Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Julius Wechter was born on May 10, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois and studied and learned to play the vibraphone and percussion, which he did with the Martin Denny group by the time he was out of highschool in the 1950s. The early Sixties saw him moving to movie soundtracks, television and session work for the Beach Boys, the Monkees, Sonny & Cher, and various Phil Spector productions.
His long and successful association with Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass started when he played percussion on their first hit, The Lonely Bull in 1962. He later composed Spanish Flea. He went on to play marimba and vibes on many of Alpert’s songs in the 1960s, as well as writing at least one song on most of those albums.
Encouraged by Alpert, he formed the Baja Marimba Band which was quite successful, hitting four chart songs in Billboard’s Top 100, and numerous on its Easy Listening Top 40. Disbanding in the mid Seventies, Julius turned his attention to television and movies again, but continued to play with Alpert.
In his later years, he devoted himself to psychology, earned a master’s degree, and served as vice president of the Southern California chapter of the Tourette Syndrome Association.
Marimba and vibraphonist Julius Wechter died on February 1, 1999 at his home in California of lung cancer, at the age of 63, a day after his song Spanish Flea was used in The Simpsons episode Sunday, Cruddy Sunday.
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Jazz Poems
GYRE’S GALAX
Sound variegated through beneath lit
Sound variegated through beneath lit through sound beneath variegated lit sound variegated through beneath litVariegated sound through beneath lit dark
Variegated sound through beneath lit dark sound variegated through beneath lit variegated sound through beneath lit darkThrough variegated beneath sound lit
Through variegated beneath sound lit through variegated beneath sound lit through variegated beneath sound lit Through variegated beneath sound lit Through variegated beneath sound lit through beneath lit through beneath lit through beneath lit through beneath lit Thru beneath Thru beneath Thru beneath through beneath lit Thru beneath through beneath lit Thru beneath through beneath lit Thru beneath Thru beneath through beneath lit Thru beneath Thru beneath through beneath lit Thru beneath Thru beneath Thru beneath Thru beneath Thru beneath Thru beneath Thru beneath Through beneath litTwainly simple of amongst
twainly simple of amongst Twainly simple of amongst twainly simple of amongst Twainly simple of amongst twainly simple of amongst In lit black viewly viewly viewly in viewly viewly viewly in viewly viewly in viewly viewly in viewly viewly viewly viewly in viewly viewly In lit black viewly in dark to stark In dark to stark In dark to stark in dark to stark In dark to stark in dark to stark In dark to stark In above beneath In above beneath In above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath above beneath lit above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath above beneath litN. H. PRITCHARD
from Jazz Poems ~ Selected and Edited by Kevin Young
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Patrick Earl Rebillot was born on April 21, 1935 in Louisville, Ohio and studied music at Mt. Union College and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with Jeno Takacs. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education in 1957.
A long-time member of Herbie Mann’s various line-ups and credited as arranger, Pat appears on recordings by David Newman, Jon Faddis, Flora Purim, Michael Franks, Freddy Cole, Patti Austin and Chris Connor as well as Steely Dan, the Average White Band, Gloria Gaynor, Irene Worth, Bette Midler, Hall & Oates, Morrissey–Mullen, Barbra Streisand, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, The Spinners, and Laura Lieberman.
Rebillot has played live with Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams, Anita O’Day, Benny Powell, Jimmy Rushing, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, James Moody, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Benny Goodman, Gary Burton, Paul Winter, Joan Baez, Liza Minnelli, Cissy Houston, O.C. Smith, and others.
Rebillot is associated with fellow session and studio musicians Hugh McCracken, Tony Levin, Steve Gadd, Ray Barretto and Ralph MacDonald.
Pianist and composer Pat Rebillot performs occasionally at the age of 90.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gene J. Bertoncini, born April 6, 1937 in New York City and grew up in a musical family. His father played guitar and harmonica, his brother played accordion and keyboards. He began playing guitar at age seven and by age sixteen was appearing on television.
After high school he attended the University of Notre Dame, where, in 1959, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering. During his matriculation he played clarinet in the Notre Dame marching band. His first guitar teacher was Johnny Smith.
Gene entered the Marines, then moved to Chicago, Illinois where he became immersed in the jazz scene, working with Carmen McRae. Returning to New York City, Gene played with vibraphonist Mike Mainieri and then in one of Buddy Rich’s ensembles. He was a member of the Tonight Show band.
He has worked with Burt Bacharach, Tony Bennett, Paul Desmond, Benny Goodman, Lena Horne, Hubert Laws, Michel Legrand, Charles McPherson, Wayne Shorter, Clark Terry, Nancy Wilson and bassist Michael Moore.
At the advice of his teacher Chuck Wayne, he began studying classical guitar and using the instrument for jazz, Latin and Brazilian music styles. Back in New York City, from 1990 to 2008, Bertoncini played solo guitar on Sunday and Monday evenings at the Bistro La Madeleine on West 43rd Street. He recorded two albums of solo guitar arrangements, Body and Soul and Quiet Now, and published ten of these arrangements in Gene Bertoncini Plays Jazz Standards.
Bertoncini has been on the faculties of William Paterson University, New York University, Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, the Banff School of Fine Arts in Alberta, Canada and on the staff of the Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camps.
Guitarist, arranger, and educator Gene Bertoncini continues to perform, arrange, record and educate.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Nick Paul was born on April 5, 1939 and raised in London, England. Growing up while playing a host of woodwind instruments his influences were George Lewis and John Handy.
Very active during the 60s, 70s and 80s in the south of England, in Europe he also played New Orleans Jazz. Paul played with many bands including The Barry Martin Ragtime Band, Malc Murphy’s Storyville Stompers, Bill Brunskil, The New Iberia Stompers, The New Revival Jazz Band. He spent time in New Orleans listening to the masters and improving his knowledge of the music.
Leaving England in 1987 for sunnier climes, Nick lived aboard his sailing boat Storyville in Cyprus for ten years playing in hotels and clubs. His musical tastes broadened and for the last twelve years he has been playing mainly small group swing and mainstream jazz of the 50s era.
Woodwind master Nick Paul, who now lives in Thailand, is still playing and has established a small recording studio.
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