Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Henry “Bass” Edwards was born on February 22, 1889 in Atlanta. Georgia and by 14 he began playing in local Odd Fellows’ Band, and subsequently studied music at Morris Brown College and Morehouse College.
During the first World War he played in the U.S. Army Bands, including a spell with Lt. J. Tim Brymn’s 350th FA. Band. From 1919 to 1920 he played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with various concert orchestras, including working with Sam Wooding.
1921 saw him playing for the next four years with several dance bands in the Philadelphia-Atlantic City, New Jersey area. In mid-1925, Bass joined Duke Ellington, but only remained with the band until spring 1926. He then joined Leon Abbey in New York City and toured South America during the spring 1927. Returning to the city, he joined the Allie Ross Orchestra, which played for the Blackbirds shows.
In 1929, he joined Noble Sissle’s band on brass bass, and sailed to Europe with him. On his return Edwards worked with Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and Eubie Blake, before rejoining Allie Ross for the Rhapsody in Black show. His last major jazz position was with the Charlie Matson Orchestra during 1933. He then worked mainly on string bass with various light and classical orchestras.
Tubist and bassist Bass Edwards died in New York, New York on August 22, 1965.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
John Maxwell Collie was born on February 21, 1931 in Melbourne, Australia. In 1946 he first heard professional jazz listening to Graham Bell’s lunchtime concerts at The New Theatre Melbourne. By 17 he was playing with a local band and shortly after leading it.
When he received the invitation by cable to take the trombone chair in the Melbourne New Orleans Jazz Band that was on tour in Europe, Max accepted and in 1962 arrived in England. He toured Europe until the band went back to Australia a year later, however, he decided to stay and joined the London City Stompers, becoming leader after a year. In 1966 he formed Max Collie’s Rhythm Aces and that band, notwithstanding the collapse of the UK jazz scene flourished.
The group released their first record in 1971 and in 1975 they won the World Championship of Jazz in traditional jazz against fourteen competing North American jazz bands in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He would go on to tour Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Japan and create a theater show. This show, Max Collie’s New Orleans Mardi Gras, which included Ken Colyer and Cy Laurie, turned out to be the most successful jazz show in British jazz history. Trombonist Max Collie died on January 6, 2018, at the age of 86.
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Jazz Poems
THE BLUES OF THIS DAY The blues of this day are as elegant and as sad as the minor thirds and we all try to sing it. What we want is to be brass The horn-scratched voice blown through. Valves as golden as his. Lord as crazy sex or first real heartbreak. It was always his back slightly bent away from all of us who adored him, gazing across his shoulders as the band jumped into the party one solo at a ti Or they could be rocking way off-ke going as far away from the melody as Venus to Mars. Funk can be as easy as t getting together in the dark. And as hard as the breaking light that catches the throat of sated lovers, the morning after. The talk the night before by the last of his men who knew the way of the world and then some, about Miles and his two steps ahead of the century like the first Black man to leave the Delta humming I gotta go, but I can’t take you. I gotta go, but I can’t take you. If you want to follow, then do what you want to do. Patricia Spears Jonesfrom Jazz Poems ~ Selected and Edited by Kevin Young
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Charles Kynard was born in St. Louis, Missouri on February 20, 1933 and first played piano then switched to organ and led a trio in Kansas City. The trio included Tex Johnson on flute and saxophone, and Leroy Anderson on drums.
In 1963, he settled in Los Angeles, California and his band featured guitarists Cal Green and Ray Crawford, drummer Johnny Kirkwood. Between 1963 to 1973 Charles recorded ten albums as a leader, and ten albums as a sideman with Johnny Almond, Paul Jeffrey, Les McCann, Blue Mitchell, Howard Roberts, Clifford Scott, Sonny Stitt, and Tom Waits.
Organist Charles Kynard died on July 8, 1979.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Judy Lewis was born on February 19, 1958 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and from age seven she studied classical piano, subsequently winning competitions throughout the Midwest. Moving to New York City she continued with her studies at Columbia University, but gradually moved from music to study religion. At 20 she moved to Israel where she continued to perform while searching for spiritual meaning in her life.
Her success as a performer was overshadowed by her desire to concentrate on spiritual matters. In 1991 Lewis began playing the piano again and by 1995 she returned to a music career, in addition to teaching to support her family. Dissatisfied with the classical form, by the mid-90s she turned to jazz. The catalyst came in Los Angeles, California when she attended her first jazz concert and was soon practicing extensively the work of jazz pianists such as Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Tommy Flanagan, Red Garland and Keith Jarrett.
She began composing her own music, formed a group, the Back Alley Jazz Quintet, and made her jazz debut in 1996. By the following year, Judy had brought the group down to a trio. Her acclaim grew in Israel, then expanded to tours of Europe and the USA. In 2002 she released a solo set, Waiting On A New Day, and then in 2003 she formed the fusion band, Phoenix Over Manhattan which would evolve into an acoustic band, No Expectations that was greeted warmly by critics.
Energetic, enthusiastic and determined, her concept of jazz had a vibrancy that was welcomed by many for its contrast to the smooth jazz outpourings of the early century. Pianist Judy Lewis, who operates a recording company, Visionary Insomniac Records, continues to perform, compose and record.
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