Dick Lammi was a fine rhythm player in Dixieland settings, pushing the soloists with his tuba and bass playing. He actually started out on violin and then banjo, freelancing in the Pacific Northwest on the latter instrument during the latter half of the 1920's. Lammi mostly played bass during a fiveyear stretch in Portland, Oregon and then, after moving to San Francisco in 1936, he began doubling on tuba. Lammi is best-known for his work with Lu Watters' influential Yerba Buena Jazz Band during 1941-50, appearing on nearly all of the band's recordings. He also spent periods playing fairly regularly with the 1950's groups of Bob Scobey and Turk Murphy and recorded with Wally Rose and Clancy Hayes. Not much was heard of Dick Lammi after the early 1960's and his exact death date and location is not known. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide