Born on October 6, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, Norman Simmons was a jazz pianist
known for accompanying performers such as Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Anita
O'Day and Joe Williams. Norman Simmons studied music at his hometown
conservatory from 1945 to 1949 and made his debut in 1946 with Clifford Jordan.
After a stint in saxophonist Paul Bascomb’s group and a session for Dinah
Washington, he led his own trio at the Bee Hive club (1953-1956) and accompanied
the artists like Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Dakota Stanton and
Ernestine Anderson at the C&C Lounge (1957-1...