Biography
Herb Flemming ranked among the most widely traveled figures in early jazz during the formative period of American popular music. Born Niccolaiih El-Michelle, he adopted the stage name Flemming, although album covers and publicity materials frequently listed him as Herb Fleming or used both spellings interchangeably. He enrolled at a New York City music school in 1910, where he explored multiple brass instruments before concentrating on trombone. A few years afterward he enlisted in the 15th New York National Guard Band, directed by James Reese Europe alongside Eugene Mikell, and soon sailed to France as a member of Europe’s 369th U.S. Infantry Band.
Following his discharge in 1919, Flemming resumed studies in New York, taking lessons in trombone, cello, and music theory at Frank Damrosch’s Conservatory. Late in 1921 he made his first appearance on record as a trombonist with Johnny Dunn’s band. Before departing again for Europe, this time under the sponsorship of expatriate leader Sam Wooding, Flemming and Bobby Lee led a group in Philadelphia. Through 1927 he performed across Europe with Wooding and also appeared in South America. After returning stateside he worked briefly with Wooding once more, then joined Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds revue, whose productions carried the show to London and Paris by the close of the decade.
Remaining abroad, Flemming formed his own ensemble, the International Rhythm Aces, in 1930 while still collaborating with Wooding. He rejoined Wooding in Berlin but soon struck out independently, accompanying Josephine Baker and leading his own unit to Buenos Aires. Based in Paris during 1933, he took the group to India for a six-month engagement at a Calcutta hotel and also played in Shanghai and Ceylon. In the mid-1930s he performed with Sestto Carlin’s Society Orchestra in Italy and sang at a Berlin club; during the same period he served as an interpreter for the American Olympic team.
Earl Hines eventually drew Flemming back to the United States with an invitation to join his ensemble at Chicago’s Grand Terrace, yet a union-card problem prevented him from performing. He relocated to Cicero, Illinois, where he worked as a singer, then performed with Fats Waller from the final night of 1940 through 1942, contributing both vocals and trombone. Moving next to California, Flemming balanced numerous musical jobs with daytime employment as a tax inspector and appeared on screen in the films Pillow to Post and No Time for Romance.
A 1949 visit to New York turned into a permanent stay when freelance work and a steady position with trumpeter Henry “Red” Allen, lasting from 1953 to 1958, kept him active. In 1964 he traveled to Spain for a sixteen-month engagement in Madrid, later holding residencies in Torremolinos and Malaga. Some of his final recordings were made in Berlin with Albert Nicholas and Walter Bishop, Sr. Flemming ultimately died in New York City.
Following his discharge in 1919, Flemming resumed studies in New York, taking lessons in trombone, cello, and music theory at Frank Damrosch’s Conservatory. Late in 1921 he made his first appearance on record as a trombonist with Johnny Dunn’s band. Before departing again for Europe, this time under the sponsorship of expatriate leader Sam Wooding, Flemming and Bobby Lee led a group in Philadelphia. Through 1927 he performed across Europe with Wooding and also appeared in South America. After returning stateside he worked briefly with Wooding once more, then joined Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds revue, whose productions carried the show to London and Paris by the close of the decade.
Remaining abroad, Flemming formed his own ensemble, the International Rhythm Aces, in 1930 while still collaborating with Wooding. He rejoined Wooding in Berlin but soon struck out independently, accompanying Josephine Baker and leading his own unit to Buenos Aires. Based in Paris during 1933, he took the group to India for a six-month engagement at a Calcutta hotel and also played in Shanghai and Ceylon. In the mid-1930s he performed with Sestto Carlin’s Society Orchestra in Italy and sang at a Berlin club; during the same period he served as an interpreter for the American Olympic team.
Earl Hines eventually drew Flemming back to the United States with an invitation to join his ensemble at Chicago’s Grand Terrace, yet a union-card problem prevented him from performing. He relocated to Cicero, Illinois, where he worked as a singer, then performed with Fats Waller from the final night of 1940 through 1942, contributing both vocals and trombone. Moving next to California, Flemming balanced numerous musical jobs with daytime employment as a tax inspector and appeared on screen in the films Pillow to Post and No Time for Romance.
A 1949 visit to New York turned into a permanent stay when freelance work and a steady position with trumpeter Henry “Red” Allen, lasting from 1953 to 1958, kept him active. In 1964 he traveled to Spain for a sixteen-month engagement in Madrid, later holding residencies in Torremolinos and Malaga. Some of his final recordings were made in Berlin with Albert Nicholas and Walter Bishop, Sr. Flemming ultimately died in New York City.