Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Dave Wecklwas born January 8, 1960 in St. Charles, Missouri and attended Francis Howell High School playing drums and majored in jazz studies at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. After graduating he hit New York City’s fusion scene and soon found himself working with artists such as Paul Simon, Madonna, George Benson, Michel Camilo, Robert Plant and Anthony Jackson.
Weckl’s popularity rose when he spent a total of seven years with Corea from 1985 to ’91 as a member of his Elektric Band and his Akoustic Band. During this period he worked as a session player, appeared with the GRP All-Star Big Band, recorded four albums with the Manhattan Jazz Quintet.
After leaving Corea’s band, Weckl recorded and toured with guitarist Mike Stern and under his own name, he has been the leader of ten recordings since 1990, seven of which as the Dave Weckl Band. Dave has also released a series of instructional videotapes, but around 1996, his style and setup radically changed, in large part because of his studies with Freddie Gruber. He continues to perform, record and tour.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Henry “Red” Allen was born Henry James Allen on January 7, 1906 in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. He took trumpet lessons early in his childhood and by his late teens was playing with Sidney Desvigne’s Southern Syncopators.
He was playing professionally by 1924 with the Excelsior Brass Band and the jazz dance bands, then played on the Mississippi riverboats and by 1927 was in Chicago playing with King Oliver and recording as a sideman with Clarence Williams. A move to New York landed him a recording deal with Victor Records. In 1929 Allen joined Luis Russell’s Orchestra where he was a featured soloist until 1932. Allen took part in recording sessions with Eddie Condon.
By late 1931he made a series of recordings with Don Redman and in 1933 joined Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra where he stayed until 1934. He would go on to play with the orchestras of Lucky Millinder and Luis Russell, tour Europe with Kid Ory, work or record with Coleman Hawkins, Tommy Dorsey, Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Victoria Spivey and Billie Holiday.
As a leader he would record for ARC, Decca, Okeh, Vocalion, Brunswick and Apollo, led his own band at the Famous Door and the Metropole Café in New York City, toured the U.S. and Europe, and made an appearance on the Sound of Music television show. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late 1966, and after undergoing surgery, jazz trumpeter and vocalist Henry “Red” Allen made a final tour of England ending six weeks before his death on April 17, 1967 in New York City.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Chris Laurence was born on January 6, 1949 in London, England. A double bassist, his inspirations have come from the work of Keith Jarrett, Miroslav Vitous, Tony Coe and Chick Corea.
He is most noteworthy for his 1980s work in various trios with Tony Oxley and in 1984 Laurence became a member of the “London Bach Orchestra”. Chris has also done collaborative work with other jazz artists, such as John Surman, Alan Skidmore, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Frank Ricotti.
Over his career as a sideman he has played and recorded on some twenty-one albums with David Gilmour, Michael Nyman, Gordon Beck, Elton Dean and John Williams and has recorded for EMR, CBS, Turtle, ECM, Vinyl, MN, Virgin Venture, Ogun, Sony Classical and Columbia record labels.
He recently formed the Chris Laurence Quartet and released his debut album “New View”.
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Requisites
Kenny Drew Trio was his first recording as a leader in 1956. What should have launched him to stardom left him traveling far to find acceptance from America. Fittingly the excellence of the record was recognized in Japan after its release in the early Seventies, winning critical acclaim and becoming a best seller.
Personnel: Kenny Drew – piano, Paul Chambers – bass, Philly Joe Jones – drums
Record Date: New York City – September 20 & 26, 1956
Producers: Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer
Cover Photo: Roy De Carava
Songs: Caravan; Come Rain Or Come Shine; Ruby, My Dear; Weird-O; Taking A Chance On Love; When You Wish Upon A Star; Blues For Nica; It’s Only A Paper Moon
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Wild Bill Davison was born William Edward Davison on January 5, 1906 in Defiance, Ohio. Displaying a love for music, as well as a natural ability to master musical instruments at an early age, he first learned to play the mandolin, guitar and banjo. He joined the Boy Scouts to learn the bugle and at age 12 he graduated from the bugle to the cornet.
Though his ability to read music was limited, his ear for music was so keen that after hearing a song only once he could reproduce its melody perfectly and elaborate on it with perfect chord progressions and harmonic improvisation.
Davison emerged as a fiery jazz cornetist in the 1920s, but did not achieve recognition until the 1940s. His tonal distortions, heavy vibrato and urgency gave him the ability to play in any kind of setting as witnessed during the Sidney Bechet sessions. He would go on to join Eddie Condon and the association would produce some of his best playing, working and recording from the mid-1940s through to the 1960s.
On the bandstand he played the horn from the side of his mouth, seated in a chair with legs crossed. His nickname Wild Bill did not come from his hot and powerful but also delicately melodic cornet style but from his heavy drinking and womanizing. Wild Bill Davison passed away on November 14, 1989 in Santa Barbara, California.
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