Tom Archia

Vocation

American jazz tenor saxophonist who took "Texas Tom" as his marquee name. He was a member of Milt Larkin's band, resident at the Rhumboogie Club in Chicago from August 1942 to May 1943. In November 1943, he joined the Roy Eldridge orchestra, moving to the Rhumboogie "Dream Band" from November 1943 to June 1944. In 1946, he became a headliner at the Macomba Lounge, and recorded extensively for Aristocrat Records, the predecessor to Chess Records, during 1947 and 1948. He frequently participated in tenor saxophone duels with Buster Bennett, Gene Ammons, Claude McLin, and Hal Singer, among others. Archia’s run at the Macomba ended when the club was closed in 1950. Although he worked steadily on the South Side of Chicago during the 1950s, his recording opportunities were sparse and unheralded but included two sessions accompanying Dinah Washington. His last recording session was a blues jam organized in 1960 for visiting German critic Joachim-Ernst Berendt, who was touring the United States doing research on jazz history. Archia retired to Houston in 1967 after being temporarily disabled by a broken jaw. He played Houston clubs until his death on 16 January 1977 which was commemorated with a jazz funeral in Houston's Fifth Ward. Link to Wikipedia biography