Bingie Madison

Bingie Madison (1902–1978) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Madison began his career as a pianist, working first out of Des Moines, Iowa, and then touring Canada and California in 1921. He played with Bobby Brown (1922–25) and Bernie Davis in the 1920s as a pianist, then switched to reeds permanently, playing with Cliff Jackson, Lew Henry, Elmer Snowden, Sam Wooding, Lucky Millinder, and Billy Fowler in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He led the Mills Blue Rhythm Band in 1930, and in 1932 he joined Luis Russell's orchestra, remaining there until 1940 (including during its period as Louis Armstrong's backing band). In the 1940s he played with Edgar Hayes, Ovie Alston, Alberto Socarras, and Hank Duncan. Madison led his own groups into the 1960s but never recorded a session as a leader, although there is a handful of records fronted by Clarence Williams that used Madison's Orchestra.