Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Tony Jackson was born Antonio Junius Jackson an epileptic on October 25, 1882 into a poor Black family of freed slaves in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana. His twin brother died at fourteen months of age. Showing musical talents at a young age by 10 he constructed a crude properly tuned harpsichord out of junk in his backyard. He played hymns he heard in church and soon the neighborhood was offering the use of their pianos and reed organs to practice on. This led to his first musical job at age 13, when he began playing piano during off hours at a Tonk run by bandleader Adam Olivier.
Jackson became the most popular and sought after entertainer in the red light district Storyville. Able to remember and play any tune he had heard once and was hardly ever stumped by obscure requests. His singing voice was also exceptional, and he was able to sing operatic parts from baritone to soprano range. He became a mentor to Jelly Roll Morton.
Tony wrote many original tunes, a number of which he sold rights to for a few dollars or were simply stolen from him; some of the old time New Orleans musicians said that some well known Tin Pan Alley pop tunes of the era were actually written by Jackson.
Well dressed always with a pearl gray derby, checkered vest, ascot tie with a diamond stickpin, with sleeve garters on his arms to hold up his cuffs as he played. This became a standard outfit for ragtime and barrelhouse pianists.
Moving to Chicago, Illinois hoping to have more of an influence on his career. Jackson was a resident performer at the De Luxe and Pekin Cafes in the city. In his later years his voice and dexterity were impaired by disease, syphilis or cirrhosis of the liver in addition to chronic epilepsy. Pianist, singer, and composer Tony Jackson died on April 20, 1921.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Tony Carr was born George Caruana on October 24, 1927 in Malta. Moving to the United Kingdom in 1953, he joined bandleader Billy Eckstine for a tour in Europe. He played regularly at the Bull’s Head in Barnes SW London, accompanying the cream of British and American jazz musicians.
He eventually became a most sought-after session player in London, England between 1954 and the early 1980s. During the Sixties pianist, conductor and arranger John Cameron recruited Carr as his first-call session player. His career would see him working with Ella Fitzgerald, Sixto Rodriguez, Donovan, Alan Price, Paul McCartney among others. In Malta, he also played with Frank Bibi Camilleri, Joe Curmi il-Puse, Juice Wilson, Freddie Mizzi and Sammy Galea, to name a few.
He has been a member of Daylight, Directions In Jazz Unit, Harold McNair Quartet, John Cameron Quartet, Mike Batt And Friends, Señor Funk and Frog, the latter put together for a horror film soundtrack.
Drummer and percussionist Tony Carr, at 96, no longer performs in public
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Rick DellaRatta was born October 23, 1961 in Schenectady, New York. The oldest of five children, he studied at the New England Conservatory, earning a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance and a master’s degree in Jazz Composition. He studied jazz piano with Jackie Byard, Kenny Werner, Charlie Banacos, and Richie Bierach and classical piano with Thomas Stumpf.
In 1997 Rick along with Eddie Gomez, Dave Liebman, and Lenny White released the album Thought Provoking. In 2000 he was nominated for a MAC award for Recording of the Year.
Witnessing the 9/11 attacks from a New York City rooftop Rick was inspired while watching the unfolding tragedy to write a poem which became known as Jazz for Peace. The poem would later become a worldwide movement promoting peace through jazz.
Pianist and singer Rick DellaRatta, who has recorded five albums, continues to perform, tour and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Søren Reiff born October 22, 1962, in Holbæk, Denmark to painter Tove Reiff and potter Erik Reiff. When he was ten years old he went to an Eric Clapton concert which sealed his fate to become a guitarist. A few years later he was invited to a recording session and that cemented his career choice.
In the mid-Eighties was the guitarist in house bands and as musical director on Danish National television, which led him to play with Toots Thielemans, Randy Crawford, Robert Palmer, Bonnie Tyler and others. The Nineties saw Reiff working as musical director for Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Mark King, and many others on these television shows.
As an author Søren has published five books, released three albums as a recording artist. He has played on several American television shows, Studiojams and co-hosted the show The Color of Jazz. He was the founder of Den Rytmiske Højskole’s course for Songwriters and Producers.
Guitarist, producer, composer and author Søren Reiff, who was included in the International Who’s Who in Music, Volume Two, Popular Music, continues to perform and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Gus Clark was born Gustave De Clercq on October 21, 1913 in Antwerp, Belgium. While still in his teens he led local dance bands and also played in the groups of musicians such as Harry Pohl, Maurice Pinto, and Jack Hoedemaeker.
In the 1930s Gus played with his own group in Brussels, Belgium, and Coleman Hawkins performed with this ensemble. He later set up a new ensemble of all-Black musicians in Belgium, which included Lauderic Caton as a sideman.
Clark performed with Jean Omer, Jean Robert, and Gus Deloof as a sideman, and continued recording as a leader in the 1940s and 1950s.
Pianist Gus Clark died in his native city on April 10, 1979.
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