8 ▁– ▁June ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 5 2 ), ▁was ▁a ▁jazz ▁double - b ass ist ▁who ▁also ▁played ▁trom bone ▁and ▁t uba . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁side man ▁work ▁( prom in ently ▁with ▁Ben ny ▁Good man ), ▁Kir by ▁is ▁remembered ▁for ▁leading ▁a ▁successful ▁chamber ▁jazz ▁se xt et ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁which ▁scored ▁several ▁hit ▁songs ▁including ▁" L och ▁L om ond " ▁and ▁the ▁debut ▁recording ▁of ▁" Und ec ided ", ▁a ▁jazz ▁standard . ▁ ▁Background ▁John ▁Kir by ▁was ▁born ▁John ▁Kirk ▁in ▁Win chester , ▁Virginia ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁His ▁mother , ▁Dol ly ▁Kirk ▁( d ied ▁October ▁ 1 9 2 5 ) ▁gave ▁him ▁up ▁for ▁ad option ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁raised ▁at ▁ 4 4 2 ▁North ▁Kent ▁Street ▁by ▁Re ver end ▁Washington ▁Johnson ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁Nancy . ▁Kir by ▁was ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁the ▁Win chester ▁Col ored ▁School ▁( ren amed ▁Doug lass ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ) ▁and ▁started ▁trom bone ▁less ons ▁around ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁Professor ▁Pow ell ▁Gib son ▁( pr incipal , ▁math , ▁drama ▁and ▁music ▁teacher ). ▁Kir by ▁( after ▁success ▁in ▁New ▁York ), ▁stated ▁that ▁Bach ' s ▁work ▁fasc in ated ▁him ▁as ▁a