Jess Stacy
Jess Alexandria Stacy (born Jesse Alexander Stacy;August 11, 1904 – January 1, 1995) was an American jazz pianist who gained prominence during the swing era. He may be best remembered for his years with the Benny Goodman band during the late 1930s, particularly his performance at Goodman’s 1938 concert at Carnegie Hall.
Jess Stacy was born in Bird’s Point, Missouri, a small town across the Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois, to Frederick Lee Stacy, a railroad engineer, and Sara (Alexander) Stacy, a seamstress. His first piano teacher was Mabel Irene Bailey, who played piano for silent movies.