Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Big Eye Louis Nelson was born Louis Nelson Delisle on January 28, 1885 in New Orleans, Louisiana into a family who were Creoles of color. He spent most of his life in his hometown and studied clarinet with the elder Lorenzo Tio.
By the age of 15, Big Eye was working professionally in the music venues of Storyville, an area of brothels and clubs in New Orleans where Black musicians could find work. He developed a style of hot jazz, also known as Dixieland, and was an influence on clarinetists Johnny Dodds and Jimmie Noone.
In 1917, Nelson joined the reconstituted Original Creole Orchestra that included Freddie Keppard and Bill Johnson. Disbanded in Boston in the spring of that year, it was reassembled in New York City later in the fall. After a short while, he was replaced by Jimmie Noone. He was the regular clarinetist with the Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight but did not play on their 1929 recording sessions.
He made his only recordings in his later years in the 1940s, by which time he was often in poor health. Dixieland clarinetist Big Eye Louis Nelson, who also played double bass, banjo, and accordion, transitioned on August 20, 1949.
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Three Wishes
While hanging out with Larry Gales one evening Nica asked him what he would wish for if given three he said:
- “Eternal life.”
- “More knowledge of the instrument.”
- “Safe journey.”
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Alvin “Buddy” Banks was born on January 15, 1927 in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada and grew up in the United States. He became interested in music during high school, starting out on piano before switching to saxophone. During World War II he joined the United States Army Band as a bass player.
Making his first appearance on record was in Vienna, Austria with Thurmond Young, this group also played live at the Colored Club. He played in Paris, France with Gerry Wiggins in 1950, and then with Bill Coleman in Bern, Switzerland, Le Havre, France and Belgium. After problems with his passport in Switzerland, he left for Paris in 1953, where he recorded often with expatriate American jazz musicians as well as local performers.
These include Hazel Scott, Buck Clayton, Lionel Hampton, Mezz Mezzrow, Don Byas, Albert Nicholas, and André Persiany. He toured with Michel Attenoux and with Sidney Bechet through Western and Central Europe in 1954.
Double bassist Buddy Banks transitioned on August 7, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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CURTIS LUNDY PRESENTS ERIC LEWIS
Curtis Lundy an American double bass player, composer, producer, choir director and arranger. Lundy is best known for his work as part of jazz vocalist Betty Carter band. Over the years, he has brought some of the most legendary jazz legacies to The Velvet Note, including Bobby Watson and, most recently, Cyrus Chestnut. This month, he travels in with pianist Eric Lewis and Terreon Gully.
Popularly known as ELEW, jazz pianist Eric Lewis has found cross-over success playing rock and pop music. He is known for his unconventional and physical playing style, which eschews a piano bench and includes reaching inside the piano lid to pull at the strings directly, as well as the creation that he calls “Rockjazz”, a genre that takes the improvisational aspect of jazz and threads it through the eye of the needle of rock.
His distinctive style has helped him to amass a large following of celebrity fans, including Barack and Michelle Obama (for whom he has played at the White House), Leonardo DiCaprio, Donna Karan, Téa Leoni, David Duchovny, Hugh Jackman, Forest Whitaker, and Gerard Butler. Throughout his career, he has performed with musicians such as Sting, The Roots, Natalie Cole, and Esperanza Spalding. In the spring of 2011, he joined singer-songwriter Josh Groban as the opening act on the American leg of the singer’s Straight to You Tour.
Hailing from East St. Louis, Illinois, Terreon Gully has performed with various musicians and genres, including the Christian McBride Band, saxophonist Ron Blake, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, vocalist Dianne Reeves and Latin band Yerba Buena among numerous others. He was the Professor of Drumset at University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from 2008 until 2010
Showtimes: Friday & Saturday ~ 7:30pm | 9:30pm
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THE BAD PLUS
Reid Anderson – bass
Dave King – drums
Ben Monder – guitar
Chris Speed – tenor saxophone
The Bad Plus are the ultimate originals. A democratic unit with a clear vision and a refusal to conform to convention. For the past two decades they have played with spirit and adventure, made their own rules and done so with a bold sense of creativity and intent. Avoiding easy categorization, The Bad Plus has won critical acclaim and a legion of fans worldwide with their unique sound and flair for live performance.
Now in their 21st year, The Bad Plus continues to push boundaries as founding members Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (drums) embark on a new piano-less incarnation of the band with Ben Monder (guitar) and Chris Speed (tenor saxophone) – instigating a new wave of excitement and anticipation within the band that is re-energizing their sound and inspiration. The Bad Plus have constantly searched to bridge genres and techniques while exploring the infinite possibilities of exceptional musicians working in perfect sync.
The Bad Plus released their 15th studio recording and debut self-titled album as a dynamic new quartet via Edition Records on Friday, September 30th. “Evolution is necessary for life and creativity,” say Dave King and Reid Anderson. “We’ve evolved, but we’re still The Bad Plus.”
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