Jazz Artists Who Have Nicknames

[EKE BBB]

LONNIE JOHNSON

[EKE BBB]

JELLY ROLL MORTON

with his Red Hot Peppers

[EKE BBB]

LESTER YOUNG

[patricia]

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL pictures!!!!! Thank you so much, EKE BBB!!

Edited April 15, 2004 by patricia

[patricia]

Most of us know who Ornette Coleman is, but did you know that his bandmate in his highschool band was "KING CURTIS" [Curtis Ousley]???

Curtis was born in Fort Worth Texas in 1934. He played both soprano and tenor saxophones and, after highschool, led his own group and toured with Lionel Hampton in 1953.

Curtis also led a trio which included Horace Silver, after his stint with Hampton, having settled in New York.

Some of you may remember the vocal group, The Coasters. Well, Curtis was involved in sessions work with that group, as well as many others of the period, quite often as the featured soloist.

He replaced Red Prysock in Alan Freed's radio show band and made live appearances, regularly at Smalls' Paridise club in the late 1950's.

In the 1960's Curtis appeared at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. This experience led to his becoming Aretha Franklin's musical director, as studio producer for her and for other artists as well.

Although Curtis is mostly associated with r&b and pop recordings during his career, he had extensive background knowledge of the Texas Tenor tradition and from time to time, made jazz albums, one of which is "The New Scene Of King Curtis" [1960 New Jazz OJC] which is well worth listening to. The rhythm section was Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Oliver Jackson. The frontline featured Nat Adderley and was one of the rare, straight-ahead jazz recordings that Curtis did.

That recording is quite remarkable.

Tragically, KING CURTIS was stabbed to death, right outside his house, in August of 1971 and died. He was thirty-seven years old.

Edited April 19, 2004 by patricia

[EKE BBB]

KING CURTIS

[patricia]

WOW!! Great picture, EKE BBB. Thank you.

[patricia]

Next up we have Benny Carter's cousin, "CUBAN" [Theodore] BENNETT.

Bennett was born in 1902 and played trumpet.

Roy Eldridge said of Cuban, "You could call him the first of the moderns."

Dicky Wells said of him, "He played changes like I've never heard".

But, Benny Carter said it best, when describing his cousin, "You wouldn't believe that anyone could play that way in the Twenties, yet it's hard to talk about him if you've nothing to compare it with. He was so advanced. They're doing today, what he did then."

Unfortunately, Cuban Bennett never recorded, nor does he seem to have worked steadily with a band. There was a period when he was playing with Bingie Madison in a New York taxi-dance hall. His drinking was copious and he was a bit of a jazz nomad, enjoying the free and easy life in the clubs.

Bennett never seemed to have any burning desire to become famous, or world-travelled.

According to Dicky Wells, "He just liked to hang around and blow in the joints and the joints finally gave out. Later, I understand he was on a farm his people left him."

So, not much information on this trumpet player, but, in the spirit of the thread, he did have a nickname, so may rub shoulders with the group we've assembled.

CUBAN BENNETT died in November of 1965.

Edited April 20, 2004 by patricia

[patricia]

Now we have "SHORTY" ROGERS [Milton Rajonsky] who was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in 1924.

Rogers' first professional work was with Will Bradley and also with Red Norvo.

When the U.S. entered the war, Shorty joined the army and after he was discharged in 1945, he went with Woody Herman's organization and stayed with him for about four years.

In the early fifties, Rogers was with Stan Kenton for about a year.

He then moved to Los Angeles and became very well known in what came to be recognized as West Coast Jazz.

Shorty gave up the trumpet altogether, when he became involved with film and with television in the early fifties, but resumed playing thirty years later after a tour with Britain's National YOuth Jazz Orchestra in 1982.

In the early 1990's, Rogers formed a new Lighthouse All Stars group, which included Bud Shank, Bill Perkins and Bob Cooper.

Most agree that Shorty Rogers' writing was more remarkable than his trumpet-playing. Some say though that his writing was a little fussy, particularly the work he did for small groups. There are those who describe his work as watered down Miles Davis, but most agree that he was capable of eliciting lively performances from his collegues.

It was interesting, to me, that he wrote the very beautiful, "Keen and Peachy" for Woody Herman and the equally fine, "Jolly Rogers" for Stan Kenton.

Shorty Rogers' big band albums are very listenable and one of my favourites is "Short Stops" [1953 Bluebird]. This is a CD that contains three different sessions and includes Shorty's group, "Shorty's Giants".

The most interesting tracks, to me, were the ones he wrote for "The Wild One", the Brando film.

There are also tracks which feature Art Pepper, Jimmy Giuffre and Bill Perkins.

SHORTY ROGERS died in November of 1994. He was seventy years old.

Edited April 20, 2004 by patricia

[EKE BBB]

SHORTY ROGERS

[patricia]

All I can say is "dapper", when viewing this photo of Shorty Rogers. Hard to believe that guys wore their hair like that. Thanks EKE BBB.

Edited April 19, 2004 by patricia

[patricia]

Many of you are familiar with Jim Croce, the singer who was famous for "Don't Mess Around With Jim" and other pop hits.

I found it interesting that his son, "A.J. [Adrian James] CROCE is an acommplished jazz pianist, singer and composer.

A.J. was born in 1971, and was a week short of his second birthday when his father died in a plane crash.

Croce took up piano at six years old and performed, professionally for the first time at thirteen.

At fifteen, he was enrolled in San Diego's School of Creative and Performing Arts but dropped out in his final year.

A.J. was first inspired by the stride pianists and blues shouters which formed a large part of his father's record collection.

He quickly developed his own style which is jazz-based and combined the sound of stride pianists, jumping and humourous jive that reminds me of Louis Jordan. He reminds me most of the emotional blues of the young Ray Charles.

That is not to say that he is mimicing any of his influences, but rather developing his own musical path, based on established legends and making it his own.

Croce's writing has drawn critical praise and he follows in the footsteps of, but in a contemperary way, great writers, such as Dylan Thomas and Mark Twain, as well as e.e. cummings and the great Chilean, Pablo Neruda. It is truly unique.

A.J. CROCE's debut album is "A.J. Croce [1993 Private Music] and has witty and unusually personal songs, featuring Croce, playing terrific piano and backed up by a hard-swinging band.

As one of the up-and-comers in the new jazz scene, I predict that A.J. will take his place among the greats and do his father proud.

Edited April 20, 2004 by patricia

[patricia]

And now we have "DEE DEE [Denise Garrett] BRIDGEWATER whose last name is that of her husband, trumpeter, Cecil Bridgewater.

Dee Dee sang with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in the early seventies, as well as appearing onstage with "The Wiz" in 1975.

She had a hit record with Ray Charles, "Precious Thing" in the early eighties. She went to Europe and appeared in the jazz show, "Lady Day" and re-established herself in the jazz genre.

Since then, Dee Dee has appeared at jazz festivals in Europe and sings regularly with her own trio. Her talent is not limited to jazz and she has also teamed with opera singer Julia Migenes at live appearances.

Bridgewater names as her chief influences, Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Tina Turner.

As Dee Dee says though, "Jazz is my soul, my roots - it's me".

He version of "Mack The Knife" was used as the inspiration for the Canadian ice-dance pair, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz in a very memorable program that I saw recently. Beautiful, sultry voice. Very nice.

Edited April 19, 2004 by patricia

[patricia]

Now, I'd like to talk about one of the most under rated jazz pianists of the fifties and sixties, who has been described by many as a genius of the hard-bop era.

He was the fabulous "SONNY" [Conrad Yeatis] CLARK. Sonny was born in 1931 in Herminie Pennsylvania and played for the first time, professionally on the West Coast with Wardell Grey in 1953.

He was the regular pianist with Buddy DeFranco, having replaced Kenny Drew.

Sonny had moved to New York in 1957 and did several albums for Blue Note. While in New York he worked with vocalist, Dinah Washington and led various small groups, one of which included John Coltrane. His reputation as a stellar musician was recognized by other pianists, including Bill Evans, who composed "NYS's No Lark" in memory of Clark.

Clark's style was reminicent of his two heroes, Art Tatum and Count Basie. He played with a very succint and melodic way, that seemed to draw from wind instruments as much as stringed ones. His right hand carried most of the magic, with his left using an almost constant one-note approach, which was very unique and beautifully elegant.

Unfortunately, Sonny's career was cut short when, in an attempt to counteract his heroin dependancy, he replaced the drug with alcohol abuse.

SONNY CLARK died in January of 1963 at only thirty-one years old.

There are some memorable albums that Sonny recorded, among them, "Dial 'S' for Sonny" [1997 Blue Note], "Oakland, 1955"[1995 Uptown Records] and "Leapin' And Lopin" [1988 Blue Note] which I think is his best. This last is a record which Sonny made with a quintet which included Charlie Rouse and trumpeter, Tommy Turrentine. Listen to "Deep In A Dream" which has a gorgeous solo by production assistant, Ike Quebec.

Edited April 20, 2004 by patricia

[EKE BBB]

SONNY CLARK

[EKE BBB]

DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER

[EKE BBB]

A.J. CROCE

[patricia]

Again, thanks EKE BBB. Terrific!!!

The Croce picture, particularly, is wonderful.

Edited April 20, 2004 by patricia

[patricia]

Our next honouree is the great trumpet-player, "BUNK" [Geary] JOHNSON, born in 1889 in New Orleans.

Bunk started playing in and around New Orleans with the legendary [literally] Buddy Bolden, Adam Oliver and Bob Russell and was usually second trumpet. When Bunk first started playing, the job would sometimes involve playing for as long as six hours straight and the second trumpeter was not just for show or to enhance the main guy. He worked as hard as the first trumpet, because he actually took over, when the first trumpet needed a break, usually due to exhaustion.

Louis Armstrong said of Bunk, "Bunk always stayed behind the beat - he wasn't quite the drive man that Joe Oliver and Freddie Keppard were."

Bunk wasn't ever described as being a punctual or a reliable show-up for a gig.

For example, he would take on jobs from Red Duson's band agency and just.............disappear, taking the advance and forgetting to play the job.

But, his career was pretty steady and by 1915 he had played all kinds of jobs, with all kinds of artists, including Louis Fritz, Ma Rainey and Julia Lee.

Then, in 1931 Bunk was standing next to Bandleader, Evan Thomas and Thomas was stabbed to death, right on the bandstand.

This marked a temperary, but traumatic fallow period in Johnson's musical career. He was already suffering from severe dental problems and this incident seemed to hit him quite hard, understandably.

Bunk settled for a time in Iberia and worked at various trades, such as caretaking, truck-driving and, according to some, working in the rice fields.

But then a fortuitous thing happened in 1939. Two writers, Frederick Ramsey and William Russell, were researching for their book, "Jazzmen" and noticed references to Johnson by Clarence Williams and Louis Armstrong. The writers managed to find Bunk and begin a correspondence with him.

They became quite close to Johnson to the point that Russell, in 1942, supplied Johnson with new teeth. [Little bit of trivia, Sidney Bechet's brother, Leonard made the plates for Russell].

There were then recordings made, produced by David Stuart, in a studio above Grunwald's Music Shop in New Orleans. In two years, between 1944 and 1945, Johnson recorded nearly a hundred sides. These recordings were so good that they rivalled the popular music of the day, which was Swing.

Although Johnson's work was essential to the revival of jazz in the early forties, he still held daytime jobs.

He also started to drink even more heavily than he had years before, and that was a lot.

Sidney Bechet said of Bunk, during a Boston residency at the Savoy Cafe, "Bunk really got bad on my hands, full of liquor all the time. There was just no music to be gotten out of him." Johnson was replaced there by Johnny Windhurst, who completed the season.

But, Bunk bounced back in 1946 with a band, opening at the Stuyvesant CAsino in April. This band reads like a list of the greats of the day, George Lewis, Jim Robinson and Baby Dodds.

Johnson, however, hated the sound of his sidemen because he couldn't hear his trumpet over the sound of Dodds' enthusiastic and ferocious drumming.

Not being too diplomatic, apparently, he drank even more heavily, and often swore at his men, onstage and once even locked them out of their living quarters.

Like many problem drinkers, Johnson was a Jekyll/Hyde, charming as the dickens when sober, as Nesuhi Ertegun said, "He was intelligent, gracious and sensitive", but totally different when he was in his cups.

The group disbanded and Bunk worked as a solo act in New York, Louisiana and other cities, returning to New York in 1947.

He then appeared in a Hollywood film, "New Orleans" which starred Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, although only one scene included Bunk, the rest being cut.

Then an ex-GI, Harold Drob helped Johnson to put together a band of swing-based players which included Ed Cuffee on trombone, Garvin Bushell on clarinet, Don Kirkpatrick on piano and the great Alphonse Steele on drums. Steele's work suited Johnson in that he was much more discreet than Dodds had been.

This band, as well as playing at the Stuyvesant, also recorded in late 1947.

Bunk had finally come full-circle and was content. Sadly though, the years of hard-living caught up with him and soon after moving back to Iberia, he died, in July of 1949, after a series of strokes. He was only fifty, but looked older.

Look for "King of the Blues" [1944 American Music], my favourite. It has thirteen tracks by Bunk's Blues Band and includes previously unissued takes, as well as notes by William Russell, who recorded the originals.

Edited April 23, 2004 by patricia

[EKE BBB]

BUNK JOHNSON

[patricia]

Very nice Bunk, EKE BBB. Very dignified. Thank you.

[patricia]

OK. As I said, when asked by I believe, Pete C, that if I were posting a bio, verbatum, I would say so and give credit to the source, I will.

As well, this item, which appears in today's "Calgary Herald", written by Bob Clark is about a bluesman, I don't want to go back on my "only jazz bios" guidelines, but this is an exception.

So, to carry on, this item is about DAVID "HONEYBOY' EDWARDS, who is appearing locally at Kaos, which is a jazz/blues venue, here in Calgary.

I think you may find it interesting.

....................

LIFE'S STILL SWEET FOR HONEYBOY

"Delta bluesman David [Honeyboy] Edwards has done it all in a career stretching back to 1932, when he left his MIssissippi home at age 17 to hit the road for Louisiana in the company of the legendary, hard-drinking but combative guitarist Big Joe Williams.

'I went to New Orleans with Joe, and he met a Creole woman with a past down there who had a lot of nice clothes he could wear.' Honeyboy says. 'He'd start puttin' on those suits of clothes, drinkin' that wine- and he'd want to fight every night'.

Sometimes he'd want to fight me, even though I liked him and knew he liked me from the get-go. I'd just get out of the way.'

Honeyboy criss-crossed the South by train, hitchhiking, walking, as well as in his own cars, between the year he spent playing with Williams and the mid-1950's when he settled in Chicago.

He recalls that he always carried a pair of dice to supplement his income.

'I'd go to levee camps - they built levees to keep water out of farmers' crops - on a payday and start playin' the blues. People would give me nickles, dimes and quarters, and I took what they gave me and started gambling with it - and I'd make myself a couple of hundred dollars.'

During that time, Honeyboy performed with some of the biggest blues names of the era, including Tommy Johnson, the first to play guitar and rap simultaneously.

Johnson wrote the haunting O Brother, Where art thou?

'I knew Tommy back in Mississippi,' Honey boy says. 'We used to drink canned heat together.'

Canned heat, made from Sterno - and don't try this at home - 'looks like jelly in the can, 'cept it's pink' Honeyboy says.

'We'd put the jelly in a clean handkerchief and strain it down - milk all the good stuff out of it. Then we'd get two big orange pops, pour it in, stir it up, and we'd be ready to drink it.'

Another famous bluesman Honeyboy played with was his close friend, Robert Johnson, the blues guitarist rumoured to have made a crossroads pact with the devil to have acquired his fabled licks.

Johnson died in 1938 at the age of 27, three days after being either poisoned or stabbed at a house party.

Honeyboy, weo was performing with Johnson at the time, attributes the death to lack of adequate medical attention.

'At that time, black people couldn't get any good doctors down there [Mississippi] because they didn't have any money,' he says. 'If they sent a doctor to us, that doctor probably didn't know anything.'

Honeyboy recalls linking up with another big name in blues, B.B. King, [10 years his junior] at a club outside Memphis in the mid-1940's.

'We didn't have but two pieces - a drummer and a bass,' Honeyboy recalls. 'I played second guitar for him for awhile, but he didn't make enough money to pay me back then. He didn't make any money until they went to California in the '50's and made those hits - Sweet Sixteen, and stuff like that.' "

From The Calgary Herald, April 23

Bob Clark

-----------------------------------

Now, back to JAZZ...

Edited April 25, 2004 by patricia

[EKE BBB]

DAVID HONEYBOY EDWARDS

[patricia]

Thank you for the great picture of Honeyboy. I saw him perform the other night and he looks good and sounds good too. Electrifying bluesman.

My apologies for breaking my own rule.

Back to JAZZ.

Next we have HARRY "THE HIPSTER" GIBSON [Harry Raab].

Harry, a wonderful pianist, was born in New York in 1914 and played first at the Yacht Club in New York, as an intermission pianist for Fats Waller.

Later, he formed a double act with Ruth Gibson, a singer. He then went solo on 52nd Street and played clubs like the Hickory House, the Onyx and the Three Deuces.

Although Gibson was a top notch jazz pianist, he made his name with novelty songs like "Handsome Harry The Hipster" and another, "Who Put The Benzedrine In Mrs Mrphy's Ovaltine?".

His voice was closer to a black, rather than the white hipster, having a very rich deep timbre.

As the 1940's rolled in, Harry was huge in New York as well as on the West Coast. In 1947 he was on the cover of Down Beat, but he fell off the jazz map in the very late forties.

Of course, gossip abounded and it was said that he became a conductor of the female prisoner's wing, during his sojourn there for various drug offences.

He was also said to have written a hymn accepted by the Vatican to be played during the Marian Year.

My favourite is that he was involved in a car crash on an Indian reservation and married the chief's daughter, who was a compulsive shoplifter.

In any case, during the seventies, Harry led a family band which included his sons, but after that he didn't play at all.

HARRY "THE HIPSTER" GIBSON died in May of 1991.

Edited April 25, 2004 by patricia

[EKE BBB]