Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Thore Jederby was born October 15, 1913 in Stockholm, Sweden and received his formal training in music at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He began playing jazz in the mid-1930s, playing with Arne Hülphers’s band from 1934 to 1938, and then with Thore Ehrling’s ensemble from 1938 through the end of World War II.
Thore led his own group, the Swing Swingers, for studio recordings in the mid-1930s, and led smaller ensembles for recording sessions in the 1940s.
Later in his life, Jederby became active in the capturing of the history of Swedish jazz. He was involved in reissues of early Swedish recordings, curated radio shows devoted to Swedish jazz, and participated in a national commission on the history of jazz in Sweden.
Double bassist, record producer, and radio broadcaster Thore Jederby died on January 10, 1984 in his city of birth.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Mark Finkin was born to deaf parents in New York City on October 9, 1949 and has been making music since he was five. He started playing at Carnegie Hall at the age of seven and went on to study at Music and Art High School in New York City and later went on to the Midwest to study at The College of Emporia for music. He moved to Maui, Hawaii where he studied composition and piano at The Atlantic University.
Returning to New York City after several years on the island, he recorded with Boris Midney, a Soviet alto saxophonist who took Mark and his group Windmill under his wing. Performing in the New York, New Jersey area he relocated to Florida. While in Florida he honed his craft and recorded and performed with Music of the Spheres who fused laser light and sound to the Miami Space and Transit Planetarium.
Once again Mark returned to New York to settle in Saratoga Springs where he has been performing in and around the Capital district. He has played with Barry Manilow, Alexis Cole, Sherry Saba, Michael Panza, Larry Levine, Mike Wick, Sharron Edwards and Ron Mayfield to name a few.
Finkin’s talent lies beyond jazz as he has written the music for the local production of Popeye Canfield, is the pianist for the inspirational Christian group Revealer, and has played piano at The Lodge in Saratoga Springs for the last six years during the Saratoga, New York racing season.
Pianist Mark Finkin continues to perform, compose and record with Las Manos and his daughter Alexis Cole.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gerald Graham Valentine was born on September 13, 1914 and received formal training in music when he was young, learning piano, composition, and music theory. He learned to play the trombone on his own.
In the early 1940s Jerry composed and arranged for Earl Hines and worked in Chicago with Dallas Bartley, King Kolax and he booked shows for the Club DeLisa. He then joined Billy Eckstine’s band from 1944 to 1947 and worked later in the decade with Wynonie Harris and Buddy DeFranco.
From 1950 to 1952 Valentine was an artist and repertory man for National Records. He played with Gene Ammons in 1954, and in 1958-1959 wrote arrangements for Pepper Adams, Art Farmer, and Coleman Hawkins in the group Prestige Blues Swingers.
Trombonist, composer and arranger Jerry Valentine died in October 1983.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jørgen Ryg was born on August 11, 1927 in Copenhagen, Denmark and was the son of the opera singer and barber Evald Asger Ryg Kristiansen and the pianist Ellen Kirstine Ryg.
Over the course of his career Jørgen recorded several jazz albums but is best known for his comical monologues on stage. He appeared in 37 films between 1954 and 1978. He won the Bodil Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as adjutant Mühlhauser in Lenin, You Rascal, You.
Ryg was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1979. He was declared healthy the following year, but suffered a severe relapse when he appeared in the Tivoli revue in the summer of 1981. He collapsed with a bleeding stomach ulcer and had to give up work for the rest of the season.
Trumpeter, composer, comedian and actor Jørgen Ryg, was admitted to the Finsensinstituttet in Copenhagen and died on August 28, 1981 at the age of 54.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Chris Wallace was born on August 9, 1971 in Regina, Saskatchewan. A self taught drummer he rose to professional status through relentless self study. As he developed as a musician he began to add jazz music to his already large repertoire of pop, rock, r&b and funk. He moved to New York City and studied with drum clinician and educator Dom Famularo.
In the late 90s he relocated to the United Kingdom and became a central figure in the jazz scene in Scotland. He put together two trios, NeWt which was awarded the 2012 Scottish Jazz Ensemble, and Breach, and he formed a quartet named Loose Grip that released the album Looking Glass. Wallace has appeared with countless international jazz musicians as a sideman.
Becoming more active on the jazz scene, he began performing with many of the nation’s top players such as Graeme Stephen, Paul Harrison, Phil Bancroft, Steve Hamilton, Kevin Mackenzie, Mario Caribe and many others. As a sideman he performed with international artists such as Jamie Oehlers, Jim Mullen, Silke Eberhard, Alan Barnes, Louis Durra, Damon Brown, Ulf Wakenius, Anders Bergkrantz and others.
Chris has backed many singers as well including Lady Rizo, Ali McGregor, Julienne Taylor, Lillian Boutee, Niki King and Holly Penfield. Not limiting himself to jazz, the rock field has Chris sharing stages across Europe with bands such as Asia, King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Saga and many others. He has performed with world class cabaret artists in the UK and has toured Australia twice.
As an educator he has a long teaching history as well, with many years of private students of all ages under his belt. More formally, he was head drum tutor at Stevenson College in Edinburgh, Scotland for three years beginning in 2009.
Drummer Chris Wallace, now based in Toronto, Canada, continues to perform and record.
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