The Jazz Voyager

The Jazz Voyager is flying out west to make another visit to Canada for a little jazz and will be settling down on the Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia at the Vancouver International Airport. I’ll have three options to get downtown and I’m not sure whether to take the SkyTrain, float plane or helicopter into Vancouver.

This week’s destination for jazz sits in the heart of the entertainment district at Beatty and Robson streets. It is the dimly lit, warm and intimate atmosphere within the four walls of Frankie’s Jazz Club. Inside the club we’ll be privileged to hear the singular sound of Oregon trumpeter Cyrus Nabipoor on his West Coast Known Entity tour.

Tickets range from $18.00~$23.00 and Frankie’s is located at 755 Beatty Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 2M4 Canada. For more information visit https://www.frankiesjazzclub.ca.

CALIFORNIA JAZZ FOUNDATION

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Benny Strickler was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas on January 9, 1917 and took music lessons as a pre-teen and later played in a town band. After graduating high school, he became a professional musician and played with several territory bands in Arkansas and the Southwest. In 1935, with wife Frances in tow, he joined the migration from the Dust Bowl to the Golden State.

Benny established himself as one of the top trumpeters in Los Angeles, California. He played with bands led by Ben Pollack, Joe Venuti, Vido Musso and boxing champ/string bassist Max Baer. He even got an invitation from Artie Shaw, which he turned down.

He recorded his first recordings in 1937 with the Choir of Brass led by vocalist/pianist Seger Ellis. In 1941 he went to work with Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys and along with Danny Alguire and Alex Brashear and reedman Woodie Woods they shaped the swinging sound of the band between 1941-42. World War II broke them up with some enlisting, others drafted, however, Benny was exempted due to tuberculosis.

His illness worsened and was ultimately forced to quit playing. He returned to Arkansas, checking into a Booneville sanitarium. Trumpeter  Benny Strickler, who played with the top Western Swing and Traditional bands, played sporadically until he succumbed to the tuberulosis and died on December 8, 1946.

DOUBLE IMPACT FITNESS

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Bobby Stark was born on January 6, 1906 in New York City and started playing music at age 15. He played piano, clarinet, saxophone, and alto horn before deciding on trumpet. In the mid-1920s he played with June Clark, Edgar Dowell, Leon Abbey, Duncan Mayers, Bobbie Brown, Bobby Lee, Billy Butler, Charles Turner, McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, and Chick Webb, the last in 1926-27.

From 1927 to 1933, he played in the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra as a featured soloist. He returned to duty under Chick Webb behind Taft Jordan from 1934 to 1939. After Webb’s death, he remained in the orchestra, now under the direction of Ella Fitzgerald.

In 1940, he left the group to freelance, however, from 1942 to 1943 he served in the Army. Discharged in 1944 he then played with Garvin Bushell and Benny Morton shortly before his death.

Trumpeter Bobby Stark, who never led a recording session, transitioned on December 29, 1945 in New York City at the age of 39.

DOUBLE IMPACT FITNESS

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CYRUS NABIPOOR

Oregon trumpeter Cyrus Nabipoor on his West Coast ‘Known Entity’ tour is a distinctive voice both on the horn and in his songwriting, His singular sound has garnered him international acclaim. He has been a featured festival artist at PDX Jazz, Cathedral Park, Montavilla Jazz, New Orleans French Quarter, and Chicago Instigation.

To date, he has released 2 albums under his own name, and collaborated on numerous more. Cyrus has served on faculty at Loyola University New Orleans. He is an artist-in-residence at multiple Portland Public Schools, and runs a private trumpet studio.

Cover Charge: $18.00~$23.00

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Ray Starling was born in London, England on Jauary 4, 1933 and began his musical training on piano. He started playing trumpet when he moved to the United States at age 16. He started his career as a member of the Kai Winding band and played the mellophone on two songs on Kai’s 1960 album The Incredible Kai Winding Trombones.

By the time he joined the Stan Kenton band in 1961, he had made several recordings not only on trumpet but also on flugelhorn and mellophone. He played in, and wrote for, Kenton’s band in 1961 and ’62. He replaced Gene Roland in the mellophone section, while Roland took the arranger position for the band.  Starling played on the album Adventures In Blues consisting entirely of original compositions and arrangements by Roland.

After leaving the Kenton outfit, Ray briefly co-led with Joel Kaye the New York Soundstage Orchestra #1 that accompanied vocalists such as Annette Sanders and Tony Bennett. The name changed in the Seventies to the New York Neophonic Orchestra under Kaye’s leadership..

Starling continued to record through the ‘60s, notably in Johnny Richards’ big band and on J.J. Johnson’s 1965 big band album Goodies. He played piano in Buddy Rich’s big band in 1967.

Moving to Phoenix, Arizona is where he spent his remaining years. Trumpeter, mellophonist, pianist and arranger Ray Starling, who also played and recorded with Ray Eberly, Claude Thirnill, Johnny Richards, Sal Salvador, Peter Appleyard and Tony Ortega among others, died on May 15, 1982.

DOUBLE IMPACT FITNESS

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