Dick Vance

Dick Vance (November 28, 1915 - 1985) was an American jazz trumpeter and arranger.

Vance was raised in Cleveland, where he initially played violin before concentrating on trumpet. He played in Cleveland with J. Frank Terry before joining Lil Armstrong's band in 1934-35. He moved to New York City and played with Willie Bryant, Kaiser Marshall, and Fletcher Henderson (1936-38); in Henderson's band he was lead trumpeter and occasionally sang. In 1939 he joined Chick Webb's orchestra, and remained in the group when Ella Fitzgerald took over leadership. Following this he worked with Charlie Barnet, Don Redman, Eddie Heywood (1944-45), and Ben Webster. From 1944 to 1947 he studied at Juilliard, and moonlighted as a pit orchestra musician and an arranger. He arranged for Duke Ellington, Harry James, Cab Calloway, and Earl Hines.

In 1950 Vance played once more with Fletcher Henderson in a sextet, then joined Duke Ellington's group in 1951-52. He toured with Redman in 1953 and was a regular at the Savoy Ballroom throughout the 1950s. He released two albums under his own name in the 1960s and toured with Eddie Barefield in 1969.

Discography
With Sonny Stitt
 * Sonny Stitt & the Top Brass (Atlantic, 1962)