Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Frank J. Valeriani was born in Newark, New Jersey on November 26, 1966. He started studying saxophone at age of 15. When his family moved to Italy he put together his first mediterranean blues oriented band. While living in Italy he graduated magna cum laude from the music conservatory in Naples. After the conservatory years he started several bands, including jazz, fusion and latin jazz, and peformed at several festivals before moving north to Milano, Italy.
In Milano He studied songwriting, arranging and jazz at the alternative contemporary music school, Professional Music Center, graduating with excellent scores. During his Italian years he performed with Wess, Rocky Roberts, Cristiano Malgioglio, Peppino Gagliardi, Nello Daniele and others. He was music coordinator and conductor of the folk show Quanno Tramonta ‘o Sole that toured all over Italy for several years. He also toured with Maestro Gianni Mazza and performed on Italian tv networks.
Deciding to move back to the states he chose Las Vegas, Nevada for its musical activity. He performed with some of the best musicians in town, such as The Platters, The Drifters, jazz singers Nancy Kelly and Tony Bennett. Frank also performs with the Frank Valeriani Band all over the town.
He plays jazz, smooth jazz, and pop, doubles on percussion, rhythm guitar & keyboards and enjoys back up singing when required. As an educator he teaches saxophone and harmony in music schools. Saxophonist Frank Valeriani is also a composer and arranger and continues to perform and teach.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
William “O’Neil” Spencer was born on November 25, 1909 in Cedarville, Ohio and began his career with local bands in the Buffalo, New York area. In 1931, he began working for Al Sears before joining up with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band from 1931 to 1936, which later became the Lucky Millinder Orchestra.
However, it wasn’t until 1937 after joining the popular John Kirby Sextet that he truly became an influential force on the jazz scene. Unfortunately, Spencer had to leave for a time in 1941 due to tuberculosis. However, during the late Thirties he recorded with numerous other groups, including Red Allen, Sidney Bechet, Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Frankie Newton, Milt Hearth, and Lil Armstrong.
He left the Kirby sextet in 1941 to work briefly with Louis Armstrong, but returned in ’42. His career, however, was cut short in 1943 when he contracted tuberculosis. Drummer and singer O’Neil Spencer transitioned on July 24, 1944 in New York City at the age of thirty-five.
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The Jazz Voyager
Getting back on a plane once more and in an enclosed space I continue to mask up to protect myself because these variants are steadily morphing. People are still dying daily, maybe not at the rate of its height but nonetheless keep yourself safe.
This Jazz Voyager has decided to head up the East coast and make the sojourn to New England as his next stop. This is where a day earlier I will resume visualizing the autumn colors of this neck of the woods, as they say. I hope to get near some lake water to see the reflection which I’ve missed for many years. So my next stop is Old Lyme, Connecticut for a jazz encounter with bassist Matthew Parrish and saxophonist Houston Person at The Side Door. Located within the Old Lyme Inn at 85 Lyme Street 06371.
These two musicians, an elder master and a mature performer are perfectly matched to bring not only the romance but the heat as they most definitely swing together. This 68 seat venue brings an air of intimacy to every performance. For more information visit notoriousjazz.com/event or thesidedoorjazz.com. The club’s number is 860.434.2600.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Rosa Henderson was born Rosa Deschamps on November 24, 1896 in Henderson, Kentucky. Her career as an entertainer began in 1913 when she joined her uncle’s circus troupe. She married Douglas “Slim” Henderson in 1918 and began traveling with his Mason-Henderson show. As a musical comedian she started during the early 1920s after moving to New York City, where she performed on Broadway. She would eventually perform in London.
Over the course of nine years she recorded over one hundred songs beginning in 1923. During that time she sometimes used pseudonyms such as Sally Ritz, Flora Dale, Sarah Johnson, Josephine Thomas, Gladys White, and Mamie Harris. She was accompanied by the Virginians, Fletcher Henderson’s Jazz Five, Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra, Fletcher Henderson’s Club Alabam Orchestra, the Choo Choo Jazzers, the Kansas City Five, the Three Jolly Miners, the Kansas City Four, the Three Hot Eskimos, and the Four Black Diamonds.
She recorded for Ajax Records, Columbia, Paramount, Victor, and Vocalion Records. Her recordings include Afternoon Blues, Doggone Blues, Do Right Blues, He May Be Your Dog But He’s Wearing My Collar, and Papa If You Can’t Do Better (I’ll Let a Better Papa Move In).
After 1926, due largely in part to the death of her husband her recordings became limited, however, she continued performing until 1932. At that point Rosa took a job in a New York department store, but continued to perform benefit concerts until the Sixties.
Unrelated to Fletcher, Horace, Katherine, or Edmonia Henderson, vocalist Rosa Henderson, who sang jazz, blues and was a vaudeville performer of the Harlem Renaissance era, transitioned from a heart attack in 1968 on April 6, 1968.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Norman Dewey Keenan was born on November 23, 1916 in Union, South Carolina. He began playing piano before learning bass at age 15.
In the mid~1930s he worked with Tiny Bradshaw, Lucky Millinder, Henry Wells, Earl Bostic, and Cootie Williams into the Forties, and jammed at Minton’s Playhouse around the same time.
Following World War II he worked with Williams again and with Eddie Cleanhead Vinson in 1947-49. Then he became the bassist in the house trio at the Village Vanguard until 1957. After backing and recording three albums with Harry Belafonte from 1957 to 1962, Keenan worked on the TV show Hootenanny.
He began playing jazz again in the 1960s, recording with Miriam Makeba, Chad Mitchell, Count Basie from 1965-74, recording twenty-one albums with the orchestra, and Roy Eldridge in 1966. Double bassist Norman Keenan transitioned on February 12, 1980 in New York City.
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