Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Shad Collins was born Lester Rallingston Collins on June 27, 1910 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He learned to play the trumpet and acquired the nickname Shad in his teens. The late 1920s saw him joining Charlie Dixon’s band and performing with pianist Eddie White before joining Chick Webb’s band in 1931. In the mid 1930s he played and toured Britain and Europe with Teddy Hill and then joined the Count Basie Orchestra.

Collins performed in Basie’s band at the From Spirituals to Swing concerts in New York City in 1938 and 1939. By the late 1930s he was working in the bands led by Benny Carter, Lester Young and Don Redman among others.

In 1941, he replaced Dizzy Gillespie in Cab Calloway’s band for two years, then sporadically through 1946. He worked and recorded in the 1940s with Oran “Hot Lips” Page, in the 50s with Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young and Sam “The Man” Taylor, when the later ventured into a more rhythm and blues sound.

Though he worked more on a part-time basis during the Sixties, he never recorded as a leader but was known for composing and arranging the frequently recorded tune “Rock-A-Bye Basie”. On June 6, 1978 trumpeter, composer and arranger Shad Collins passed away.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Jimmy Deuchar was born James Deuchar on June 26, 1930 in Dundee, Scotland. Taught trumpet by WWI bugler John Lynch, after national service he began his professional career in the John Dankworth Seven in 1950. He would go on to work with the Oscar Rabin Band, Ronnie Scott, and Kurt Edelhagen’s Orchestra through the decade.

By the Sixties he was working with Tubby Hayes and sitting in with visiting Americans at Ronnie Scott’s club. A highly gifted player and a leading exponent of the “modern” style, he was in demand and achieved success as a touring player in Europe and the United States.

He joined the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band during the late 60 and early 70s, returned to London and freelanced, arranged for the BBC Big Band, the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra and played in a number of settings.

He recorded a number of albums as a leader and sideman beginning in the Fifties utilizing many of his compositions on albums such as The Deuchar Plays Deuchar, Down In The Village, Pal Jimmy and Live In London.

 With his health deteriorated, on September 9, 1993 jazz trumpeter and arranger Jimmy Deuchar, who was influenced by Fats Navarro and whose small range was broad and fat toned, passed away at age 63.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Lammar Wright Sr. was born on June 20, 1907 in Texarkana, Texas but grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He began his musical career playing and recording with Bennie Moten’s band in 1923. Relocating to New York City in 1927 Lammar played with The Missourians, staying with the group after Cab Calloway became its leader. Wright remained Calloway’s lead trumpeter until 1942.

Playing sporadically with Calloway through the rest of the decade, Wright would also played with Don Redman, Claude Hopkins, Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, Sy Oliver and Louis Armstrong.

In the 1950s and 1960s he taught music and worked as a studio musician, in addition to recording with Arnett Cobb, Count Basie, the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra and George Shearing.

Wright led his own groups from time to time, had a role in the 1968 film The Night They Raided Minksy’s. Trumpeter Lammar Wright passed away on April 13, 1973 in New York City.

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Requisites

Miles & Monk at Newport ~ The Miles Davis Sextet Featuring Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane, and The Thelonious Monk Quartet, plus Pee Wee Russell | By Eddie Carter

This morning’s album from the library, Miles & Monk at Newport (Columbia CL 2178/CS 8978), documents two performances on July 3, 1958, and 1963 by The Miles Davis Sextet and The Thelonious Monk Quartet. The lineup is Miles Davis on trumpet; Julian “Cannonball” Adderley on alto sax; John Coltrane (tracks: A1 to A4), Charlie Rouse on tenor sax; Pee Wee Russell on clarinet (tracks: B1, B2); Wynton Kelly (tracks: A1 to A4), Thelonious Monk (tracks: B1, B2) on piano; Paul Chambers (tracks: A1 to A4), Butch Warren (tracks: B1, B2) on bass; Jimmy Cobb (tracks: A1 to A4), and Frankie Dunlop (tracks: B1, B2) on drums. The copy I own is no. 1841 of the 2013 U.S. Record Store Day Limited Edition mono audiophile reissue, sharing the original catalog number from Miles Davis – The Original Mono Recordings series.

The opener is Charlie Parker’s Ah-Leu-Cha, and the sextet’s melody flies out of the gate at the outset. Miles launches into the lead solo rapidly, then John takes flight next, soaring through the skies. Cannonball also moves at lightning speed next, before the ensemble jumps back into the closing chorus featuring two brief comments by Jimmy ahead of an abrupt stop. The audience has a second to catch their breath when the sextet changes gears for Thelonious Monk’s Straight, No Chaser. The group’s easygoing melody sets the tone. Miles makes his entrance with a mellow swing. Coltrane follows with a laid-back solo, then Adderley hits a cool groove. Kelly displays his versatility next, and Chambers takes a relaxing walk, leading back into the theme’s reprise and climax.

Miles switches to a mute to introduce the melody of Fran Dance, his tribute to his then-wife Frances. Cannonball leads off this time with a leisurely, carefree opening statement. John follows, making the most of each note with brilliant idea upon idea in an invigorating interpretation. Wynton gets the last word in a bluesy reading that takes the audience and listener into a restatement of the theme and a soft summation. The first side closes with Two Bass Hit, by Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane. Switching back to his open trumpet, Miles kicks things off with a lively opening and main theme, while Jimmy drives the group forward with his dynamic playing. Coltrane is the featured soloist and motors along at a breakneck pace into Miles’ return for the closing chorus, and a final thought by Cobb into the explosive climax.

The Thelonious Monk Quartet and guest Pee Wee Russell begin Side Two with their 1963 performance of Nutty, the first of two originals by Monk. Monk’s introduction sets the stage for the ensemble’s good-humored opening chorus. Charlie sails through the lead solo efficiently. Pee Wee continues the laid-back mood on the second reading. Monk swings casually into the third interpretation, then Butch delivers a few solid bass lines, and Frankie has the last word before the close. Blue Monk is the tune the pianist recorded most often throughout his career. Monk opens with a short introduction segueing into the ensemble’s melody. Rouse leads the way with an abundance of nostalgic charm. Russell answers him with a soulful statement. Monk matches them with a smooth statement, and Warren takes a short walk until the theme’s reprise.

Teo Macero produced both concerts, though it’s not clear who recorded them. Still, the sound quality on both dates is surprisingly good for the time they were recorded. This mono reissue is pressed on 180-gram vinyl and is completely silent until the music begins. The front and rear covers are made of sturdy, heavy cardstock. If I had to mention one small critique, it would be that Miles & Monk were two of the biggest stars on Columbia’s roster, and it might have been wonderful to see each performance released in a two-record set. But putting that aside, Miles & Monk at Newport is more than just a piece of jazz history; it’s a lively celebration of the genre’s energy and diversity during the late 50s and early 60s. If you’re a fan of either artist, I highly recommend checking it out next time you’re record shopping. Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk lead their bands through two unforgettable performances that every jazz fan should experience!

~ Straight, No Chaser – Source: JazzStandards.com © 2026 by Edward Thomas Carter

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Claudio Roditi was born on May 28, 1946 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. He began his musical studies of trumpet when he was just five years old and his native Brazilian music nearly took a back seat as he became enamored with jazz recordings of Louis Armstrong, Harry James and other American trumpeters.

By 13, he became familiar with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. At the age of twenty, he was named a finalist in the International Jazz Competition in Vienna, and the following year, moved to Mexico City where he was active on the contemporary music scene.  Relocating to Boston in 1970 he enrolled at the Berklee School of Music.

In 1976 Roditi moved to New York eventually establishing himself in the highly competitive atmosphere of the world’s jazz capital. He would go on to perform with Joe Henderson, Charlie Rouse, Herbie Mann, Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, and Paquito D’Rivera.  He has been a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra, The Jazz Masters led by Slide Hampton and his solo work Symphonic Bossa Nova with Ettore Stratta and the Royal Philharmonic earned Roditi a Grammy nomination in 1995 as well as Brazilliance X4 in 2010.

Claudio easily integrates post-bop elements and Brazilian rhythmic concepts, is in demand as a studio musician and a sideman, has composed, arranged and recorded seventeen critically acclaimed albums. The trumpeter currently tours leading his own band, is frequently travels as a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra and is on the faculty of the School of Contemporary Music.

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