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.
More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trumpet,violin
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.
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.
More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trombone
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Edward Simon was born July 27, 1969 in Punta Cardón, Venezuela and when he was ten years old came to the United States to study at the Performing Arts School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating, he attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he studied classical piano, then the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied jazz piano.
In 1988, he recorded as a sideman with Greg Osby, then worked as a member of the band Horizon led by Bobby Watson. For the next eight years he was a member of Terence Blanchard’s band. He has also worked with Herbie Mann, Paquito D’Rivera, Bobby Hutcherson, Jerry Gonzalez, John Patitucci, Arturo Sandoval, Manny Oquendo, and Don Byron.
Simon recorded Beauty Within in 1994), his debut album as a bandleader, with Horacio Hernández and bass guitarist Anthony Jackson. That same year, he was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. Then the following year he composed Rumba Neurotica for the Relache Ensemble.
In 2003 Simon formed Ensemble Venezuela to combine jazz with the music of Venezuela. Given a commission by Chamber Music America to write Venezuelan Suite and recorded the album in 2012 with musicians from Venezuela, Colombia, and the U.S. He has played on several Grammy-nominated jazz albums. Besides his trio he leads the Sexteto Venezuela, the Afinidad Quartet, and the group Simon, Simon, & Simon with his brothers.
Wearing his educator hat he has taught at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and has been artist in residence at Western Michigan University.
Pianist and composer Edward Simon continues to perform, compose and record.
More Posts: bandleader,compose,educator,history,instrumental,jazz,music,piano
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gary Tole was born on July 26, 1951 and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began playing the trombone at the age of twelve. By the age of sixteen, he was working with all the shows that came into the Pittsburgh area. After attending Duquesne University School of Music, he was offered the first trombone position with the world renowned Glenn Miller Orchestra. After four years of world tour he then toured with Harry James, Tex Beneke, Les Brown and Jimmy Dorsey, the latter he served as road manager and featured trombonist.
By 1978 he relocated and made his permanent residence in Southern California. Whether on stage or in the recording studio, Gary’s smooth, dynamic style has him in constant demand having performed with Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Bernadette Peters, Kenny Rogers, Rita Moreno, Melissa Manchester, James Ingram, and Phil Collins. He has backed television appearances of Diana Ross, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Pia Zadora, Sheena Easton, Peabo Bryson, The Pointer Sisters, and many more.
As an active clinician for Yamaha, he finds time to participate in music education programs as a judge for jazz festivals, band and orchestra festivals, private teaching of the low brass instruments and traveling throughout the country conducting various clinics.
Trombonist Gary Tole, who also plays bass trombone and euphonium, continues to perform, compose, tour and record.
More Posts: educator,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trombone