Charlie Shavers was a jazz trumpet player who was born on August 3, 1920 in New York City and went on to become one of the most popular trumpet soloists of the swing era.

Shavers began his career playing with the Tiny Bradshaw band when he was only 16 years old. He lied about his age in order to defy child labor laws. By 1937 he was playing with Lucky Millinder’s organization and then joined up with the John Kirby Sextet where he remained for the better part of eight years. While with Kirby, Charlie was known for his muted solos and wrote a number of arrangements for the group. Shavers also composed the hit song Undecided which became a standard.

In addition to his work with Kirby, Charlie also was in high demand as a sideman and played with such jazz luminaries as Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone and Sidney Bechet. After leaving John Kirby in 1945, Shavers played in the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for more than a decade as well as becoming a popular featured performer on the Jazz at the Philharmonic tours. His trumpet duels with Roy Eldridge were the highlight of many a JATP concert.

Charlie Shavers died of throat cancer in 1970 and one of his mouthpieces was reportedly buried with his friend Louis Armstrong who passed away only two days before Shavers.

Here is a link to a Charlie Shavers performance with Ben Webster recorded in Denmark:

"STARDUST"