Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Billy Butler was born William Butler Jr. on December 15, 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and began his career in the 1940s behind the Harlemaires. The 1950s saw him as a member of a trio led by Doc Bagby and accompanied keyboardist Bill Doggett.
Butler worked with Al Casey, King Curtis, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Bill Davison, Tommy Flanagan, Panama Francis, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Johnny Hodges, Floyd “Candy” Johnson, David “Fathead” Newman, Houston Person, Sammy Price, Jimmy Smith, Norris Turney, and Dinah Washington.
He is credited as the guitarist on the 1961 Peppermint Twist, Parts 1 & 2 by Joey Dee and the Starliters at the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. He co-wrote Honky Tonk, an R&B hit for Doggett.
Guitarist Billy Butler transitioned on March 20, 1991 from a heart attack at home in Teaneck, New Jersey.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Marky Markowitz was born Irwin Markowitz but also known as Irving Markowitz on December 11, 1923 in Washington, DC. The youngest of seven children of Russian-Jewish immigrants, he learned the trumpet at the local Police Boys’ Club. He played early in his career in a number of big bands during the Forties, including those of Charlie Spivak, Jimmy Dorsey, Boyd Raeburn, and Woody Herman. He played in Buddy Rich’s orchestra in 1946–47, then returned to service under Herman in 1947–48.
Moving his family from Washington, D.C. to New York City in 1958 he eventually settled in Nyack, New York where he worked primarily as a studio musician in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. During this period in his career he did appear on stage with Herman, Gene Krupa, Lee Konit, Ralph Burns, George Russell, Al Cohn, Paul Desmond, and Bill Evans. Marky was a first call trumpeter for many top artists of the time including Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Young Rascals, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, Maynard Ferguson, George Segal, and many others. He played as well on hundreds of advertising jingles, TV ads and movie scores.
He was a perennial on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy, had a vocal impression of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, and performed in his hometown with an All-Star band, led by Nelson Riddle, at the Inaugural Ball for President Ronald Reagan’s 2nd term.
Trumpeter and flugelhornist Marky Markowitz, who recorded one album as a leader titled Marks Vibes, transitioned on November 18, 1986.
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Three Wishes
Nica inquired of Sam Woodyard what three things he would wish for if they could come true and his response was:
- “To keep living! That’s all there is. Because we don’t come through here but once.”
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Three Wishes
Baroness Pannonica asked Jimmy Heath if he was given three wishes what would they be. He replied:
- “I wish it would be possible that the statement they make, that “you have paid your debt to society,’ would be true. I mean, when you’ve been to prison, when you come home, it’s suppose to be cool. But you still have a record, it still follows you. It’s always there.”
- “If the world is made over, I would like everyone to be made the same color. Then everyone would be judged by their merits, individually.”
- “I wish I could transfer this wish to my wife.”
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Nick Travis was born on November 16, 1925 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and started playing professionally at age 15. In the early Forties he played with Johnny McGhee, Vido Musso, Mitchell Ayres, and Woody Herman.
In 1944 he enlisted, however, after his service he played with Ray McKinley, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Ina Ray Hutton, Tommy Dorsey, and Tex Beneke. By the 1950s he was playing with Herman once more for a short stint, Jerry Gray, Bob Chester, Elliot Lawrence, and Jimmy Dorsey. From 1953-56 he played with Gerry Mulligan, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, with whom he featured on the one session he led for Victor Records, and was a soloist in the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra.
After this he became a session musician for NBC, Most of his work was in big bands, but he also played in small ensembles. Trumpeter Nick Travis transitioned at age 38 as a result of complications from ulcers on Oct. 7, 1964 in New York City.
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