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NFO.NET BIG BANDS DATABASE PLUS
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| American Band's Alphabetical Index |
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NFO.NET BIG BANDS DATABASE PLUS
A W rld of Information!
U.S.A.
|
| DATABASES | ARCHIVES | RESOURCES | INSTRUCTION | CONTACT US |
| American Band's Alphabetical Index |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
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The band played at small clubs in Lake Tahoe (July-August 1946) before returning to Los Angeles where Dodo Marmarosa (p) joined up for a brief period. The summer of 1947 found Talbert touring with singer Anita O'Day. He returned to Los Angeles and his band later that year making additional recordings for Paramount. Tenor saxmen Wayne Marsh and Steve White were added to the roster shortly afterwards and played with the band during a long engagment at the Trianon Ballroom. In 1949 Talbert had revamped his band which now featured Art Pepper on alto sax. Singer Jean Louise was added to the band at this time becoming Talbert's first and only girl vocalist. When Stand Kenton formed his Innovations Orchestra in 1950 he asked Art Pepper to join and Talbert disbanded shortly afterwards taking a job to write for Kenton. The 1946-1949 recordings made by the 'Tom Talbert Jazz Orchetra' have been released on CD on the Sea Breeze label. The late 1940's and early 1950's found Talbert doing much composing and arranging. Among the bands and jazz personalities he worked for are Stan Kenton, Claude Thornhill, Buddy Rich, Boyd Raeburn, Tony Pastor, Charlie Ventura, Marion McPartland and Oscar Pettiford. In 1956, he formed a band that recorded a classic LP, Bix Duke Fats (Atlantic 1250, reissued on CD). By the early 1960's, Talbert had settled in the Mid-West where he led a 12-piece band until the early 1970's. In 1975, he returned to Los Angeles and worked as a studio musician and composed for television. Among the shows he composed music for were 'Serpico', 'Mulligan's Stew' and 'Emergency'. He formed a new band in 1976 and recorded the LP 'Louisiana Suite' which featured a five-suite tribute to that state without using any of the influences of New Orleans jazz. It would be another ten years before Talbert made his next recording, 'Things As They Are'. The 1990's found him dividing time between New York and California with his band recording the albumsn 'Warm Cafe' (1991) and Duke's Dream' (1993). The Tom Talbert Jazz Orchestra's latest CD, 'This Is Living' was recorded in New York City in 1997.
Under the name of "Original Washboard Band with Jasper Taylor", he recorded a tune called "Jasper Taylor's Blues" (Vocalion (Brunswick) 29 June, 1928). Eddie Heywood, Jasper and a guy named Williams wrote the tune.) Jasper was on washboard, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, with Julia Davis doing the vocal. Julia was a vaudeville performer. I think Cassino Simpson played piano and B.T. Wingfield played cornet. R. Q. Dickerson was also on the recording. This recording might be the last record that the famed clarinetist Johnny Dodds recorded. At times the Original Washboard Band' had slightly different personel, including such men as Eddie Heywood playing piano and Eddie Ellis trombone.
What is truly amazing is that while he was was one of Chicago's earliest blues stars, he is very little remembered today. Still, considering the importance of the Blues to all forms of Jazz and Pop, he certainly should be placed among the most important Pop music musicians of the twentieth century. Even more interesting, Tampa Red was also one of the most prolific Blues composers, writing such Blues standards as "Sweet Black Angel", "Love Her With A Feeling", "Don't You Lie To Me", and "It Hurts Me Too" (covered respectively by B.B. King, Freddy King, Fats Domino and Elmore James among others). He was perhaps the most influential of all the early 20th century Blues guitarists. He arrived in Chicago sometime in the mid-1920s, and played street corners, and clubs, for spare change But it was his playing with pianist Georgia Tom, in 1928, that would bring him some measure of fame. They formed 'The Hokum Boys', and recorded extensively, often in double entendre vein, churning out such risqu�blues as "Tight Like That", "You Can't Get The Stuff No More", and "My Daddy Rocks Me", for the Paramount label. Listen now to Tampa Red playing and singing "It's Tight Like That", back in 1928. In 1928, Tampa Red became the first Black man to play a National Resonator (steel body) guitar. This expensive instrument, with it's powerful, rich tone permitted him to develop his trademark bottleneck style, -his gift to future Bluesmen. He played single string runs, not block chords, which in retrospect is seen to be the precursor to much of today's electric Blues and Rock guitar soloing. For the next couple of years, the duo performed and recorded extensively in Chicago and in Memphis In 1932, Georgia Tom turned to the righteous path and become the Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey, -one of the founders of modern "gospel music" (he composed "Precious Lord" and many other "gospel" tunes). However, Tampa Red was not able to resist the temptations and continued to chronicle the hard-drinking, hard-loving, after-hours world of the Black working-class. With Georgia Tom gone, Tampa Red teamed up with Big Maceo Merriweather and continued performing, often along with Bill Broonzy, and Jazz Gillum. He also recorded, mostly for producer Lester Melrose and the Bluebird label, -establishing the "Bluebird sound" a blues style more 'Chicago' than 'Mississippi'. His style is best described as transitional. Just as Southern Blacks were having to deal with the transition from a sharecropping economy to an industrial economy, so too was Tampa Red's music adapting a 'Southern' Style to the new realities of a hustling bustling Chicago. His "Deceitful Friend Blues", "Stockyard Blues", and "Someday I'm Bound to Win" perhaps best show this transition. By 1934, he had ceased live work outside Chicago and he had signed with the RCA Victor company, remaining with them for the next 20 years. During the 1930s, RCA released many Pop songs with his 'Chicago Five', which often featured Tampa's kazoo playing. While he usually appeared "live" as a solo act, on recording he was teamed with various piano players, even though he was an accomplished pianist in his own right with a style that deeply affected Big Maceo, who, in 1941, became his regular recording partner. In the late 1940s, Tampa was quite active and led a recording band whose rhythmic force foreshadowed the post-war Chicago sound. Frances, Tampa Red's wife and business manager, ran their home as both a lodging house and a rehearsal centre for blues singers. Her demise in the mid-1950s had a devastating effect on Tampa, leading to his excessive drinking followed by a mental collapse. It has been said that Tampa Red was more a chronicler of his times, rather than a character in the tune. Songs like "Love With a Feeling", and "Chicago Moan" capture the travails and the humor of the daily struggle to survive. His "Dead Cat on the Line" chronicles the lives of Chicago women, who spend their days cheating on their husbands while continually high on drink or drugs. This "Dead Cat..." lyric is almost a dictionary of taboo subjects packed into three minutes of delightful slander. But his music also captured that special 'high life', good times, new era fun music of the roaring 1920s. For an example, here's the "Hokum Jug Band" playing "San", in the mid 1920s, -digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. (You can hear Tampa's guitar about 1:30 into this song.) Tampa Red continued to record regularly into the early 1950s, but, his increasing problem with alcohol began to take it's toll. Additionally, his kind of blues was being over-shadowed by the bigger-brassier electric blues bands. In 1960, he recorded two albums for Prestige-Bluesville and retired from the Blues scene. Having no desire to make a "comeback", he lived quietly with a woman friend, but from 1974, on was resident in a nursing home. Here's a photo of Tampa Red in Nursing Home, attributed to Mr. Robert Fogt. In 1981, Tampa Red was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame. He died that same year. From his early teens, Jack was playing and singing in and around his home town and profesionally touring with various bands, notably that led by pianist Peck Kelley in 1921-2. He briefly led his own band in Kansas City, then continued to gain experience working with the bands of Doc Ross, Willard Robison and others. He reached New York City, in 1927, now ready for the big time. He had some recording dates with the Roger Wolfe Kahn and Sam Lanin orchestras. His debut as a vocalist came in 1928 on a recording date with Eddie Condon ("Making Friends"). He joined Ben Pollack in 1928, and through his work with this band, he caused every other trombone player in the country into either changing their approach or comtemplating premature retirement. Jack stayed with Pollack until 1933 and then worked briefly with the Mal Hallett band, before doing some free-lancing around New York City. In mid-1934, he joined the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, remaining with Whiteman until late 1938. In January 1939, Jack formed his own band with such sidemen as Ernie Caceres; Lee Castle; Charlie Spivak, and Dave Tough on drums. It was a good band and did produce some good music, but due in part to Teagarden's casual and unbusiness-like manner, and also to his fondness for drink, the band never became a financial success. He disbanded in early 1947. In mid-1947 be became a member of Louis Armstrong's All Stars remaining with Louis until late 1951, The All-Stars toured extensively and Teagarden reached audiences that had long idolized him. In 1951, he left Armstrong to again form his own band. During the remainder of his life, he led small groups, some of which included his brother and sister, Charlie and Norma. He was also co-leader (with Earl Hines) of an All Star Band, which included Peanuts Hucko, Cozy Cole and Max Kaminsky. Teagarden's playing defies description. It was stylish, smooth and totally unlike any player before him. While his consumate skill affected the playing of virtually every other Jazz trombone player, none of his successors were able to develop his unique style. His playing was closer to that of Black musicians than any other white musician. His relaxed sound was quite beguiling. It concealed his total command of the trombone. He was held in awe by even the finest musicians. Jack could inspire fear in musicians such as Bill Rank and Glenn Miller. Tommy Dorsey, one of the most technically proficient trombonists, rarely offered to solo when he was on a record date with Teagarden. Teagarden had been heavily influenced by the Black Blues singers he heard as a child in Texas. He was as remarkable a singer as he was a trombonist. He sang in an enchantingly soft, sleepy drawl that formed a significant bridge in popular music, linking the blues to the white crooning style of Bing Crosby. Along with his blues singing, his performances often inclined more towards humor with an easy going character reflecting his own personality, "The Sheik of Araby" being a prime example. In a succession of truly definitive recordings, he ably demonstrated the superlative technique and lazy vocal charm, that made many of the songs his 'own'. Amongst these
are:
Weakened by the ceaseless touring, as well as his drinking, Teagarden died suddenly on Jan. 15, 1964, at age 59. In 1928 Terry's band made their only records. Krupa appears on four sides they recorded in Chicago in March 1928; Zurke is on the two sides the band recorded in New York in September 1928. Her recordings were mostly non-vocal, and they show that the "Little Lady With The Big Fiddle" was truly the equal of such Jazz Bassist greats as Wellman Braud, "Pops" Foster and John Kirby. He is an active pioneer in the field of radio and TV advertising jingles and production music. In the 1960's. his use of sound effects combined with music had great commercial appeal and made good backgrounds for commercials. One begins to see his versatility, when you consider that he has composed/arranged music for over 1500 commercials such as General Motors; a 'superfly commercial' for the Colt 45 Malt Liquor, -and many others. He has composed the score to the (flop) "Thumb Trippin'"; a Jerry Lewis song ("Candelabra Boogie"); and a score for a "BJ and The Bear" TV episode. He also recorded, leading a studio orchestra. Two of his instrumental albums--"Mmm, Nice", and "The Sound of Speed" have found a place in the production libraries of radio stations across America. Thompson has also worked with Warren Zevon, Van Dyke Parks, Phil Ochs, Randy Newman and Dwayne Eddy. Currently he is quite active doing interviews, and still writing music, including a recent arrangement of Duke Ellington Classics, - for the Nevada City Theatre in Northern California. He has also composed "What Goes Around" as sung by Los Angeles Jazzman Jack Sheldon. Among his works are:
Claude's first job was with the Austin Wylie band. Artie Shaw, who was the clarinetist, got Claude the job, and they stayed close friends for the rest of their lives.
Drummer Al Trace formed his first band for an engagement at France's 'Streets of Paris' Pavillion, at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Prior to that, he had been working in the Chicago area with various small groups playing the drums, and occasionally vocalizing. When the Fair closed, Trace began a very successful residency at Chicago's Blackrock Restaurant, followed by another 3 year long stay at The Sherman Hotel. In time, vocalists Toni Arden, (Photograph courtesy of Saxony Records ) and Bob Vincent joined the band. Later, the band had their own radio show, "It Payes To Be Ignorant." Trace recorded with Mercury, MGM, Columbia' and also with Damon Recording Studios, Inc. of Kanasas City, MO. These were called Damon Records and all bore the phrase "THE ONLY AL TRACE RECORDING." Interestingly, the Trace Ochestra's playing had a pronounced 'Western' flair. It must have been very attractive, for the band was always in demand, repeatedly playing the best dining and dancing spots in Chicago and New York. Al is credited with composing approximately 300 songs On some tunes, he collaborated with well known composers, such as:
Al also wrote a great many songs solely with Ben L. Trace, such as:
Al also often collaborated with composer David M. Bohme. For example:
And, Al did sometimes compose on his own, with such tunes as:
Many of Al's recordings featured his own compostions, and were big hits, that sold well in the 1940's and the 1950's.
Among the biggiest hits out of the approximately 300 songs that Trace wrote, are:
Eventually Trace disbanded and became resident on the West Coast. He formed a successful talent management agency, and also devoted much of his time to promoting the many songs he had written. In 1975, Al retired and made Scottsdale, Arizona his home. There, he joined with another bandleader, Tommy Reed, in the Southwest Booking Agency. In the early thirties, Paul's homebase was Yoeng's Chinese-American Restaurant, on Broadway in New York City. The band put on shows both in the afternoons and in the evenings, for both the local patrons and for radio broadcasts. It was a very pleasant, commercial sounding band, in which Sonny Dunham did a little trumpet soloing; a little singing and a little arranging, too. The orchestra originally recorded for RCA Victor, and later for Columbia Records. Tremaine retired briefly in the middle 1930's, but resumed his career a year later. He continued making music into the 1940's. A posthumous CD recording was released by Americatone (Las Vegas, NV) called Explosion, AMT-1997011, with the band playing eight numbers that included "How High The Moon" and "It's A Wonderful World". The recording and the arrangements are of good quality. Among the musicians listed are Bill Smiley and Ray Caton. During the 1920s and 30s, Trumbauer formed several orchestras that while never financially sound, were nevertheless musically successful. Here's a photograph of Frankie's 1925 Orch.. And, here's a photograph of an advertisement by British Parlorphone Records in the 1928 issue of Melody Maker magazine. (and isn't that a great photo of a young Miff Mole ). Some of Bix's best work was done while with the Trumbauer band. Many of the era's (1920s) finest White Jazz artists including clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, trombonist Jack Teagarden, violinist Joe Venuti, and his inseparable partner guitarist Eddie Lang played with the band. The Team of Venuti and Lang would go on to influence many of the world's jazzmen. They were the inspiration of the wonderful French gypsy group "The Quintet of the Hot Club of France". George Avakian continues:
Other of their great recordings at this time included songs like "Trumbology", of which many critics feel Trumbauer's solo was one of the most influential saxophone solos in the history of Jazz, "Riverboat Shuffle" and "Take Your Tomorrows (and Give Me Today)", which after a lighthearted and playful introduction leads into melodic choruses by both Tram and Bix. Trumbauer sings the vocal with light accompaniment by Bix's muted horn, and everybody, starting with Bix, gets into the finale. But, as mentioned, the band was not financially successful, and both Frankie and his good friend Bix would go on to join other bands. Bix's career with the Paul Whiteman orchestra is described in the Bix Beidebecke entry on our site. Tram got his start playing the C-Melody sax (very rarely heard today) in early Mid-west orchestras, and eventually rose to Musical Director of the Jean Goldkette band. His own orchestra featuring Bix on Cornet, was a mainstay of the Arcadia Ballroom in St. Louis, MO. Both Bix and Tram went on to play together in Jean Goldkette's Orchestra where they were featured on many recordings including such as "Wringin' and Twistin'", "Singing the Blues" and "For No Reason at All in C". From Goldkette, both men joined the (short-lived) Adrian Rollini band, and in 1927, both joined the Paul Whiteman band. In 1932, Tram briefly left Whiteman to form another of his own bands, but re-joined Whiteman in 1933. In the mid-1930s, Tram played ith Jack and Charlie Teagarden, after which he again led a band in California. From the start of WW2, Trumbauer basically left the music business. During WW2, he worked as a Test Pilot. After the war ended, he was employed by the U.S. Civil Aeronauticss Authority (CAA). Tram did play occasionally after that, including a stint with the NBC Studio Orchestra. Looking back, some of today's critics feel that Trumbauer's cool-y intellectual style may have been the forerunner of the Modern, or "Cool" Jazz school so popular in the 1950s and 1960s, especially on the U.S. West Coast. Orrin was trained to be a physician, but turned to leading an orchestra. His band was always well received by basically 'unknown' until one of his female vocalists "Wee" Bonnie Baker, (née:, Evelyn Nelson, of Orange, TX) cut an old (WW1) tune named "Oh Johnny". This hit record catapulted the band to national fame.
Scottee Marsh, was another of the vocalists that Orrin used. Scottee had sung with the Bernie Cummins and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras. She stayed with Orrin for five years, during which time, her husband, Carl Erca, was blowing a mean trumpet in the same Orrin Tucker band, while her brother, Felix Mayerhofer, was blowing a mean trombone in other big bands. Still another of the vocalists who appeared with Tucker's orchestra was Eddie Rice. During WWII, Eddie served in the U. S. Airforce. Here's a photo of Eddie Rice in uniform. (This photo courtesy of Mr. James Ritter, Jr., whose father, James S. Ritter, flew with Eddie in flight training, 1943.) Mr. Doug Booth has informed me (Dec.1997) that Orrin recently lost his collection of records and memorabilia in a fire. In addition, he had been hospitalized for six months as a result of spinal surgery. Even so, Orrin has said he was looking forward to getting active again. In 1935, he formed the band he would lead for the next quarter century. It was styled for slow dancing and was in great demand at hotels and ballrooms throughout the country. The band worked on radio for the Fibber McGee and Molly Show (1936-37) and the George Jessel Show (1938). The bands biggest selling record was "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire", recorded in 1941 with Amy Arnell on vocal. That same year Tommy met his future wife, Virginia Dare Miller, while the band was playing at the Berkeley-Carteret Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ. They married later that year and settled on the Jersey shore. In addition to leading the band, Tommy ran a home furnishing store and owned a song writing company. He also founded the Tommy Tucker School of Music. Tommy wrote a number of songs recorded by his band including his theme song "I Love You", "Cool, Calm And Collected" and "The Man Who Comes Around". Amy Arnell, Don Brown, Kerwin Sommerville and a group known as both "The Voices Four" and "The Voices Three" handled the vocals throughout most of the 1940's. Bandleaders Van Alexander (né: Al Feldman) and Fred Norman and Claude Hopkins were hired as arrangers in 1944 at a time when Tucker tried to change the bands focus from a dance to a swing band. The experiment lasted only one year and Tommy went back to his hotel dance band style. Eydie Gorme sang with Tucker's band during 1950-51. Baritone Sax player Gerry Mulligan played with the band for a brief period in the 1950's. Tommy gave up his band in 1959 to spend more time with his family. After a year teaching English at a local high school, he was hired as an assistant professor of music at Monmouth College in New Jersey. He taught at the college for eighteen years, eventually becoming Dean of the Music Department. He retired in 1978 and moved to Florida. During his active band career, Tommy's greatest hit was probably "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire." His manager (Joe Galkin) kept the band constantly employed.
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eMail/Webmaster: [ mlp@nfo.net ] murray pfeffer
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VIDEO: "Jack Teagarden and Hoagy Carmichael"
"Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny Oh!"
