Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie was born John Birks Gillespie on October 21, 1917 in Cheraw, South Carolina. He started playing the piano at the age of four and by the age of twelve he had taught himself to play the trombone and trumpet.

Dizzy's first professional job was with the Frank Fairfax Orchestra in 1935, after which he joined the bands of Edgar Hayes and , in 1937, the Teddy Hill Orchestra. He made his first recording with the Teddy Hill Band. In 1939, Dizzy joined the Cab Calloway  Orchestra and stayed with them till 1941.

In 1943 Gillespie joined the Earl Hines Band after which he was with the famous Billy Eckstine Big Band. He left Eckstine because he wanted to play with a small combo and lead a big band himself. In 1956 he organized a band to go on a State Department tour of the Middle East. This was very well received and earned him the nickname "The Ambassador of Jazz."

In 1960, Dizzy was inducted into the Down Beat magazine's Jazz Hall of Fame. In the 1980's he led the United Nations Orchestra and in 1989 was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dizzy Gillespie died of pancreatic cancer on January 6, 1993, at the age of 75, in Englewood, New Jersey.

Earlier this evening I listened to Dizzy Gillespie "At Newport." This was recorded on July 6, 1957 and is on the Verve label. The band includes Dizzy, Lee Morgan, Ermet Perry, Carl Warwick, and Talib Dawud on trumpets; Al Grey, Melba Liston, and Chuck Connors, on trombones; Benny Golson and Billy Mitchell on tenor sax; Ernie Henry and Jimmy Powell on alto sax; Pee Wee Moore on baritone sax; Wynton Kelly and guest Mary Lou Williams on piano; Paul West on bass; and Charlie Persip on drums.

Scott Yanow of AllMusic Guide has rated this album 5 stars and writes "This brillant CD captures one of the high points of Dizzy Gillespie's remarkable career and is highly recommended."

Here is a video of Dizzy playing "Salt Peanuts."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=TvIXzeDLpMw

Shelly Manne

Shelly Manne was born Sheldon Manne on June 11, 1920 in New York City. His father and uncles were drummers and it was natural for him to become one too. In the late 1930's and 1940's he developed his style in the clubs on 52nd street. His first professional job with a big band was with the Bobby Byrne Orchestra in 1940.

In the late 1940's and 1950's Shelly was part of the Woody Herman Band and then the Stan Kenton Band. In the early 1950's he left New York and settled on a ranch in outlying Los Angeles. From this point on he played an important role in the West Coast school of Jazz.

During the 1960's and early 1970's Manne was part owner of Shelly's Manne Hole, a nightclub in Hollywood. The house band was known as "Shelly Manne and His Men." He was also part of the group known as "The Poll Winners" with Barney Kessel on guitar and Ray Brown on bass. From 1974-77 he was a member of "The L.A. Four" with Laurindo Almeida on guitar, Bud Shank on saxophone and flute, and Ray Brown on bass.

West Coast jazz represented only a small part of Manne's playing. He recorded with musicians from all schools and styles. He became known for his versatility.

Shelly Manne died suddenly of a heart attack on September 26, 1984 in Los Angeles.

Earlier this afternoon I listened to "Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole vol I" The line up is comprised of Conte Candoli on trumpet, Richie Kamuca on tenor sax, Russ Freeman on piano, Chuck Berhofer on bass and Shelly Manne on drums.

The tunes include "Love For Sale," "How Could it Happen to a Dream," "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," and "The Champ."




Here's a video of Shelly Manne and His Men playing "Speak Low"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gOokrsEAJ6Q

Chris Connor

Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer on November 8, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri. Her first professional singing job was with the University of Missouri college band.

In 1948, Connor moved to New York City. She successfully auditioned for Claude Thornhill's Snowflakes and toured around the United States. She stayed with the group until March 1952.

In February 1953 Chris auditioned for Stan Kenton's Band and began touring with them. She recorded "All About Ronnie" which became her signature song. By the fall of 1953 she had left Kenton and was back in New York City pursuing a solo career. She signed with Bethlehem Records.

When time came for her contract to expire, Chris signed a deal with Atlantic Records. She was with Atlantic from 1956 to 1962. She spent the remainder of the 1960's and 1970's recording for various labels. Her final recording session was in May 2002.

Chris Connor died from cancer on August 29, 2009 at the age of 81.

Earlier this afternoon I listened to the album "Chris in Person" on Atlantic. This is a live session at the Village Vanguard on September 13, 1959. Chris is accompanied by Kenny Burrell on guitar, Bill Rubenstein on piano, Eddie DeHaas on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums.

The tunes include "Strike Up the Band," "Misty," "Senor Blues," "Angel Eyes," " Round Midnight," "All About Ronnie," "Don't Worry About Me," and "Chinatown My Chinatown," among others

Here's a video of Chris in Osaka 1992 singing "Angel Eyes."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-apn0N0wS1I

Erroll Garner

Erroll Garner was born Erroll Louis Garner on June 15, 1923 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began playing piano at the age of three and at the age of seven he began appearing on a Pittsburgh radio station. At the age of eleven he was playing on the riverboats.

Erroll moved to New York City in 1944 and worked briefly with Slam Stewart. In 1947 he played with Charlie Parker on the famous "Cool Blues" session.

Garner was only 5 ft. 2 in. tall and he performed sitting on multiple telephone directories. He was self-taught and remained an "ear player" all his life. He never learned to read music. He helped to bridge the gap between nightclubs and the concert hall.

Garner's best known composition is "Misty" which rapidly became a jazz standard and was featured in Clint Eastwood's 1971 film "Play Misty for Me."

Erroll Garner died from a cardiac arrest on January 2, 1977 at the age of 53. He is buried in Pittsburgh's Homewood Cemetary.

Earlier this afternoon I listened to Erroll's album "Concert by the Sea." This is a 1955 live concert given at the Sunset Center in Carmel by the Sea, California. He is accompanied by Eddie Calhoun on bass and Denzil Best on drums. The album is rated at 5 stars by AllMusic Guide.

The tunes include "I'll Remember April," "Teach Me Tonight," "Autumn Leaves," "April in Paris," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," and "Where or When," among others.



Here's a video of Erroll playing "Misty"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88b0DCEBLcU&feature=player_detailpage

Paul Desmond

Paul Desmond was born Paul Emil Breitenfeld on November 25, 1924 in San Francisco, California. He began playing clarinet at the age of twelve but it was not until he was a freshman at San Francisco State College that he began playing the alto saxophone. He was drafted into the U. S. Army and joined the Army Band while stationed in San Francisco. He served three years in the military.

Desmond first met Dave Brubeck in 1944 while still in the military. Their association in the Dave Brubeck Quartet began in 1951 and ended in 1967. They are best known for their greatest hit "Take Five," a Desmond composition, on the album "Time Out."

In June 1969 Paul appeared at the New Orleans Jazz Festival with Gerry Mulligan and in 1971 he played at the Half Note in New York City with guitarist Jim Hall. In 1976 he reunited with Brubeck to play 25 shows in 25 nights, touring the U.S. by bus.

Paul Desmond died on May 30, 1977 from lung cancer. He had specified in his will that all proceeds from "Take Five" would go to the Red Cross upon his death.

I just finished listening to "Desmond Blue" a 1961 RCA Victor release. Paul is accompanied by a string orchestra arranged and conducted by Bob Prince. Shawn M. Haney of All Music Guide writes "The tone of the album: lush, reflective, thought-provoking, and soul-stirring. This work is quite a plus for any listener and especially those who consider themselves avid fans of Paul Desmond."

The tunes included on this album include "My Funny Valentine," "Desmond Blue," "Then I'll Be Tired of You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Late Lament," "I Should Care," "Like Someone in Love," "Ill Wind," and "Body and Soul."


Here's a video of Paul with the Dave Brubeck Quartet playing "Take Five."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=faJE92phKzI

Lester Young

Lester Young was born Lester Willis Young on August 27, 1909 in Woodville, Mississippi. His family moved to New Orleans, La. before settling in Minneapolis, Mn. His father taught him to play the trumpet, violin, drums, and saxophone and he played in the family band in the vaudeville and carnival circuits until he was 18.

In 1933 Young moved to Kansas City, Mo. and played in several bands before joing Count Basie. He left Basie to replace Coleman Hawkins in Fletcher Henderson's Band. Then he played in Andy Kirk's band for six months before returning to Count Basie.

Lester left Basie late in 1940 and with his brother, drummer Lee Young, led small group sessions. During this period he accompanied Billie Holiday in a couple of studio sessions and she gave him the nickname "Prez," short for President.

In September 1944, after rejoining the Basie Band the previous year, Young was inducted into the U.S. Army. In late 1945, after serving a year in the Detention Barracks, he was dishonably discharged for possession of marijuana and alcohol.

In 1946, he joined Jazz at the Philharmonic and toured regularly with them for the next 12 years. In November 1955 hhe was admitted to the hospital for a nervous breakdown and upon discharge he soon returned to drinking alcohol. He suffered from liver disease and malnutrition.

Lester made his final studio recordings and live performances in Paris in March 1959. He died in the early morning on March 15, 1959, only hours after arriving back in New York, at the age of 49.

Earlier this afternoon I listened to "Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio." The group includes Lester Young on tenor sax, Oscar Peterson on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and J.C. Heard on the drums. Scott Yanow of AllMusic Guide gave this album a 5 star rating and called it "Essential music."

There are 14 tracks on this CD which include "I Can't Get Started," "Just You, Just Me," "Tea for Two," "Indiana," "I'm Confessin'," "Stardust," and "These Foolish Things," among others.


Here's a video of Prez playing "Polka Dots and Moonbeams."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=A6ogRiaWXaU

June Christy

June Christy was born Shirley Luster on November 20, 1925 in Springfield, Illinois. After high school she moved to Chicago, changed her name to Shirley Leslie, and sang with the Boyd Raeburn band.

In 1945, after Anita O'Day had left the Stan Kenton Orchestra, she auditioned and was chosen as the vocalist. During this time she changed her name again to June Christy. She had a million selling hit called "Tampico" with the Kenton Band.

From 1947 she started working on her own records, primarily with arranger and bandleader Pete Rugolo. In 1954 she released "Something Cool" which helped launch the cool movement of the 1950's. She married multi-instrumentalist Bob Cooper and in 1954 gave birth to a daughter.

In the 1950's and 1960's June appeared on numerous television programs and embarked on dozens of concert tours. In 1972 she sang at the Newport Jazz Festival, reuniting with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Her final album "Impromptu" was recorded in 1977 and her final public performance was in 1988.

June Christy died at her home in Sherman Oaks, California on June 21, 1990 from kidney failure.  Her remains were cremated and scattered off the coast of Marina Del Rey.

Earlier this afternoon I listened to "The Best of June Christy: The Jazz Sessions." This 1996 Capitol release is an excellent compilation for those who want to sample June's singing throughout her career.

The album has 18 tracks which include "Something Cool," "I Want to be Happy," "My Ship," "Daydream," "Baby All The Time," "Midnight Sun," "Get Happy," "When Sunny Gets Blue," "Make Someone Happy," and "How High the Moon," among others.



Here's a video of June sing "Something Cool."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4GkUM4jE-ZE