patricia Posted February 28, 2004 Author Report Posted February 28, 2004 (edited) One of my favourite trombone players, alongside Jack Teagarden, is the great MIFF [irving Milford] MOLE. I'd like to thank my second mentor at this point, for hipping me to this fabulous musician with a kiss, [very dry and off to the side]. Miff's work has brought me much joy and I always play one of his records when I'm feeling a little down. My favourite is "Dixieland - Chicago Style" in which Miff played with Max Kaminsky, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Sullivan, Jack Lasberg and the amazing George Wettling on drums. Side 2 is so much fun! Although my experience with Miff's style is listening to his work with Pee Wee Russell, Eddie Condon, George Brunies, Muggsy Spanier and George Wettling in a series of Dixieland recordings from the thirties, which I love, he was much more than that. Born in 1898, Miff started playing in a band led by Gus Sharp, whose piano player was Jimmy Durante. He was working with Phil Napoleon's Original Memphis Five by 1923 and recorded tons of chamber jazz classic sides with them. When Red Nichols heard Mole play with Napoleon he was greatly influenced and he and Mole got together and were a team for five years. Together they recorded "That's No Bargain", "Feeling No Pain" and "Boneyard Shuffle". They recorded under a variety of names, The Arkansas Travellers", "The Redheads" "Miff and Red's Stompers" among them. At the same time, Miff was working independantly, with large society orchestras and in 1927 he moved onto studio work. He worked at WOR and NBC. Miff was very versatile, working with both Bessie Smith AND Toscanini. He also worked with Benny Goodman, as well as leading a band at Nick's for about four years. Then, over the horizon came my other favourite trombonist, Jack Teagarden. For some reason, the public seemed to judge "T" 's style as being more refined, more elegant than Mole's and Miff's style went out of fashion. It didn't help that Miff's health started to suffer at the same time as the advent of Teagarden's popularity. Miff's dates started to wane and six hip operations followed. He ended up walking with a cane and compounding that, his performance in 1960, at Newport, with Red Allen was inexplicably cancelled. He went home, without having been heard. Such a letdown. That same winter, Miff was selling pretzels in a New York subway to support himself. The man who provided so much enjoyment with his playing for me now and for millions of others in his heyday was reduced to an anonymous used-to-be. So sad. Miff died in April of 1961, but lives on through the dozens of recordings he left us. Dicky Wells, I think, summed up just who MIFF MOLE was, when he said, "The J.J. Johnson of the 1920's, one of the first fine trombones I heard." Miff has been described as being a revolutionary trombonist, with a lightning-fast technique, a joyous sound which was totally unique and just fun to listen to. He was a musician who made a huge impression on black and white players, at the very beginning of jazz, setting the bar high. I still listen to his fabulous records and with every time, I hear something new and wonderful. Edited April 27, 2004 by patricia Quote
patricia Posted February 28, 2004 Author Report Posted February 28, 2004 One of the rare talents to emerge in the eighties is MARVIN "SMITTY" SMITH, born in 1961. His talent as a drummer popped up early and he was encouraged by his older brother to pursue this talent. By the time Smith was fifteen, he was already backing Sonny Stitt and Earl Hines at one of the local clubs in Waukegan Illinois, his home town. Studies at Berklee followed from 1979-1981, after which he turned pro with Jon Hendricks. He then began freelancing and has played with David Murray, Archie Shepp, Branford Marsalis, Roland Hanna, Art Farmer, Sonny Rollins and Bheki Mseleku. His work with Dave Holland, in his quintet and with Steve Coleman in the M-Base context have both been important in his rise to prominence . Smith's influences have been Max Roach and Jack DeJohnette, which is no surprise. Smitty Smith is a drummer with real magic, among the new players and his kind of talent is very gratifying to those who worry that there are no new talents to follow in the footsteps of the established stars of the genre. His rare abilty to be at home in all styles will assure Smith a long career in the coming decades. Quote
patricia Posted February 28, 2004 Author Report Posted February 28, 2004 (edited) Having parents who are musicians is a real advantage for those who have natural talent and "DILL"[David] KATZ was lucky to have had both. His parents were both classical musicians. Dill plays bass guitar, double bass and acoustic guitar. He was born January 12, 1946 in London. In 1962 Dill became a professional musician and he began playing with Irish showbands. He also kept busy with session work. The mid-seventies brought work with Dave MacRae's Pacific Eardrum and after that he played with Nucleus, as well as with Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia. He left Paraphernalia to form his own trio with Nic France and Colin Dudman on piano, called 20th Century Blues in 1982. Since then he has worked with African groups, such as Julian Bahula's Jazz Afrika as well as Brian Abrahham's District Six. He then re-joined Nucleus, until it broke up in 1988. But, while he was with that group, they did a South American tour that lasted six weeks. Dill has been very active in jazz education and has the title of Electric Bass Consultant [!!] at the Guildhall School Of Music in London. The Premises, a rehersal studio, is Dill's baby in East London and it contains a recording studio. He is a producer/engineer and has had tremendous success. The artists who are admired by Dill are Jaco Pastorius and Scott LaFaro. Edited April 27, 2004 by patricia Quote
EKE BBB Posted February 28, 2004 Report Posted February 28, 2004 Billions of thanks for your superb bio of Coleman Hawkins... looks like this is going to be one of the best threads round here! Maybe we could add a few photos... Quote
patricia Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Posted February 29, 2004 (edited) Billions of thanks for your superb bio of Coleman Hawkins... looks like this is going to be one of the best threads round here!  Maybe we could add a few photos...   Hey EKE BBB!!! You know how I love this stuff!!! I'm rather like a convert to Catholicism, more Catholic than the born Catholics. As I've probably mentioned, although my dad was a huge jazz-addict, that was his music. I heard the old stuff around the house, but when I listened to MY music, it wasn't jazz. Then, along came "Take Five" and "Swingin' Shepherd Blues" and.........I was hooked, briefly. The real addiction didn't happen until about seven years ago. I have a lot of ground to make up. As I mentioned earlier, I don't take requests, but suggestions will be considered. Remember, just nicknamed jazzers. Otherwise, the task is too vast. And, my dear EKE BBB, don't try to sneak in bluesmen. They ALL have nicknames and most seem to be sight-challenged. Yes, pictures would be nice, if you want to post them, as the bios come up at random. A cyber-kiss on you. Glad you liked the Coleman Hawkins. He's one of my favourites too. Edited February 29, 2004 by patricia Quote
EKE BBB Posted February 29, 2004 Report Posted February 29, 2004 Under permission.... Let´s start with Artists already "biographied" (does this "palabro" exist?) by patricia. TRUMMY YOUNG Quote
EKE BBB Posted February 29, 2004 Report Posted February 29, 2004 PAPA JACK LAINE The Reliance Brass Band in 1910. left to right: Manuel Mello, Yellow Nuñez, Leonce Mello, Seated: Jack Papa Laine, Baby Laine, Clink Martin, Tim Harris. Quote
EKE BBB Posted February 29, 2004 Report Posted February 29, 2004 CURLEY RUSSELL (well, if you manage to discover him...) Quote
patricia Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Posted February 29, 2004 DAVE TOUGH I take five hours off to sleep and EKE BBB has burned the midnight oil to bring us all these great photos of the honorees. I singled out this photo, because it shows clearly what Muggsy meant about Dave Tough being a scary-looking guy. Looks like he gussied for the portrait, but this captures his cadaverousness. Thank you EKE BBB. Yes, we can work in tandem to try to have the bio, then the photo from now on, which will be much less intense labour on your part. You must have been up all night. Quote
patricia Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Posted February 29, 2004 Under permission.... Let´s start with Artists already "biographied" (does this "palabro" exist?) by patricia. TRUMMY YOUNG It does now!! Quote
patricia Posted February 29, 2004 Author Report Posted February 29, 2004 (edited) Thanking EKE BBB once again................and moving forward. BTW, those of you who are in the habit of reading only the last page of threads, should go back one, to see EKE BBB's pics of the "biographeed" so far. .......................................... Our next artist is the great NAPPY [Hilton Napoleon] LAMARE. His nickname was a childhood one. Apparently, he was fond of over-sleeping. Nappy was a New Orleans native, born in 1907 and played guitar, banjo and also did some singing. He played his banjo in bands led by Johnny Wiggs, Monk Hazel and Sharkey Bonano, as well as Johnny Bayerdorffer and Billy LUstig. In 1930, Nappy joined Ben Pollack's organization, which was the band which was the band that many of the jazzers cut their teeth in, before moving to other bands. Many of the former members of Ben Pollack's band joined Bob Crosby's band and stayed for eight years, becoming a part of his rhythm section. Nappy then worked with Eddie Miller's re-formed band, as well as doing studio work and spent a year with Jimmy Dorsey in 1948. During this period he also had bands of his own. A spell as a club-owner in Los Angeles, called the "47" lasted until 1951. There was also a weekly TV show in 1950, Lamare And His Straw Hat Strutters on KTLA. Nappy then toured for five years and then led the Riverboat Dandies with Ray Bauduc. With this group, he performed Dixieland which was well received and he also did some recording. In the early 1960's, Lamare was involved in a bad car-accident, but he bounced back, but slowly, working with Bauduc Joe Darensbourg. He also did Crosby reunions. In May, of 1988 NAPPY LAMARE died. Edited March 10, 2004 by patricia Quote
EKE BBB Posted February 29, 2004 Report Posted February 29, 2004 Thank you EKE BBB. Yes, we can work in tandem to try to have the bio, then the photo from now on, which will be much less intense labour on your part. You must have been up all night. I´ll adjust my watch to Canadian time, then! Quote
EKE BBB Posted February 29, 2004 Report Posted February 29, 2004 Anyone knows if NAPPY LAMARE is one of those two guys on this cover? Quote
patricia Posted March 1, 2004 Author Report Posted March 1, 2004 (edited) B) I don't know if it's the guy on the left is, or the guy on the right, or either of them. Somebody help us out please. B) The next in our series is a trumpet-player named "DIZZY" [Alphonso] REECE, born in Jamaica, in 1931. Dizzy took up the trumpet at fourteen. He then moved to Europe and worked with Don Byas in the late forties and early fifties. Based in the UK, he made many recordings under his own name, which included a 1958 session in London, with Donald Byrd and Art Taylor. He also was with Dizzy Gillespie's big band in 1968. Reece was also with the Paris Reunion Band in 1985. DIZZY REECE is described as an extrovert who despite his nickname does not sound at all like Gillespie....., or Navarro, or Miles Davis either. There are hints of all three mentioned in his style, but his tone is his and his phraseology are very interestingly, his alone. Edited March 15, 2004 by patricia Quote
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