Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Dick Garcia was born Richard Joseph Garcia on May 31, 1931 in New York City. He began to play the guitar aged nine.
In 1950, he was a member of Tony Scott’s quartet. From 1952, he worked with George Shearing, Charlie Parker, Joe Roland, Milt Buckner, Johnny Glasel, Lenny Hambro, Aaron Sachs, and Bobby Scott.
He recorded again with Shearing in the late 1950s and early 1960s, then with Kai Winding, Milt Buckner, Nat King Cole, Johnny Glasel, Lenny Hambro, Joe Roland, Bobby Scott, Tony Scott, and Nancy Wilson.
Guitarist Dick Garcia, who recorded as a leader and sideman, still plays occasionally at age 93.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jan Leder was born May 19, 1958 and raised in New York City and pursued her love for improvisation after twelve years of studying classical music. She studied for three years with pianist Lennie Tristano and then continued her jazz studies with pianist Connie Crothers for over ten years. A self-styled course of study in jazz history at SUNY Purchase led to her compilation of the first comprehensive history of women in jazz titled Women in Jazz: A Discography of Instrumentalists 1913-1968.
In February 1997 Monad Records released her first recording, Passage To Freedom, which was recorded live at the Five Spot in New York City. In 1999 Jan recorded Nonchalant, a collection of mostly original melodies.
Ms. Leder leads her own jazz ensembles in the New York City area, appearing at nightclubs, festivals, cultural functions and other public and private engagements. Her repertoire includes standard bebop, swing, blues and bossa novas as well as her own unique jazz compositions and those of her musical colleagues, including drummer/big band leader Art Lillard, with whom Jan collaborated on numerous compositions, mostly writing lyrics to his catchy songs.
From 1987 to 2012 Jan was a member of the flute section in Art Lillard’s Heavenly Band. Jan was also a member of a group of jazz flutists called the NY Jazz Flutet that included Dotti Anita Taylor, Elise Wood, Michele Smith and Chip Shelton along with drummer Art Lillard.
She entertains at healthcare facilities, teaches workshops and seminars, plays at fundraisers and jazz festivals. She has toured around the world, and composed pop, r&b, theater and film music. Leder has worked with the 9th Street Stompers, a popular local jazz band, playing their unique variety of jazz styles in parades, street fairs and other venues.
Flutist Jan Leder, who is a writer and publisher member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and a member of the National Association of Music Publishers, continues to perform, compose and teach jazz improvisation.
More Posts: bandleader,flute,history,instrumental,jazz,music
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jan Verwey was born on February 24, 1936 in Vlissingen, The Netherlands. A self-taught harpist, he created his own style on this characteristic instrument. He is the only one who plays octaves on the harmonica.
Very much a bebopper and his unique self-developed instrumental technique, he boldly brings about his desired harmony and melody to his solo’s. During his first visit to the United States in 1990 he was immediately rushed into the recording studio by producer Bill Goodwin, Phil Woods drummer, to record The Dutch Connection which led to a performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.
In 1991 he was back in the States being the only European invited to play at the festival Celebration Of The Arts in Watergap, as a soloist. He also gave a duo concert with pianist Hod O’brien who recorded with Chet Baker at The Dearhead Inn. In 2007 he was playing at festivals in Medicine Hat and Calgary in Canada. He has toured Europe, playing in Copenhagen, Denmark as well as Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Rhede and Darmstadt in Germany.
He has a nomination for the Pall Mall Export Award, was a guest soloist with the Metropole Orchestra, in addition to guest performances on television- and radio shows. As a composer he has written for television series, documentaries and commercials.
He has recorded eight albums as a leader with his last being his 2019 The Music of Horace Silver. Harmonica player Jan Verwey, who plays bebop and cool jazz, continues to perform.
More Posts: bandleader,harmonica,history,instrumental,jazz,music
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Ron Horton was born on February 12, 1960 in Bethesda, Maryland and attended Berklee College of Music from 1978 to 1980. He moved to New York City two years later where, as a longtime member of Jane Ira Bloom’s band (1983-2000), he became an integral part of the jazz scene.
Since 1992 Ron has been a member of the New York Jazz Composers Collective and the Herbie Nichols Project under Frank Kimbrough and Ben Allison. From 1998 to 2003 he was also a member of Andrew Hill’s sextet, and appeared on his album Dusk (1999).
Horton worked as a sideman with Ted Nash, Allan Chase, Bill Mays, Jon Gordon, Andy Laster, Phillip Johnston, Matt Wilson, Roberta Piket, Rez Abbasi, Walter Thompson, Pete Malinverni, Jamie Baum, Bill Gerhardt, Rich Rosenzweig, John McKenna, Michael Jefry Stevens, Peggy Stern and others.
He has given master classes and workshops at The New School in New York, the New England Conservatory of Music, the University of North Carolina, and Oxford University.
Trumpeter Ron Horton, who released his debut album as a leader in 1999, continues to perform and record.
More Posts: bandleader,educAATOR,history,instrumental,jazz,music,trumpet
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jeffrey Ovid Clyne was born on January 29, 1937 in London, England and taught himself double bass from the age of 17. He played in the 3rd Hussars military band during his national service from 1955 to 1957, and on demobilisation found himself at the cutting edge of the British modern-jazz and bebop movement.
Clyne worked with Tubby Hayes and Ronnie Scott in their group the Jazz Couriers for a year from 1958, and was part of the group of musicians who opened Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in November 1959. He was a regular member of Hayes’ groups from 1961. He accompanied Blossom Dearie, Stan Tracey on his Jazz Suite Inspired by Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood album, Ian Carr, and Gordon Beck on Experiments With Pops, with John McLaughlin.
Jeff would go on to perform with Dudley Moore, Zoot Sims, Norma Winstone, John Burch and Marion Montgomery. He was a member of Nucleus, Isotope, Gilgamesh, Giles Farnaby’s Dream Band and Turning Point during the 1970s. He often worked with drummer Trevor Tomkins.
Bass guitar and double bassist Jeff Clyne died on November 16, 2009 from a heart attack at the age of 72.
More Posts: bandleader,bass,bass guitar,history,instrumental,jazz,music