Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Peter Edwin Bocage was born on July 31, 1887 in New Orleans, Louisiana. At 21, he played violin as the leader of a ragtime band, the Superior Orchestra, which included Bunk Johnson.
He played trumpet in the Tuxedo Orchestra, the Onward Brass Band, and as the leader of the Excelsior Brass Band. He played with King Oliver’s band, the Fate Marable Orchestra, and A. J. Piron.
Heading to New York City he performed with Sidney Bechet and at the Cotton Club. He made records with Piron’s New Orleans Orchestra in 1923, and later with his band the Creole Serenaders.
As an educator he taught Louis Armstrong how to read music notes. Both jazz musicians met during jam sessions and created a friendship through music. In later years he performed at Preservation Hall in New Orleans.
Trumpeter and violinist Peter Bocage died in his hometown on December 3, 1967.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Benny Featherstone was born on July 30, 1912 in Brown’s Creek, Tasmania, Australia. His family moved to Melbourne, Australia around the time he was six where he attended Melbourne Grammar and played trombone with the school orchestra and its Footwarmers band between 1926 and 1927. He went on to play drums with Joe Watson and His Green Mill/Wentworth Hotel Orchestra for three years when he was 17. During those years he recorded with the Beachcombers.
Between 1931 and 1933 he worked with bands led by Maurice Guttridge, Les Raphael, Em Pettifer, Geoff Smith and the 3DB Radio Studio Band. Mid 1933 he went to Englandwhere he heard and met Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and had a short residency at the Silver Slipper Club. Returning home he joined Art Chapman’s New Embassy Band and led a group at Rex Cabaret. He joined Art Chapman’s New Embassy Band and led a group at Rex Cabaret.
In Sydney, Australia he led the Benny Featherstone Famous Band for a year residency at the Manhattan Club/Cabaret.that only lasted eight weeks when the club went bankrupt. He led the Commodore Cabaret Band, was a member of Art Chapman’s Orchestra at Wattle Palais, then reformed his band in 1935. Two years later he worked with popular dance, swing and show bands. He contributed to the legendary Fawker Park Kiosk Jam Sessions on weekends.
He led his own swing quartet, sextet, Six Stars of Swing, and the Dixielanders. Joining the merchant navy late in 1943 he played in American Servicemen’s clubs in Queensland and in Oakland, California. He disappeared from music in 1945 became a shipping clerk from 1958 to 1975 but played the occasional jam session.
Trumpeter Benny Featherstone became reclusive in his later years and died in Melbourne on April 6, 1977.
On The Bookshelf
Jazz On Film: The Complete Story Of The Musicians & Music Onscreen is a compendium of reviews, analyzes, and rates virtually every appearance of a jazz musician or singer on film. After presenting a detailed essay on the history of jazz on film and television.
Reading this book one gets a brief history of jazz on film between 1917 to 1960, accounting for Soundies, Snader telescriptions, jazz on television and movies. from 1960 to the present day, Ruth Etting, the film careers of Hoagy Carmichael, Harris Barris, Cliff Edwards, Kay Kyser, and Svend Asmussen. It includes three jazz film collectors: Mark Cantor, Ken Poston, John Altman.
Yanow reviews and rates 1,300 movies, documentaries, shorts, videos, and DVDs. This book lets readers know how to view the jazz legends and the greats of today, and what DVDs and videos are worth acquiring. Each film is given a 1 to 10 rating and a concise description of its contents and value.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Albert Wynn was born on July 29, 1907 in New Orleans, Louisiana but grew up in Chicago, Illinois where he began his professional career as a trombonist. His first appearance on record in 1926 backing Ma Rainey and the following year he played and recorded in St. Louis, Missouri with Charlie Creath.
Wynn went on to work with Earl Hines’s band briefly in 1928 before assembling a group of his own. Later that same year he joined the Sam Wooding Orchestra on their European tour and didn’t return to the United States until 1932 when he would live in New York City for a short time before going back to Chicago.
He was a member of Sidney Bechet’s New Orleans Feetwarmers for a stint going on to work with the bands of Jesse Stone, Carroll Dickerson, Richard M. Jones, and the Earl Hines Orchestra once again. During the late 1930’s and early ’40’s Albert played in the big band of Fletcher Henderson and the short lived assembly of Jimmie Noone.
Settling into semi-retirement he ran a Chicago record store and enjoined his final professional band work as a member of Franz Jackson’s Original Jazz All-Stars from 1956 to 1960 and the Gold Coast Jazz Band from 1960 to 1964.
Trombonist Albert Wynn died on May 1, 1973.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Celso Vernon was born on July 28, 1958, in Valencia, Spain, he began his studies in music theory and harmony at the Metropolitan Seminary of Moncada in Valencia and completed his training years later in the private sector. When he turned 16 he became interested in the guitar and contemporary music. For two years, between 1974 and 1976, he began his first steps on the guitar as a self-taught artist. He listened to as much music as he could and found inspiration, especially progressive rock guitarists. He gave his first performances in educational centers and festivals.
He moved to Getxo in the Basque Country of Spain where he began playing guitar with musicians and bands from the municipality and province. During those years, he discovered that the guitar was his greatest weakness and decided to further his studies. Celso delved into progressive rockand by the end of the Seventies he discovered jazz appealed to him, sinking in a few years later. It was through jazz and began his evolution as a usician, guitarist, and composer.
Vernon has trained in modern music and jazz using methods imported from the United States and gained experience performng with various groups and ensembles. Listening to a lot of music, as a self-taught guitarist he learned what musicians in other countries havebeen taught by maestros, universities and specialized schools. He went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He studied and analyzed the styles of guitarists Steve Howe, Carlos Santana, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Larry Coryell, George Benson, Pat Metheny, and others.
Returning to Valencia throughout the Eighties he worked as a producer with bands and groups of various musical styles which gave him a wealth of experience as a teacher, guitarist, and composer. In 1993, he joined the Sedaví Jazz Workshop Combos, where he remained for some time. 1995 saw him moving to Ayora, Spain where he founded the Guitar School & Contemporary Music Workshop, working as a teacher of music, guitar and modern harmony.
His study and teaching methods are built on a solid foundation of knowledge and experience acquired over more than 30 years. All students learn through a fun, engaging approach, understanding that the guitar is a simple instrument if practiced consistently and disciplined. His teaching experience dates back to 1991, and he has continued to teach ever since. He doesn’t believe there are bad students, just bad teachers. Under this maxim, he leads classes with simplicity and consistency, placing vital importance on the fact that practice makes perfect.
Self-taught musician, guitarist, composer, and guitar and modern harmony teacher, continues to perform, record and produce.
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