Campbell Aurelius "Skeets" Tolbert was an American jazz clarinetist, alto saxophonist, vocalist, composer, and bandleader. He played with Dave Taylor’s Taylor’s Dixieland Orchestra (Serenaders) from 1929, with his first known recording in 1931 as a vocalist and alto saxophonist. In 1934 he moved to New York City, where he played with Charlie Alexander before joining the house band at the Savoy Ballroom, later performing with Fats Waller in 1936 and in a band with Jesse Owens in 1937. He went on to lead his own group, Tolbert’s Gentlemen of Swing, which recorded in 1939 for Decca Records and remained active for several years, featuring musicians such as Freddie Green, Kenny Clarke, and Red Richards. After further work in performance and recording, including soundies in 1944, Tolbert completed studies at Columbia University in 1946 and later worked as a teacher and university faculty member. He passed away on November 30, 2000.
