Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Martin Oliver Grosz was born on February 28, 1930 in Berlin, Germany, the son of artist George Grosz. He became resident in the United States by the age of three growing up in New York he began playing ukulele at the age of eight. A few years later he heard a record that highlighted guitarist Bernard Addison’s shuffle-beat behind Roy Eldridge’s trumpet and out went the uke and in came the banjo and guitar. He attended Columbia University and in 1950, recorded his first record with a band that included a young pianist Dick Wellstood and veteran New Orleans bassist, Pops Foster.
Settling in Chicago, Illinois in the Fifties for nearly 20 years, Marty played with among others, Albert Ammons, Floyd O’Brien, Art Hodes, and Jim Lannigan. He recorded with Dave Remington, Albert Nicholas and Hodes in the 1950s. He led sessions of his own in 1957 and 1959 for Riverside and Audio Fidelity. He gave his best effort to coax Jabbo Smith out of retirement but was pretty obscure.
Returning to New York City in 1979 he joined Bob Wilber and Kenny Davern’s Soprano Summit as a vocalist and guitarist. A round of touring ensued along with recording with Dick Wellstood’s Friends of Fats, Yank Lawson and Bob Haggar, and the New York Jazz repertory Orchestra.
In the 1980s he was a member of the Classic Jazz Quartet with Dick Wellstood. He played, sang, and wrote most of the group’s arrangements. He has also performed at concerts with Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, and Charlie Byrd.
Guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and composer Marty Grosz has recorded thirty-one albums as a leader and thirty-four as a sideman. At 95 he still plays occasionally.
More Posts: bandleader,banjo,composer,guitar,history,instrumental,jazz,music,vocals
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Harry Gold, born Hyman Goldberg on February 26, 1907 in Leytonstone, London, England the eldest of six children to a Romanian/Polish heritage. Raised in the East End of London, he decided on a career in music after his father took him to see the Original Dixieland Jazz Band during their famous visit to Britain in 1919–1920.
He studied saxophone, clarinet, oboe and music theory under Louis Kimmel, a professor at the London College of Music. Harry began working professionally as a musician in the early 1920s playing with the Metronomes, Vic Filmer, Geraldo, Ambrose and many other bands. It was, however, his tenure as the star tenor saxophonist with the nationally popular dance band of Roy Fox from 1932 to 1937 that brought him to wide public attention.
In 1937, while working with Oscar Rabin, he formed a band within the Rabin orchestra, performing break sets as “The Pieces of Eight”. This band continued to perform throughout World War II, dodging bombs during the London Blitz and across the country. After the war Harry Gold and his Pieces of Eight became household names in Britain through the late 1940s and 1950s. During this time his Pieces of Eight accompanied the singer and composer Hoagy Carmichael on a well-received tour of the UK.
Gold carried on working into his late 80s and early 90s, playing occasionally. He left an extensive back catalogue of recordings on 78 rpm discs, Formally trained in composition and orchestration, Gold also wrote and arranged music outside of the jazz genre, and most of his career was spent actively in union duties and in efforts to promote the welfare of other musicians.
Dixieland jazz saxophonist and bandleader Harry Gold, whose career spanned almost the whole history of jazz in Britain in the 20th century, died on November 13, 2005.
More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,saxophone
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
LaVerne Butler was born on February 25, 1962 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The daughter of saxophonist Scott Butler, she was extensively exposed to jazz and rhythm and blues music and with a lot of encouragement from her father.
Leaving Shreveport for New Orleans, Louisiana she attended the University of New Orleans. During this period LaVerne became a fixture in the city’s Dixieland and bebop venues singing with Ellis Marsalis, Alvin Batiste, Henry Butler ( no relation) and James Black, among others. A move to New York City in 1984 had her working as an English teacher, singing in clubs and studying with jazz veteran Jon Hendricks.
Her musical influences were Nancy Wilson and Sarah Vaughan. In 1992 she recorded her debut album No Looking Back for Chesky Records. Her sophomore album for the label was Day Dreamin’ , then planned on signing with Herbie Mann’s Kokopelli label in 1997, but that fell through when the company experienced financial problems. She then was brought into the MaxJazz label for two albums and finally landed with HighNote Records for her 2012 release Love Lost and Found Again.
Vocalist LaVerne Butler, who has yet to receive the recognition her talent deserves, continues to perform around the country.
More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,vocal
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Patti Wicks was born Patricia Ellen Chappell on February 24, 1945 and began playing the piano at the age of three. She later attended the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam.
Influenced by Bill Evans, she began to perform professionally and moved to New York City, where she played in small ensembles. She founded her own trio featuring bassists such as Sam Jones, Richard Davis, Brian Torff, and Mark Dresser, and drummers Curtis Boyd, Louis Hayes, Mickey Roker, and Alan Dawson.
In the 1970s, Wicks moved to Florida where she worked as a musician with, among others, Clark Terry, Larry Coryell, Frank Morgan, Ira Sullivan, Flip Phillips, Anita O’Day, Rebecca Parris, Roseanna Vitro and Giacomo Gates.
As an educator she taught jazz piano at colleges and gave private lessons. In 1997, Patti released her debut album Room at the Top: The Patti Wicks Trio. She was a guest on Marian McPartland’s NPR program Piano Jazz.
Vocalist and pianist Patti Wicks died on March 7, 2014.
More Posts: bandleader,history,instrumental,jazz,music,piano,vocals
CHRISTIE GRACE
Christie Grace returns to Frankie’s, showcasing Burt Bacharach’s classics with her signature velvety voice Paul Shaffer describes as “sweet honey & fine wine.” Following last summer’s sold-out show, she and her stellar band bring soulful new facets to these cherished songs. Jazz legend Sheila Jordan captures Christie’s evocative essence: “When I hear Christie sing, I believeevery word. She’s beautiful and then some”.
The Band: Christie Grace – vocals, Tom Arntzen – piano/vocals, Bill Runge – tenor sax/ flute, Conrad Good – bass, Buff Allen – drums.
Tickets: $23.00
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,genius,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel,vocal