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WENDELL MARSHALL, who has died aged 81, was one of the leading double bass players in jazz during the 1950s, most notably as a member of Duke Ellington's orchestra.
Marshall was a cousin of Jimmy Blanton, widely regarded as father of the modern jazz bass, whose virtuoso technique and resonant tone made the instrument a prominent feature of Ellington's band between 1939 and Blanton's death in 1942. Marshall received his first lessons from Blanton and inherited his instrument, which he treasured all his life.
Wendell Marshall was born at St Louis, Missouri, on October 24 1920. He studied Music at Lincoln University and played locally until drafted into the US...