Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Scott Samenfeld was born on October 26, 1951 in New York City and grew up between the city and New Jersey. Moving to Boston, Massachusetts in 1970 he attended Berklee College of Music and has been performing in the Boston area ever since.
The first band Scott founded, Muse Stew, began its life performing jazz and poetry. He currently leads his group performing his original compositions as well as other jazz and Latin artists. They blend African, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and other folk rhythms of jazz.
Samenfeld performs with a 16 piece big band, the Sounds of Swing Orchestra. They have been performing throughout New England for almost 20 years. As an educator Samenfeld has been a music teacher for many years and taught music theory and jazz guitar at the Guitar Workshop. During the 1970’s he taught jazz ensemble and instrumental music at the Cambridge School in Weston and The Open Road School in Waltham during that period as well.
Scott has focused on composing and performing his music and has been a member of the groups Razzamatazz, Trillium, Favela, and Ibrahima’s World Beat.
Bassist Scott Samenfeld who plays in the mediums of avant garde, bossa nova, and modern jazz, continues to perform, compose and teach.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Eduardo Puperi was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil on October 25, 1969. From 1986 to 1991 he studied music at CLAM, a school directed by Zimbo Trio in São Paulo, Brazil with teachers Fernando Corrêa and Conrado Paulino. He graduated in composition and directing in 1993 from the University of Music and Arts Alcântara Machado (FAAM).
The next year Puperi formed the Ludi & Tiné Quartet with guitarrist Paulo Tiné. The instrumental group that lasted until 1999 and released an album called “Vento Leste” in 1997. He was musical director at Cultura Inglesa in São Paulo from 1996 to 2000, directing the musicals Guys and Dolls, Bye Bye Birdie, Hair, All that Jazz and Fame. From 1991 to 2004 he directed the big bands FAAM Jazz Band, Orquestralha and Swinging Sounds.
His groups have been Aura Tropical and the Edu Puperi Trio, the latter which became a quartet in 2005 with bassist Luis Passos, drummer Humberto Zigler, and tenor and soprano saxophonist and flutist Chiquinho de Almeida. Both groups have released albums.
In 2001 he began teaching piano, guitar and performing practice at Casa de Música Luiz Chaves. Pianist Edu Puperi continues teaching, performing and recording.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
James Theodore Powell was born October 24, 1914 in New York City. In the Thirties he worked with Frank Newton and other leaders in the city. In 1940 and ‘41 he recorded with Billie Holiday, whose band was composed of Roy Eldridg, Carl Frye, Kermit Scott, Sonny White, Lawrence Lucie, John Williams and Hal West. The second date had him working with Lester Boone, Ernie Powell, Eddie Heywood, Paul Chapman, Grachan Moncur, and Herbert Cowans.
Throughout the decade he recorded with Billy Eckstine and His Orchestra. The resulting album was released in 1960 as Mr. B. He also recorded in New York with Don Byas and Hal Singer. Powell then joined the Illinois Jacquet Orchestra with Tadd Dameron and Jimmy Mundy arranging
The Fifties saw Jimmy as a member of the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band that recorded Groovin’ High live at Birdland. He went on to record several albums with Gillespie. He recorded with Betty Carter, Bernard Purdie and Otis Redding. Throughout the rest of his career he performed and recorded into the !970s.
Alto saxophonist Jimmy Powell died on February 16, 1994.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bernard Peiffer was born on October 23, 1922 in Épinal, France and was raised in a musical family, with his father and uncle playing the violin and the organ, respectively. Learning piano at age nine, he studied under Pierre Maire and quickly demonstrated his abilities by repeating long sections of classical works by ear. He won the 1st Prize in Piano at the Paris Conservatory and began his professional career at the age of twenty. playing with André Ekyan and Django Reinhardt.
During World War II, he joined the French resistance after witnessing the execution of a friend by the Gestapo in the streets of Paris. Soon afterwards he was captured, and was incarcerated for over a year. By the early 1950s, he began a successful career, playing with Django Reinhardt, leading his own quintet, composing film soundtracks, and achieving notice in the clubs of Paris, Monte Carlo and Nice, and eventually became nationally known.
He moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1954 with his wife Corine and daughter Rebecca. The subsequent loss of his third daughter profoundly affected him, resulting in Poem for a Lonely Child. During his first years in America, Bernard achieved considerable success, performing at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, and the Newport Jazz Festival. He recorded for the EmArcy, Decca and Laurie labels.
Peiffer released his last commercial album in 1965 and, after having kidney surgery a few years later, restricted himself to performing and teaching, mainly in Philadelphia. His students included Uri Caine, Sumi Tonooka, Tom Lawton, and Don Glanden. His last major appearance was at the 1974 New York/Newport Festival at Carnegie Hall. Pianist, composer and teacher Bernard Peiffer, whose nickname was Le Most for his piano skills, died on September 7, 1976. He was 53.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Harry Austin was born on October 22, 1958 in Capetown, South Africa. His passion for guitar was evident at a very tender age and spent his youth mingling with gifted street musicians around the city who greatly influenced him over the years.
A versatile guitarist and a wholehearted Jazz composer. In the late 70’s, he co-founded and performed with the “Touch” band and enjoyed great national success until the mid 80’s. Following this first accomplishment, he toured and made appearances with various musicians and live bands across South Africa until he made his international debut with the Andrew Young band in 2002. For the next 3 years, he played with the band in numerous countries such as China, Turkey and Tunisia.
Between 2005 and 2008, he performed at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa in Dubai. During 2009 & 2010, he toured throughout the United Arab Emirates. After touring Harry released 2 albums over the net titled Mojaezz, and Easylike.
Guitarist Harry Austin, who performs in the smooth jazz idiom, continues to play, tour and record.
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