Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Eddie Higgins was born Edward Haydn Higgins on February 21, 1932 in Cambridge, Massachusetts and began study of piano with his mother. His professional career began in Chicago while attending Northwestern University. He played the most prestigious clubs in Chicago for more than two decades in the 50s and 60s with his longest tenure at the London House, playing opposite Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Errol Garner, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, and George Shearing among others.
As a leader he amassed a number of recordings during the Chicago years but as a sideman he added many more albums working with Wayne Shorter, Coleman Hawkins, Bobby Lewis, Freddie Hubbard, Jack Teagarden and Al Grey to name just a few.
Equally adept in every jazz circle Eddie was able to work in Dixieland, modal, bebop and swing as well as being a persuasive, elegant and sophisticated pianist whether he was soloing or accompanying a singer.
Higgins eventually moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, played in local clubs, performed the jazz festival circuit, toured Europe and Japan, and continued to record up until his death on August 31, 2009 at 77.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
De De Pierce was born Joseph De Lacroix Pierce on February 18, 1904 in New Orleans, Louisiana. A trumpeter and cornetist, his first gig was with Arnold Dupas in 1924. During his time playing in New Orleans nightclubs he met Billie Pierce, who became his wife as well as a musical companion. They took residence as the house band at the Luthjens Dance Hall from the 1930s through the 1950s.
They released several albums together but stopped performing in the middle of the 1950s due to illness, which left De De Pierce blind. By 1959 they had returned to performing with De De touring with Ida Cox and playing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band before further health problems ended his career.
On November 23, 1973, De De Pierce, best remembered for the songs “Peanut Vendor” and “Dippermouth Blues”, passed away at the age of 69.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jimmy Maxwell: The Trumpet Master You’ve Heard a Thousand Times
Born on January 9, 1917, in Stockton, California, Jimmy Maxwell was practically born with a trumpet in hand—he picked up the instrument at the remarkable age of four. Even as a child prodigy, he understood the value of serious training, studying throughout the 1930s with a roster of legendary brass teachers, including the renowned Herbie Clarke.
A Young Gun in the Swing Era
During the vibrant 1930s, Maxwell’s precocious talent found him working alongside some of the biggest names in jazz: Gil Evans, Jimmy Dorsey, vocalist Maxine Sullivan, and bandleader Skinnay Ennis. His big break came when he joined the prestigious Benny Goodman Orchestra—a gig that announced his arrival as a world-class player.
The Golden Age of Television
In 1943, Maxwell transitioned to what would become a legendary three-decade run as a studio musician for NBC. Night after night, his trumpet graced America’s living rooms through The Perry Como Show, The Patti Page Show, The Pat Boone Show, and The Tonight Show. While many musicians might have settled into such comfortable work, Maxwell’s restless talent demanded more.
A Secret Weapon on Countless Sessions
Maxwell’s studio work was merely the foundation. In 1962, he toured the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War—music as cultural diplomacy. He appeared on hundreds of recordings and commercials, becoming one of those invisible giants whose sound defined an era. As a sideman, he lent his brilliant tone to sessions with Woody Herman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Oliver Nelson, Gerry Mulligan, Maynard Ferguson, Quincy Jones, the New York Jazz Repertory Company, and Chuck Israels’ National Jazz Ensemble.
That Haunting Solo
Perhaps Maxwell’s most iconic moment came when he played the unforgettable trumpet solo for The Godfather soundtrack—that lonely, haunting theme that perfectly captured the film’s operatic melancholy. Millions heard it; few knew the master behind it.
Full Circle
Later in life, Maxwell returned to his roots, working with Dixieland jazz and swing ensembles and even reuniting with Benny Goodman for nostalgic performances. In 1977, he finally stepped into the spotlight as a leader, recording a session for Circle Records—a rare glimpse of Maxwell unfiltered.
Though he eventually retired from recording and performing, Maxwell never stopped teaching. From 1950 until 2001—an astonishing fifty-one years—he passed on his knowledge to new generations of brass players. When he passed away on July 20, 2002, the world lost not just a brilliant musician, but a patient mentor who had helped shape the sound of American music for over seven decades.
If you’ve watched television, heard a commercial, or listened to jazz from the mid-20th century, you’ve almost certainly heard Jimmy Maxwell’s trumpet—even if you never knew his name.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Henry Goodwin: A Globetrotting Trumpet Voice of Early Jazz
Born in the nation’s capital on January 2, 1910, Henry Goodwin was a musical explorer from the start. As a young boy in Washington, D.C., he didn’t limit himself to just one instrument—he experimented with drums and tuba before the trumpet ultimately captured his heart.
A Teenage Talent Goes International
Goodwin’s talent blossomed early. By 1925, while still a teenager, he was already performing professionally with the bands of Sam Taylor and Claude Hopkins. His youthful career took a dramatic turn at just 15 years old when he traveled to Europe with Hopkins as part of the glamorous Josephine Baker Revue. Though the adventure led him to Berlin, the pull of home proved stronger, and young Henry made his way back to New York.
A Life of Musical Adventure
What followed was a career marked by constant motion and collaboration. Goodwin soon found himself sailing to Argentina with Paul Wyer’s ensemble. Upon returning to New York, he worked with Elmer Snowden and laid down tracks with Cliff Jackson’s Krazy Kats. In 1933, Europe called again—this time with Lucky Millinder—before Goodwin returned stateside to perform with Willie Bryant and settle into a two-year tenure with Charlie Johnson.
The late 1930s brought new chapters: a brief but memorable stint with the legendary Cab Calloway, followed by three years with Edgar Hayes. Finding a comfortable artistic home with Sidney Bechet’s distinctive style, Goodwin went on to collaborate with Cecil Scott, Gene Sedric, and Art Hodes. His freelancing years included a memorable return to Europe for the Nice Jazz Festival with Mezz Mezzrow, and by the mid-1950s, he was swinging on the West Coast with Earl Hines in San Francisco.
Throughout the 1960s, Goodwin remained active in various Dixieland bands before eventually retiring. Though he never led his own recording session—a curious footnote for such a well-traveled musician—Henry Goodwin’s trumpet voice graced countless stages across three continents during jazz’s formative decades.
Henry Goodwin passed away on July 2, 1979, leaving behind a legacy of musical wanderlust and dedication to his craft.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Peter Charles Strange was born on December 19, 1938 in Plaistow, Newham, London, England. He played violin as a child before switching to trombone as a teenager.
His first major gig was with Eric Silk and his Southern Jazz Band when he was just 18 years old. In 1957, Silk’s clarinetist Teddy Layton split off and formed his own band, and Strange went with him. Called up for National Service in 1958 he became a bandsman in the Lancashire Fusiliers, whilst serving in Cyprus.
Following his discharge from service Peter played with Sonny Morris, Charlie Gall, and Ken Sims, then joined Bruce Turner from 1961 to 1964. After 1964, Turner went into partial retirement for about 10 years, so he played off and on with Freddy Randall, Joe Daniels, and Ron Russell, but not carrying any full-time associations. He returned to play with Turner again permanently in 1974.
In 1978 co-founded the Midnite Follies Orchestra with Alan Elsdon. 1980 saw Strange founding the five-trombone ensemble, Five-A-Slide, which featured Roy Williams and Campbell Burnap. He joined Humphrey Lyttelton’s band in 1983, and remained with the ensemble until he died.
Trombonist, arranger and composer Peter Strange, who played with his own side group, the Great British Jazz Band, died of cancer at the age of 65 on August 14, 2004 in Banstead, Surrey, England.
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