Daily Dose Of Jazz…
William T. Lewis, born Willie Meria Tawlton Lewis on June 10, 1905 in Cleburne, Texas. Growing up in Dallas, Texas and played in variety shows as a teen. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music, then played in Will Marion Cook’s orchestra. When Cook’s band was taken over by Sam Wooding, he traveled with him on his tours of Europe, South America, and North Africa, remaining until Wooding disbanded the orchestra in 1931.
Following this he put together his own band, Willie Lewis and His Entertainers. They featured some of Wooding’s old players and played to great success in Europe. Among those who played in his band were Herman Chittison, Benny Carter, Bill Coleman, Garnet Clark, Bobby Martin, and June Cole. His Entertainers recorded for French label Disques Swing.
In 1941 Willie disbanded the Entertainers and returned to New York City. He played sparsely after this but found some work as an actor, but took up bartending as his fortunes declined.
Clarinetist and bandleader Willie Lewis passed away on January 13, 1971 in New York City, at age 65.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Sanford Gold was born on June 9, 1911 in Cleveland, Ohio and played locally in Cleveland and led regional bands. Moving to New York City in the 1930s he collaborated with Babe Russin and Raymond Scott in 1935, and formed a trio with Dave Barbour in 1941.
In 1942 he worked as a studio musician for CBS before serving in World War II until 1946. After being discharged Sanford worked with Don Byas, Mary Osborne and others before he went to work for CBS rival NBC, from 1949-1954. An album was recorded under his name on the Prestige label in 1955 titled Piano d’Or.
A sideman, Gold worked with Johnny Smith, Al Cohn, Vic Dickenson, Coleman Hawkins and Sally Blair. He was one of the premier jazz piano teachers of his time. He self-published a book, A Modern Approach to Keyboard Harmony and Piano Techniques. Pianist Sanford Gold passed away on May 29, 1984.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Louis Thomas Black was born on June 8, 1901 in Rock Island, Illinois and began playing banjo during early childhood. He became a professional musician in 1917.
By 1921 he had joined the famous New Orleans Rhythm Kings at Friar’s Inn in Chicago, Illinois. With this band, he participated to the first-ever interracial recording session with pianist Jelly Roll Morton.
Leaving the band in 1923, Lou went on to play with other bands. From 1925 until 1931, he was a staff musician for radio station WHO in Des Moines, Iowa. He left music in the early 1930s, but came back and began playing in 1961. He sat in with several bands during a brief stay in New York City, then played gigs in Moline, Illinois from the fall of 1963.
An automobile accident landed him in a Rock Island hospital and while recovering from his injuries, he suffered a fatal heart attack. Lou Black, who often went by Lew or Louie and was one of the foremost banjo players of the Jazz Era, passed away on November 18, 1965.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Edward Emerson Cuffee was born on June 7, 1902 in Norfolk, Virginia. He moved to New York in the 1920s, where he recorded with Clarence Williams from 1927 to 1929 and played with Bingie Madison.
Playing in McKinney’s Cotton Pickers from 1929 to 1934, he moved to Fletcher Henderson’s band for three years beginning in 1935. Ed went on to play with Leon Abbey in 1940 and subsequently through the decade with Count Basie, Chris Columbus and Bunk Johnson.
He quit playing professionally after the late 1940s. Trombonist Ed Cuffee passed away on January 3, 1959 in New York City.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Leonard Walter Bush was born in London, England on June 6, 1927 and contracted polio as a child which left him with a limp for the rest of his life. He studied and played violin before switching to bass at sixteen. By 17 he was playing professionally in a variety show called The Rolling Stones and Dawn. He played with Nat Gonella in the middle of the 1940s but turned to bebop later in the decade.
From 1950 onwards Lennie did a lot of freelance work and worked with Roy Fox in 1951. He was one of the founding members of London’s Club Eleven, the first London jazz club to offer performers a paid gig. He played there from 1952-1956 in a band with Ronnie Scott, trumpeter Hank Shaw, pianist Tommy Pollard, and drummer Tony Crombie.
He studied with James Merrett at the Guildhall School of Music and participated in the European tours of Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Zoot Sims, and Roy Eldridge. Becoming a member of Jack Parnell’s ATV Orchestra in 1957, he recorded with Stephane Grappelli, Anita O’Day, and Eddie Vinson. He continued to play in the 1990s as part of the Ralph Sharon Trio with Jack Parnell. During that decade he also appeared with Don Lusher’s Ted Heath tribute band and played in the final Ted Heath concert in 2000.
Double bassist Lennie Bush continued to freelance into the 2000s until his death on June 15, 2004.
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