Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Ralph Marterie was born in Acerra near Naples, Italy on December 24 1914 and first played professionally at age 14 in Chicago, Illinois. In the 1940s, he played trumpet for various bands. During World War II he got his first job as a bandleader courtesy of the US Navy. He was then hired by the ABC Radio network and the reputation built from these broadcasts led to a recording contract in 1949 with Mercury Records.
In 1953 Ralph recorded a version of Bill Haley’s Crazy, Man, Crazy, which reached No. 13 on the Billboard jockey chart and No. 11 on Cashbox that year. His recordings of Pretend and Caravan made the Top 10 and the latter sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. His highest success in the U.S. charts was a cover of Skokiaan in 1954. He had other hits with Tricky, Shish-Kebab, Dancing Trumpet, Dry Marterie, and Carla.
Trumpeter and big band leader Ralph Marterie transitioned on October 10, 1978 in Dayton, Ohio.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Frederick James Gardner was born on December 23, 1910 in London, England and took up the saxophone at 15 to help alleviate asthma. After minimal coaching he formed the semi-professional New Colorado Band in 1928, and a year later, while working as an office clerk, entered the band in a contest at Chelsea Town Hall and won. He was spotted by the founding editor of Melody Maker magazine who was distributing the prizes, and a year later secured his first professional position.
In 1933, Gardner was taken under the wing of Ray Noble and recorded with the New Mayfair Orchestra. He played in London clubs when working with Sidney Lipton’s Orchestra and at the Mayfair Hotel with Bert Firman’s band and with Billy Bissett. He became a prolific session musician, doubling on all the reeds, although his main instrument was alto saxophone.
He recorded with Benny Carter, Ray Noble, Valaida Snow, Jay Wilbur Buck Washington, and John W. Bubbles. From 1936 to 1937 Freddy arranged and performed on the radio, led small groups and his Swing Orchestra, which included Ted Heath.
During World War II, he was part of the official dance band for the RNPS called the Blue Mariners led by George Crow. He was regularly given special leave to continue his recording and broadcasting. Some recordings were made under the band name Freddie Gardner and his Mess Mates. Folowing the war he continued with extensive freelance work, including as a soloist with the Peter Yorke Concert Orchestra.
Saxophonist Freddy Gardner was taken ill while mending one of his son’s bicycles in the garden of his Brooke Street home in London. An hour later at St. Mary’s Hospital in London he transitioned from a stroke on July 26, 1950 at the age of 39.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Panama Francis was born David Albert Francis on December 21, 1918 in Miami, Florida to a Haitian father and an English property-owning mother in the Bahamas. He began playing the drums even before attending school and initially played in marching bands and local drum and bugle corps.
His first professional playing was in the 1930s as part of George Kelly’s band from 1934 to 1938. He then became a member of the Florida Collegians in 1938. After his move to New York City that year, he worked with Tab Smith, Billy Hicks, and Roy Eldridge before the 1940s. Francis acquired his nickname from Eldridge at a moment when he was wearing a panama hat and Eldridge could not remember his new drummer’s name.
Joining Lucky Millinder’s big band in 1940, he often played at the Savoy Ballroom. After leaving Millinder he was with Willie Bryant’s band in 1946 and then Cab Calloway from 1947 to 1952. He performed in three short films alongside the latter. For much of the 1950s, Panama was a studio musician in New York, accompanying the likes of Bobby Darin, the Four Seasons, the Platters, Dion DiMucci, Neil Sedaka, and Jackie Wilson.
He went on to tour with Dinah Shore, then moved to California where he struggled to find work. The early Seventies saw him touring Japan with Sam “The Man” Taylor, then appeared on film in 1972, in Lady Sings the Blues. Back in New York in 1973, Francis was part of Sy Oliver’s nonet for two years and during this period he played jazz festivals and toured internationally with other bands.
He revived the Savoy Sultans jazz and dance band in 1979, and he appeared regularly at the Rainbow Room in New York City for eight years from 1980. Panama became drummer in the Benny Goodman Quartet for concerts in 1982. He appeared in the 1994 film The Statesmen of Jazz as a member of the Statesmen of Jazz.
Over his career he recorded with Ray Bryant, Eddie Barefield, Arnett Cobb, Earl Hines, Ray Conniff, Eubie Blake, Oscar Brown Jr., Dorothy Donegan, Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie and numerous others.Drummer Panama Francis, who mainly played swing jazz, transitioned in Orlando, Florida on November 13, 2001 following a stroke at age 82.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Julian Fuhs was born on November 20, 1891 in Berlin, Germany. After attending the Stern Conservatory he emigrated to the United States in 1910 and got his American citizenship in 1916. Returning to Berlin in 1924 he put together his Follies Band, whose American-influenced jazz and light music was extremely successful.
He made a significant contribution to the establishment of jazz in Germany in the 1920s. Fuhs was the first to use a three-part saxophone section and was considered the German counterpart to Paul Whiteman after his recording of George Gershwin ‘s Rhapsody in Blue. Fuhs was the first to record it in Europe.
In 1931, as a result of the global economic crisis, he was forced to disband his orchestra and earn his living as the owner of a bar. In 1933 he was repeatedly the victim of violent attacks because of his Jewish origins. He emigrated first to Austria, then to Czechoslovakia and France. In 1937 he returned to America, where he worked as a salesman.
Pianist and bandleader Julian Fuhs transitioned in poverty on February 4, 1975 in Miami, Florida.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Alton “Slim” Moore was born October 7, 1908 in Selma, Alabama and began on baritone horn before settling on trombone by age 17. He played with local bandleaders and territory bands in his youth, such as Georgia Barlowe, Eddie Lemon, Gonzelle White, and Gene Coy.
Moving to New York City early in the Thirties he played with Jack Butler, Charlie Skeete, and Bobby Neal. Frequently switching ensembles in New York, in 1938 he did a short tour of Cuba with the Leon Gross Orchestra. Toward the end of the decade Moore moved up to play in more high-profile bands such as those of Fats Waller, Coleman Hawkins, Hot Lips Page, and Charlie Johnson. In the 1940s he played with Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong.
By the 1950s Slim had reduced his outings to part-time playing, after an extended stay in the band of Stafford “Pazuza” Simon. He would go on to play with Fletcher Henderson in 1957, and in the 1960s played in the Prince Hall Symphonic Band in New York as well as other big band revival outfits.
Trombonist Slim Moore, who also played and recorded on euphonium and did some scat singing, transitioned in 1978 in New York City.
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