Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Leroy ‘Cash’ Maxey was born on June 6, 1904 in Kansas City, Missouri, of mixed Native American heritage. He grew up receiving a musical education from Major N. Clark Smith, father of future tubist Jimmy Smith, with whom he was a student at Kansas City’s Lincoln High School. He was also in good company there with trombonist E.B. DePriest Wheeler, trumpeter Lammar Wright, trumpeter Harry Cooper, saxophonist Eli Logan, tubist Jasper ‘Jap’ Aallen, and bassist Walter Page.
Maxey’s first musical steps were in marching bands and then he made his first appearance as one of Dave Lewis’ Jazz Boys in 1917 and for the next three years held the drum seat in the spetet. This eventually evolved into the Dave Lewis Orchestra.
Throughout his career he hwld membership in the Andy Preer And The Cotton Club Orchestra, Cab Calloway And His Cotton Club Orchestra, Cab Calloway And His Orchestra, Chu Berry And His Stompy Stevedores, and The Missourians. Being a percssionist, during the Roaring Twenties, Leroy added the xylophone to his arsenal of instruments, although he never recorded playing it.
Drummer Leroy Maxey, notable for his use of the bass drum pedal and his four-to-the-floor technique, died on July 24, 1987 in Los Angeles, California.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Born in Quebec, Canada on June 5, 1980 pianist Chantale Gagné began studying music at the age of 8 and at fifteen she fulfilled her passion witht he piano. From 1997 to 1999 she studied jazz piano with James Gelfand at College Marie-Victorin in Montreal, Canada. Following this with four years at McGill University, she graduated with a degree in Jazz Piano Performance.
In 2005, Chantale met pianist Kenny Barron, studied with him and was inspired both as a pianist and composer of jazz. She has since been busy performing throughout Canada, United States. and Europe in trio, quartet, piano solo and big band configurations.
Silent Strength, is her self-produced debut trio album with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash featuring many of her original compositions. Garnering wonderful reviews it has received global radio play.
Gagné’s sophomore album, Wisdom Of The Water, released in 2010 adds a folk/heartland influence along with vibraphonist Joe Locke along with Washington and Nash. Her third album, The Left Side Of The Moon, has saxophonist Steve Wilson joining the resident rhythm team.
Pianist and composer Chantale Gagné, who has received the distinction Révélation Radio-Canada Musique 2008-09, continues to perform, record and tour.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Britt Woodman was born on June 4, 1920 in Los Angeles, California. A childhood friend of Charles Mingus, he first worked with Phil Moore and Les Hite. After serving in World War II he played with Boyd Raeburn before joining with Lionel Hampton in 1946.
During the 1950s he worked with Duke Ellington. As a member of Ellington’s band he can be heard on twenty-five recorings such as 1957’s Such Sweet Thunder, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book, and 1958’s Black, Brown, and Beige and Ellington Indigos.
1960 saw Britt departing from Ellington to work in a pit orchestra. He went on to later work with Mingus and can be heard on the album Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus released in 1963. In the 1970s he led his own octet and recorded with pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi. In 1989, he was part of the personnel for the album Epitaph dedicated to the previously unrecorded music of Charles Mingus.
He recorded Playing For Keeps and In L.A. as a leader, and leaves a sideman recording catalogue of ninety-three albums with Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band, Bill Berry, Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Smith, Gene Ammons, Ray Brown, Ruth Brown, Frank Capp, Nat Pierce, Benny Carter, Rosemary Clooney, John Coltrane, Randy Crawford, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, Booker Ervin, John Fahey, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Chico Hamilton, Jimmy Hamilton, Hank Jones, Oliver Nelson, Philly Joe Jones, Jon Lucien, Galt MacDermot, Teo Macero, Junior Mance, The Manhattan Transfer, Wade Marcus, Blue Mitchell, Grover Mitchell, James Moody, Maria Muldaur, Oliver Nelson, Oscar Peterson, Zoot Sims, Billy Taylor, Clark Terry, Teri Thornton, Jimmy Woode
Trombonisit Britt Woodman died in Hawthorne, California at the age of 80, having suffered severe respiratory problems on October 13, 2000.
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On The Bookshelf
WHAT JAZZ IS | JONNY KING
Drawing on the unique insight of a seasoned jazz pianist, What Jazz Is offers an illuminating journey into the heartbeat of America’s original art form. With clarity and passion, Jonny King breaks down the essential building blocks of jazz, tempo, harmony, and melody, demystifying the role each instrument plays in creating the genre’s unmistakable sound.
Through the eyes and ears of a performer, he reveals the hidden structure behind improvisation, showing that what often sounds spontaneous is guided by a deep internal logic and shared musical language. Far from abstract theory, his explanations come to life through vivid examples and personal reflections.
King pays tribute to the giants who shaped jazz, Art Blakey’s explosive rhythms, John Coltrane’s spiritual intensity, Thelonious Monk’s angular genius, while also spotlighting the brilliance of modern innovators like Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride, and Joshua Redman.
Part guide, part homage, What Jazz Is invites readers to hear jazz not just as music, but as a conversation—one that’s rich with history, soul, and ever-evolving creativity.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
John Troy was born on June 3, 1989 in Buffalo, New York. He began playing the saxophone at age twelve. After showing exceptional ability in the classical realm throughout middle school, with the tutelage of William Eicher, his attention gradually turned toward the study of Jazz Saxophone. He honed his skills with lead alto saxophone for Concert and Jazz All-County Ensembles, and New York All-State Bands as well.
John played both lead alto and tenor in the Fredonia Jazz Ensemble, student big band. He can be heard on the 2009 release of the FJE’s, Still Kickin’ and his debut album All Ahead Flank. He led his own small groups, Jazz Quintessential, and an organ trio, the JT Trio both with significant success.
He has performed and/or studied with the likes of Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart, Ralph Lalama, Todd Coolman, Tim Armacost, Chris Potter, Tom Harrell, Stacy Dillard, Hal Galper, Arturo O’ Farrell, and Pete Malinverni, among others.
Tenor saxophonist John Troy continues to find his musical way through performance and recording in the hard bop genre..
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