Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Celebrating Birthdays In The Month of June...

Ray Bauduc (June 18, 1906) drums/composer. Charter member of Bob Crosby's Bob Cats. Co-composer of "South Rampart Street Parade"

Louis Thomas "Lou" Black (June 8, 1901) banjo, with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (1921-1923)

Tom Brown (June 3, 1888) trombone/string bass, performed with Papa Jack Laine's Reliance Brass Band, and led own Ragtime Band (1910-1915)

Adolphus Anthony "Doc" Cheatham, (June 13, 1905), trumpet, with Albert Wynn (1926), Wilbur DeParis (1927-1928, 1957, 1960), McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1931-1932), Cab Calloway (1933-1939), Teddy Wilson (1939), Benny Carter (1940) Fletcher Henderson (1941), Benny Goodman (1966-1967)

Lester Rallingston "Shad" Collins (June 27, 1910) trumpet, with Chick Webb (1931), Benny Carter (1933), Teddy Hill (1936-1937), Count Basie (1938-1940), Lester Young (1941), Cab Calloway (1941-1943, 1944-1946)

Edward Emerson "Ed" Cuffee (June 7, 1902), trombone, with McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1930-1934), Fletcher Henderson (1936-1939), Bunk Johnson (1947)

Charles A. "Charlie" Elgar (June 13, 1885) violin/saxes/clarinet/leader, performed with Will Marion Cook's Southern Syncopated Orchestra, led own orchestra

Glen Gray (Knoblaugh) (June 7, 1906), leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra

"Captain" John Handy (June 24, 1900) alto sax/clarinet, performed with local New Orleans orchestras, among them Kid Rena, Amos Riley, John Casimir, Kid Howard, Kid Sheik, etc. Led the Louisiana Shakers.

Emmett Louis Hardy (June 12, 1903) cornet, performed with Papa Jack Laine (1917), influenced many cornet players

Clarence Behrens Hutchenrider (June 13, 1906) clarinet/saxes/flute, with the Casa Loma Orchestra (1931-1943)

Dewey Jackson (June 21, 1900) trumpet, performed with Charlie Creath (1919, 1927, 1934, 1936), led own bands (1920-1923, 1927-1929, 1930-1932), Fate Marable (1924, 1926, 1929-1930, 1936), Andrew Preer at the Cotton Club (1926), led own Musical Ambassadors (1937) on riverboats - a favored venue for the trumpeter.

Anthony "Tony" Jackson (June 5, 1876) piano/vocals, legendary Storyville entertainer who had a profound influence on Jelly Roll Morton, and Clarence Williams

Richard M. Jones (June 13, 1889) piano/composer, with the Eureka Brass Band (early 1900s), John Robichaux, Armand Piron (mid-1910's), led the Jazz Wizards (1920s-early 1930s), "race" recording manager for Okeh records, talent scout for various record companies

Don Kirkpatrick (June 17, 1905) piano/arranger, performed with Chick Webb (late 1920s - 1932), Don Redman (1933-1938), arranged for many bands, including Benny Goodman, Alvino Rey, etc. Occasionally performed with Zutty Singleton, Mezz Mezzrow and Bunk Johnson (late 1930s-mid 1940s)

Hilton Napoleon "Nappy" Lamare (June 14, 1907), guitar/banjo/vocals, with Ben Pollack (1930-1934), founder member of the Bob Crosby Band (1935-1942), Eddie Miller (1943)

Ted Lewis (Theodore Leopold Friedman) (June 6, 1892) clarinet/vocals, led popular orchestra which on occasion featured Jazz musicians like Fats Waller, Muggsy Spanier, Benny Goodman and Georg Brunis

Jimmie Lunceford (June 6, 1902) bandleader, leader of a popular big band in the 1930s which favored the two-beat Dixieland style of Jazz as opposed to the four-beat Swing style embraced by other big bands of the time.

Paul Mares (June 15, 1900) trumpet/composer, organized (along with Leon Rappolo) the New Orleans Rhythm Kings

Charles "Charlie" Margulis (June 24, 1903) trumpet, performed with Jean Goldkette (1924-1925), Paul Whiteman (1927-1930), Dorsey Brothers (early 1930s), Glenn Miller (1938)

Joseph "Kaiser" Marshall, (June 11, 1899), drums, performed with Fletcher Henderson (1924-1930), McKinney's Cotton Pickers (early 1930s), Edgar Hayes (1939), Wild Bill Davison (1943), Art Hodes (1943-1947), Garvin Bushell (1944), Sidney Bechet (1945, 1947), Bunk Johnson (1946)

Raymond Frederick "Ray" McKinley (June 18, 1910) drums/vocals, with the Dorsey Brothers (1934-1935), Jimmy Dorsey (1935-1939), co-led band with trombonist Will Bradley (1939-1942), led Glenn Miller's Army-Air Force Orchestra after the leader's death (1944-1945)

Eddie Miller (June 23, 1911) tenor sax and clarinet, with Ben Pollack (1930-1934), Wingy Manone (1935), founder-member of Bob Crosby band (1935-1942)

Ernest "Punch" Miller (Ernest Burden) (June 14, 1894) trumpet/vocals, toured with Jelly Roll Morton (1927), Al Wynn, Tiny Parham, Erskine Tate and Freddie Keppard (1927-1928) Frankie Franko (Francois Moseley) and his Louisianians (1929-1933, 1934, 1935), led own bands (early 1920s, 1933, early 1940s)

James "Jimmy" Mundy (June 28, 1907) arranger, with Earl Hines (1932-1936), Benny Goodman (1936-1939), arranged for many big bands including: Count Basie, Paul Whiteman, Gene Krupa, Bob Crosby, Glen Gray

Don Murray (June 7, 1904) clarinet/saxes/violin, with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (1923), Jean Goldkette (1924-1927), Bix Beiderbecke (recordings 1927-1928), Adrian Rollini (1927),
Ted Lewis (1928-1929)

Ben Pollack (June 22, 1903) drums, leader of a popular orchestra during the 1920s-early 1930s which, at various times, boasted the talents of top flight Jazz musicians. Appeared in the films, The Glenn Miller Story and The Benny Goodman Story

Irving "Mouse" Randolph (June 22, 1909) trumpet, with Fate Marable (late 1920s), Andy Kirk (1931-1933), Fletcher Henderson (1934), Cab Calloway (1935-1939)

Bill Rank (June 8, 1904) trombone, performed with Jean Goldkette (1923-1927), Bix Beiderbecke (recordings 1927-1928), Adrian Rollini (1927), Paul Whiteman (1927-1938)

Allan Reuss (June 15, 1915) guitar, performed with Benny Goodman (1935-1938, 1943-1944), Jack Teagarden (1939), Harry James (1944-1945)

Prince Robinson (June 7, 1902) clarinet / tenor sax, with McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1928-1931, 1932-1935), Blanche Calloway (1935-1937), Roy Eldridge (1938-1940), Louis Armstrong (1940-1942)

Adrian Rollini (June 28, 1904) bass sax/vibraphone/"hot fountain pen"/"goofus" performed with Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman among others on many freelance recordings during the 1920s-early 1930s

Irving "Babe" Russin (June 18, 1911) tenor sax/clarinet, with the California Ramblers (1926), Red Nichols (1928-1929, 1930-1932), Ben Pollack (1930), Benny Goodman (late 1937-early 1938 - appeared with band at Carnegie Hall concert), Tommy Dorsey (1938-1940), Jimmy Dorsey (1942-1944), appeared in the film, The Benny Goodman Story.

Eugene P. "Honey Bear" Sedric (June 17, 1907) tenor sax/clarinet, with Fats Waller (1934-1942)

Clarence "Pinetop" Smith (June 11, 1904), piano/vocals, one of the early contributors of the Boogie Woogie style

Tony Spargo (Antonio Sbarboro) (June 27, 1897) drums/kazoo, charter member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band

Harry Alexander "Father" White (June 1, 1898) trombone/saxes/cornet/arranger/composer, with Luis Russell (1927-1928, 1935), Duke Ellington (1929), Cab Calloway (1931, 1932-1935), Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1931-1932), Louis Armtrong (1935-1936), Hot Lips Page (1938), Bud Freeman (1940)

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Celebrating Birthdays in the month of May...

Sylvester (Hooley) Ahola, (May 24th, 1902), cornet/trumpet, work with Adrian Rollini, the California Ramblers, and the British bandleader, Ambrose

Hayes Julian Alvis, (May 1st, 1907), string bass/tuba/arranger, toured with Jelly Roll Morton (late 1927-early 1928), with Earl Hines (1928-1930), Jimmie Noone (1931), the Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1931-1935), Duke Ellington (1935-1938), Benny Carter (1939), Joe Sullivan (1940, 1942), Wilbur de Paris (1958)

Fernando Arbello, (May 30th, 1907) trombone, arranger, with Claude Hopkins (1931-1934), Chick Webb (1934-1935), Fletcher Henderson (1936-1937, 1941), Marty Marsala (1941), Jimmie Lunceford (1942-1946)

Adolphe Paul Barbarin (May 5th, 1899) drums and composer, with King Oliver (1924-1927), Luis Russell (1928-1932), Louis Armstrong (1935-1938), Henry "Red" Allen (1942-1943), Sidney Bechet (1944)


Sidney Joseph Bechet (May 14th, 1897), soprano sax/clarinet/composer.

Vic(tor) Berton (Cohen) (May 6th, 1896), drums/percussion/vibes. With Bix Beiderbecke and the Wolverines (1924), Roger Wolfe Kahn (1926), free lance recording with Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Red Nichols and others.

Jack Bland (May 8th, 1899) guitar/banjo. Founded the Mound City Blue Blowers with Red McKenzie and Dick Slavin.

Rod Cless (May 20th, 1907) clarinet. Performed with Muggsy Spanier's Ragtimers (1939), Art Hodes (1940-41), Wild Bill Davison (1943), Max Kaminski (1944)

Sidney De Paris (May 30th, 1905) trumpet/tuba. McKinney's Cotton Pickers (1929), Don Redman (1932-1936), Mezz Mezzrow (1937), Zutty Singleton (1939-1940), Benny Carter (1940-1941), Wilbur De Paris (1943, 1947 until the mid 1960's), freelance recordings with Jelly Roll Morton (1939), Sidney Bechet (1940) James P. Johnson, Edmond Hall (1944).

Edwin "Eddie" Edwards (May 22nd, 1891), trombone/violin. Performed with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

George Murphy "Pops" Foster (May 18th, 1892), string bass/tuba. With Kid Ory (1908, 1923-1925,), Fate Marable (1917-1921), Luis Russell / Louis Armstrong (1929-1940), Sidney Bechet (1945), Art Hodes (1945-1946), Mezz Mezzrow (1948), Bob Wilber-Jimmy Archey (1948-1952), Papa Celestin (1954), Earl Hines (late 1950s), Elmer Snowden (1963-1964)


Harold Eugene "Gene" Gifford, (May 31st, 1908), guitar/arranger. Arranged for Jean Goldkette (1928-1929), and the Casa Loma Orchestra (1929-1938)

Benjamin David "Benny" Goodman (May 30th, 1909) clarinet/saxes/occasional cornet. With Ben Pollack (1926-1929), Red Nichols (1929-1930), Ben Selvin (early 1930s) before becoming the King of Swing in 1935.

Edmond Hall (May 15th, 1901), clarinet/baritone sax. With Buddie Petit (1921-1923), Claude Hopkins (1929-1935), Joe Sullivan (1939), Teddy Wilson (1941-1944), led bands at Cafe Society plus freelance recordings (1944-1946), Eddie Condon (early 1950's), Louis Armstrong and his All Stars (1955- 1958).

Edgar Hayes (May 23rd, 1904), pianist/arranger with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1931-1936)

Thomas J. "Tommy" Ladnier (May 28th, 1900) trumpet. With King Oliver (1924-1925), Sam Wooding (1935-1926, 1928-1929), Fletcher Henderson (1926-1927), Noble Sissle (1930-1931), Sidney Bechet (1932-1933)

John Rhea "Yank" Lawson (May 3rd, 1911) trumpet. Performed with Ben Pollack (1933-1934), Bob Crosby (1935-1938, 1941-1942), Tommy Dorsey (1938-1939) co-leader of the World's Greatest Jazz Band with Bob Haggart.

Castor McCord (May 17th, 1907), tenor sax and clarinet. Performed with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band (1929-1930, 1932-1934)

Albert Nicholas (May 27th, 1900) clarinet. With King Oliver (1924-1926), Luis Russell (1928-1933), Louis Armstrong (1937-1939)

Ernest Loring "Red" Nichols (May 8th, 1905) cornet. Leader of the Five Pennies, which included at various times Miff Mole, Fud Livingston, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Eddie Condon, Pee Wee Russell, etc.

Floyd O'Brien (May 7th, 1904), trombone. With Phil Harris (1935-1939), Gene Krupa (1939), Bob Crosby (1940-1942)

Joseph "King" Oliver (May 11th, 1885) cornet and composer. Leader of the Creole Jazz Band and Dixie Syncopators.

Artie Shaw (Arthur Jacob Arshawsky) (May 23rd, 1910) clarinet. Prior to his leading a big band, Shaw worked with Willie "the Lion" Smith (1929-1930), Red Nichols (1931), Roger Wolfe Kahn (1931-1933), Wingy Manone (1934), Bunny Berigan (1936)

Frank Signorelli (May 24th, 1901), piano and composer. Founder-member of the Original Memphis Five. Recorded with Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Bix Beiderbecke, etc. Co-composer of "I'll Never Be the Same"

Arthur James "Zutty" Singleton (May 14th, 1898), drums. Performed with Fate Marable (1921-1923), Jimmie Noone (1927), Louis Armstrong (recordings and with Carroll Dickerson) (1928-1929), Fats Waller (1931), Roy Eldridge (1936), Mezz Mezzrow's Disciples of Swing (1937), led own bands.

Warren Doyle Smith (May 17th, 1908) trombone. With Bob Crosby (1936-1940, 1945), Jess Stacy (1950), Nappy Lamare (1951), Joe Darensbourg (1957-1960), Red Nichols (early 1960s)

Frank Trumbauer (May 30th, 1901) c-melody saxophone/reeds. Collaborator with Bix Beiderbecke. Performed with Jean Goldkette and Paul Whiteman. While with Whiteman, led the Three T's with Jack and Charlie Teagarden.

Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21st, 1904) piano, organ, composer. Performed/composed for the show, "Keep Shufflin'" with James P. Johnson. Recorded with Fletcher Henderson, Jack Teagarden, McKinney's Cotton Pickers and Ted Lewis prior to his leading his famous "Fats Waller and his Rhythm" recordings

Newell "Spiegle" Wilcox (May 2nd, 1903) trombone. With Paul Whiteman's Collegians (1924), California Ramblers (1925), Jean Goldkette (1925-1927). Took part in Carnegie Hall tribute to Bix Beiderbecke in 1975 which resurrected his career.

Mary Lou Williams (May 8th, 1910) piano, arranger and composer. Arranged for Andy Kirk and his Clouds of Joy from 1931-1942. Arranged for other big bands, notably Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Louis Armstrong.