Burns Campbell (records for
Bluebird with Lovin Sam Theard for Bluebird in '38.)
Wilbur Campbell came out of Walter Dyett's jazz cauldron, DuSable
H.S. and into Chicago's overheated jazz scene of the 40's -- alive
with the offerings of Fritz Jones (Ahmad Jamal); Sonny Blount (Sun
Ra); Gene Ammons; Jay Peters; Andrew Hill; George, Bruz and Von
Freeman, among many others, galvanized by regular visits from Charlie
Parker, Sonny Stitt, Miles Davis, J.J.Johnson, Art Blakey, et al.
Did Wilbur go on the road with some of these fiery visitmen? Not that
I know of. A wife and a family were more important.
He burned up the bandstands and recording studios here in Chicago. I
could never get details of R&B and blues sessions he occasionally
referred to, but you'll find him on numerous jazz sessions for Vee
Jay and Chess's Argo/Cadet labels. Delmark's very first Chicago
session by Ira Sullivan with Nicky Hill, Nicky's Tune (422)
was aided by his enthsiasm as was that slightly later album by Ira
with Johnny Griffin, Blue Stroll (402).
The Blue Stroll session was hurriedly called when Mr. Griffin became
suddenly available. Wilbur's drums were locked up at the Sutherland
Hotel ballroom where he had played the night before, so he borrowed a
set. Toward the end of the long Bluzinbee track, one of the spurs of
the bass drum gave way and Wilbur concluded the track working at a 45
degree angle. (The engineer was able to fade from one Magnecorder to
another when the tape ran out.)
Another Delmark session was Stablemates (488) by Eric
Alexander and Lin Halliday. Wilbur played his own drums and we can
only recall that he did his usual great job.
If Wilbur wasn't a charter member of the Jazz Institute of Chicago he
certainly came on the board very early and was relied upon to wryly
bring his knowledge of the everyday workings of the jazz music world
to bear on JIC's planning and activities.
Wilbur Campbell was the most frequently employed drummer at Joe
Segal's Jazz Showcase. In fact he and Joe probably went back to Joe's
days with the Roosevelt University Jazz Club and the Beehive, thru
the legendary sessions at the Gate of Horn, in the late 50's, the
Blind Pig in the early 60's, the Brown Shoe, Club Laurel, Rush
Street, etc. Not just because Joe and Wilbur were tight but because
the visiting musicians would ask for his presence.
Aside from his musical career, Wilbur deserves much credit for his
day job, bringing his vast street knowledge to bear on a
substance-abuse program.
Wilbur died December 30th and a service took place on Saturday,
January 8th at Cage Memorial Chapel. It was a memorable affair. The
Bethany Pickens Trio played in a lobby adjacent to a wondrous spread
in one room while a video of some of Wilbur's performances played in
the main room, where I noticed no less than four sets of drums, and
Wilbur's vibes were set up in the main chapel. Joe Segal capably
handled matters and it seemed everyone in jazz was there and most
played, including Ari Brown, Von Freeman, Duke Payne, Eric Schneider,
Burgess Gardner, Art Hoyle, Sonny Turner, Stu Katz, Willie Pickens,
Rufus Reid, Dan Shapera, John Whitfield, Jerry Coleman, Don Moye,
Curtis Prince, Robert Shy.
A life to celebrate, a passing to regret.
From Howard Reich's Tribune obit comes this Jackie DeJonette
quote: "When he would play the drums, he would fill up his solos like
somebody was packing a suitcase with as much as he could. ... He was
one of the great drummers of the world, even though a lot of people
didn't know it."