Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jackie Coon was born in Beatrice, Nebraska on June 21, 1929 and grew up in Southern California. He was inspired to play trumpet after hearing Louis Armstrong’s West End Blues. He spent a few months with Jack Teagarden’s band and had gigs with Charlie Barnet, Louis Prima, and Earl Hines.
Making his recording debut with Barney Bigard in 1957 and he also played the mellophone on Red Nichols’ version of Battle Hymn of the Republic. Jackie’s decision to stay in California cost him the fame that eluded him, but he worked at Disneyland for nine years, and performed regularly in local clubs and jazz festivals.
It was until 1986 that Coon led his first record session for Sea Breeze. Since 1991 he has recorded fairly often for Arbors. Trumpeter, flügelhornist and cornetist Jackie Coon has become less active in his Eighties.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Phillip Rista Nimmons was born on June 3, 1923 in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. He studied clarinet at the Juilliard School and composition at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada. In 1953 Nimmons formed the ensemble Nimmons ‘N’ Nine, which later he led during his weekly radio show on CBC radio. This ensemble eventually grew to 16 musicians in 1965 and was active intil 1980.
He joined the University of Toronto in 1973 and as an educator, Nimmons has made substantial contributions to the study of jazz. In 1960, Along with Oscar Peterson, he founded the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto, Canada. He was involved in the development of the jazz performance program at the University of Toronto.
Nimmons received the first Juno Award given in the Juno Awards jazz category, for his album Atlantic Suite. His composition The Torch was commissioned for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and was performed at the Olympics by a big band led by Rob McConnell.
In 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, received the Order of Ontario, the Jazz Education Hall of Fame honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award by SOCAN and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts, for his lifetime contribution to popular music.
Clarinetist, composer, bandleader, and educator Phil Nimmons, known for playing in the free jazz and mainstream styles, has recorded seventeen albums as a leader and at 98 is still involved in music.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Charles Robert Munro was born on May 22, 1917 in Christchurch, New Zealand. While in his teens he became quite proficient on several saxophones and by 21 had moved to Sydney, Australia where he played in the bands led by Myer Norman and Wally Parks. In addition he worked as a sideman on various nightclub, theater, and ship gigs.
Serving in the military during World War II, Charlie went on to work with Wally Norman at the Roosevelt nightclub in Sydney. In 1950 he played with Bob Gibson, then joined the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s dance band in 1954, continuing to perform with the group through 1976 as a composer and arranger.
He worked extensively with Bryce Rohde in the 1960s, participating in many of Rohde’s Australian jazz experiments. He led his own bands toward the end of his career, and also worked with Georgina de Leon.
Saxophonist and flutist Charlie Munro, who also played the cello and delved into free jazz movement, transitioned on December 9, 1985, in Sydney.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Reuben Bloom was born April 24, 1902 in New York City, New York to Jewish parents. During the 1920s he wrote many novelty piano solos, recorded for the Aeolian Company’s Duo-Art reproducing piano system various titles including his Spring Fever. His first hit came in 1927 with Soliloquy; his last was Here’s to My Lady in 1952, which he wrote with Johnny Mercer. In 1928, he made a number of records with Joe Venuti’s Blue Four for OKeh, including five songs he sang, as well as played piano.
He formed and led a number of bands during his career, most notably Rube Bloom and His Bayou Boys, which recorded three records in 1930. The Bayou Boys consisted of Benny Goodman, Adrian Rollini, Tommy Dorsey, Mannie Klein and Frankie Trumbauer in the Sioux City Six.
His I Can’t Face the Music, Day In Day Out, Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread) and Give Me The Simple Life has become a part of the Great American Songbook and jazz standards.
During his career, he worked with many well-known performers, including those mentioned above and Ruth Etting, Stan Kenton, Jimmy Dorsey and collaborated with a wide number of lyricists, such as Ted Koehler, and Mitchell Parish.
Pianist, arranger, bandleader, recording artist, vocalist, and author Rube Bloom published several books on piano method before he transitioned on March 30, 1976 in his home city.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Hymie Schertzer was born Herman Schertzer on April 22, 1909 in New York City, New York and began playing violin when he was nine years old. He picked up the saxophone when he was a teenager and went on to work as a sideman for Gene Kardos at the club Birdland, then joined Benny Goodman’s band, where he was the lead saxophonist until 1938, though he recorded with Goodman intermittently until the mid-1940s.
Between 1938 and 1940 Hymie was in Tommy Dorsey’s band, and recorded in the late 1930s with Bunny Berigan and Lionel Hampton. He worked with Billie Holiday in 1941 and again in 1944, then became a house musician for NBC radio and television.
Working as a session player for studio recordings Schertzer was behind Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Sy Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Artie Shaw during the years 1947-1953. He continued working with Goodman live, on television, and on record from 1951 until 1969.
Saxophonist and conductor Hymie Schertzer, who was a member of the Tonight Show Band during its Johnny Carson era, transitioned in New York City, on March 22, 1977 at the age of 67.
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