Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Teddy Napoleon was born January 23, 1914 in New York City, New York. His first professional engagement was with Lee Castle in 1933, then played with Tommy Tompkins for several years before working as a freelance musician in New York.

In the 1940s he played in several big bands, including Johnny Messner and Bob Chester, before signing up with Gene Krupa in 1944. He worked with Krupa intermittently for the next fourteen years including on many of his big band releases in the 1940s, and in his trio settings with Charlie Ventura.

He also spent time working with Flip Phillips, Bill Harris, and Eddie Shu. Teddy moved to Florida in 1959 and led his own trio there, though he never recorded as a leader, however he did record a duo album with his younger brother Marty, also a pianist.

Swing jazz pianist Teddy Napoleon, who was the nephew of trumpeter Phil Napoleon, eventually returned north and died on July 5, 1964 in Elmhurst, New York.

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