Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bob Zurke came into the world as Boguslaw Albert Zukowski on January 7, 1912 in Hamtramck, Michigan. By the age of 16 he was already using the name Bob Zurke professionally when he first recorded with a group led by pioneering female jazz bassist Thelma Terry. At that time, Zurke also began to work as a copyist for the Detroit-based booking agency run by Jean Goldkette.
Through the end of 1936, he worked in various Detroit, Michigan clubs, mostly as a band pianist, but he occasionally went on tour with other groups. During this period he developed a long friendship with pianist Marvin Ash, who would later go on to record some of Zurke’s compositions.
1937 saw Bob was hired by bandleader Bob Crosby to fill in for Joe Sullivan, then ailing with tuberculosis and it was here that he gained notice, contributing arrangements to the band’s book and as a featured soloist.
As an arranger his arrangement of Meade Lux Lewis’ Honky Tonk Train Blues, became a hit. In 1938 he was named the winner in the piano category in the DownBeat Reader’s Poll. By 1939 Sullivan was back with the Bob Crosby Orchestra and Zurke subsequently worked with the William Morris Agency to form his own band. They debuted at an RCA Victor recording session that same year as Bob Zurke and his Delta Rhythm Orchestra. His alcohol dependency, alleged drug use and unreliability and volatility led to the group disbanding.
After a period of wandering from job to job Zurke settled in Los Angeles, California in mid-1942 and began an engagement at the Hangover Club in Los Angeles that he held until the end of his days. In 1943, he made one final recording, synchronizing an original piano part to the Walter Lantz cartoon Jungle Jive (in the Swing Symphony series), one of his most difficult and challenging solos.
He published two folios of jazz piano solos and several sheet music editions of single pieces; in addition to that, 14 original compositions from Zurke are known to exist.
Pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader Bob Zurke, who was considered one of the finest boogie~woogie pianists of the time, collapsed at the Hangover Club and was taken to the hospital where he transitioned on February 16, 1944 from complications of pneumonia, aggravated by acute alcohol poisoning. He was 32.
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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…
Edward Emanuel Barefield was born on December 12, 1909 in Scandia, Iowa, and grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. His father was a guitarist, his mother a pianist. He began playing the saxophone at the age of twelve when his mother bought him the instrument as a Christmas gift, and he took it apart to see how it worked.
He started playing throughout the Midwest, and gained his first major big-band experience with the Bennie Moten Orchestra of 1932. This led to work with Zach Whyte’s band and at 24 was offered a position in Cab Calloway’s orchestra in 1933. Eddie arranged and wrote music for Calloway for over 40 years.
Barefield conducted the orchestra for Ella Fitzgerald after Chick Webb passed away in 1939. In addition, he performed with McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, Les Hite, Fletcher Henderson, Don Redman, and Benny Carter. After the end of the big band era he continued to work by conducting shows, free-lancing, and playing in Europe.
He was the musical director for the original Broadway production of Streetcar Named Desire in 1947. He spent a decade in the band of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and composed and arranged for Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Paul Whiteman, and Jimmy Dorsey. Later in his life, Barefield worked with the Illinois Jacquet big band. Eddie appeared in films, including Cab Calloway’s Hi-De-Ho, Al Jolson’s The Singing Kid, Every Day’s a Holiday, and The Night They Raided Minsky’s.
Saxophonist, clarinetist and arranger Eddie Barefield, who arranged for the ABC Orchestra, transitioned from a heart attack at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York on January 4, 1991.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Matty Malneck born Matthew Michael Malneck on December 9, 1903 in Newark, New Jersey and his career as a violinist began when he was age 16. He was a member of the Paul Whiteman orchestra from 1926 to 1937. During the same period he recorded with Mildred Bailey, Annette Hanshaw, Frank Signorelli, and Frankie Trumbauer.
He led a big band that recorded for Brunswick, Columbia, and Decca. His orchestra provided music for The Charlotte Greenwood Show on radio in the mid-1940s and Campana Serenade in 1942–1943. His group played in the film St. Louis Blues in 1939 and You’re in the Army Now in 1941. At this point in his career he changed the group’s name to Matty Malneck and His St. Louis Blues Orchestra.
Malneck’s credits as a songwriter and composed hit songs such as Eeny Meeny Miney Mo and Goody Goody, both with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, I’ll Never Be The Same, with music by Malneck & Frank Signorelli, lyrics by Gus Kahn, and I’m Thru With Love, music by Malneck & Fud Livingston, lyrics by Kahn.
Violinist, songwriter, and arranger Matty Malneck transitioned on February 25, 1981.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Frank J. Valeriani was born in Newark, New Jersey on November 26, 1966. He started studying saxophone at age of 15. When his family moved to Italy he put together his first mediterranean blues oriented band. While living in Italy he graduated magna cum laude from the music conservatory in Naples. After the conservatory years he started several bands, including jazz, fusion and latin jazz, and peformed at several festivals before moving north to Milano, Italy.
In Milano He studied songwriting, arranging and jazz at the alternative contemporary music school, Professional Music Center, graduating with excellent scores. During his Italian years he performed with Wess, Rocky Roberts, Cristiano Malgioglio, Peppino Gagliardi, Nello Daniele and others. He was music coordinator and conductor of the folk show Quanno Tramonta ‘o Sole that toured all over Italy for several years. He also toured with Maestro Gianni Mazza and performed on Italian tv networks.
Deciding to move back to the states he chose Las Vegas, Nevada for its musical activity. He performed with some of the best musicians in town, such as The Platters, The Drifters, jazz singers Nancy Kelly and Tony Bennett. Frank also performs with the Frank Valeriani Band all over the town.
He plays jazz, smooth jazz, and pop, doubles on percussion, rhythm guitar & keyboards and enjoys back up singing when required. As an educator he teaches saxophone and harmony in music schools. Saxophonist Frank Valeriani is also a composer and arranger and continues to perform and teach.
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