Daily Dose Of Jazz…
John Robichaux was a Creole born on January 16, 1866 in Thibodaux, Louisiana. As a youth he learned to play brass bass, alto saxophone and drums. By the time he was 25 he was living in New Orleans and starting his professional career as a bass drummer with the Excelsior Brass Band. During his tenure with the band from 1892 to 1903, John led his own ensembles while also playing violin.
Robichaux’s bands were highly respected in his day, and among the many ensembles he led was a 36-piece orchestra in 1913. He hired many of the city’s top musicians, such as Bud Scott, Lorenzo Tio and Manuel Perez. For 46 years he was considered to be the most continuously active dance bandleader in New Orleans. With the onset of the Black Code amendment in 1894 he was thrown into competition with the Uptown Negro bands that ultimately decreased his popularity.
A prolific composer, he wrote over 350 songs and orchestral arrangements. He predominantly played in New Orleans but also toured with the traveling musical One Mo’ Time. Violinist, drummer and bandleader John Robichaux led bands until his death of natural causes in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1939.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Baikida Carroll was born on January 15, 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Harris. He spent his teens playing trumpet in the high school band with fellow band member Donny Hathaway and studying theory with mentor Vernon Nashville. As a member of the All-City Jazz Band, he first met and played with Lester Bowie, J.D. Parran and James Jabbo Ware.
Carroll went on to study at Southern Illinois University and the Armed Forces School of Music early in his career. Following this he became a member of the Black Artists Group in St. Louis, where he directed their free jazz ensemble. This group recorded in Europe in the 1970s.
During the Seventies the group would record in Europe, he would play with Albert King, Little Milton, Fontella bass and Tina Turner, and take master classes with Oliver Nelson, Thad Jones, Ron Carter, Mel Lewis, Phil Woods and Roland Hanna.
Carroll recorded four albums as a leader and over thirty as a sideman working with the likes as Sam Rivers, Steve Weisberg, Carla Bley, Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton, Graham Parker, Oliver Lake, Nana Vasconcelos, Jack Dejohnette, Hamiett Bluiett, Howard Johnson, Jay McShann, Muhal Richard Abrams, Julius Hemphill and the Human Arts Ensemble among others.
Baikida also has an impressive list of credits in theatre working with the Mighty Gents, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The House of Bernarda Alba, Coontown Bicentennial Memorial Services and Have Our Say. He has been the recipient of several fellowships and awards and has sat on numerous boards pertaining to music and the arts.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Billy Butterfield was born on January 14, 1917 in Middleton, Ohio and studied cornet as a child but switched to medicine before finding success as a trumpeter. Gaining attention with Bob Crosby in the late ‘30s, he went on to work with Artie Shaw, Les Brown and Benny Goodman in the Forties.
Between 1943 and 1947 he served in the Army and led his own orchestra. Signing with Capitol Records he recorded “Moonlight In Vermont” featuring Margaret Whiting.
He recorded two albums with Ray Conniff in the 1950s and later in the 1960s he recorded two albums with his own orchestra for Columbia Records. A member of the World’s Greatest Jazz Band led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart from the late 1960s until his death, he also freelanced as a guest star with many bands around the world.
Bandleader, jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and cornetist Billy Butterfield passed away on March 18, 1988.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bill Easley was born in Orlean, New York on January 13, 1964 and began playing saxophone professionally with his parents at the age of thirteen. He moved to New York City in 1964 and was a part time student at the Julliard School of Music while getting his feet wet in the uptown Jazz Scene. The U.S. Draft Board had other plans and Bill did his military service with the 9th Army Band in Fairbanks Alaska.
He worked with George Benson in the late 60s closing out the decade playing such legendary jazz spots as Minton’s Playhouse, the Plugged Nickel, The jazz Workshop and The Hurricane. He would move to Memphis working and recording with Isaac Hayes in the 70s, and performing other studio work at Stax and Hi Records, big bands, show bands and jazz clubs during which he continued his formal education at Memphis State University.
It was in the mid 1970s that Easley first toured with the Duke Ellington Orchestra under Mercer Ellington. By 1980 he was back in New York City with the promise of a job on Broadway. His Broadway credits include; Sophisticated Ladies, The Wiz, Black and Blue, Jelly’s Last Jam, Swingin’ On A Star, Play On, Fosse, and most recently, The Wild Party.
The move to return to New York City provided recording sessions for Sunnyside and Milestone playing with the likes of Sir Roland Hanna, Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Smith, Ruth Brown, James Williams, Mulgrew Miller, Grady Tate and Billy Higgins among others. Saxophonist, Flautist and clarinetist Bill Easley continues his legacy of recording and performing.
Requisites
At The Renaissance is one of the live recordings that captured Ben webster’s remarkable empathy during a time when the jazz flame was flickering in this country. The period was the late 1950s and early Sixties, the place – Los Angeles. Jobs were scarce and the jazz scene held a lack of recognition and appreciation for this giant of the tenor saxophone. With the help of a few sympathetic and inspirational colleagues, they delivered a project that has become a necessity to every collection.
Personnel: Ben Webster – tenor saxophone, Jimmy Rowles – piano, Jim Hall – guitar, Red Mitchell – bass, Frank Butler – drums
Record Date: Live at the Renaissance, Hollywood, CA – October 14, 1960
Producer: Lester Koenig
Songs: Gone With The Wind; Stardust; Caravan; Georgia On My Mind; Ole Miss Blues; Mop Mop; What Is This Thing Called Love; Renaissance Blues
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