Howard Rumsey (August 2 1917 – June 12 2010) was an American jazz double bassist best known for founding and leading the Lighthouse All‑Stars, a seminal West Coast jazz ensemble that performed regularly at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California, from 1949 through the 1960s.
Early life and education
Rumsey was born in Dallas, Texas. He began studying the double bass during his teenage years and later moved to Los Angeles, where he played with local swing and bebop groups. His musical development was interrupted by service in the United States Army during World War II.
Career
After his discharge, Rumsey returned to the Los Angeles jazz scene. In 1949 he organized a group of musicians to perform at the newly opened Lighthouse Café; this collective became known as the Lighthouse All‑Stars. The band featured rotating personnel, including notable West Coast jazz figures such as Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, Shelly Manne, and Bud Shank. Under Rumsey’s direction, the Lighthouse All‑Stars became a training ground for emerging artists and a central hub for the development of the “cool” or “West Coast” jazz style.
Rumsey continued to lead the Lighthouse ensemble into the early 1960s, after which he remained active as a bassist in various recording sessions and live performances. He recorded with artists such as Stan Getz, Chet Baker, and Art Pepper, contributing to numerous albums that documented the West Coast jazz movement.
Later life and death
In the 1970s and 1980s, Rumsey reduced his public performances but remained involved in the jazz community through mentorship and occasional guest appearances. He retired from active playing in the mid‑1990s. Howard Rumsey died on June 12 2010 in Santa Rosa, California, at the age of 92.
Legacy
Howard Rumsey is recognized for his role in establishing the Lighthouse Café as a premier venue for modern jazz on the West Coast. His leadership of the Lighthouse All‑Stars provided a platform for many musicians who later achieved national and international prominence, thereby influencing the direction of post‑World War II jazz in the United States.
