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Benny Goodman         

Benjamin, David Goodman was born in Chicago on May 30th, 1909. Benny—, learned to play the clarinet—first at a synogogue, and later at Chicago’s ‘Hull-House, a charitable Institute. Benny showed  exceptional talent right from the start, and even before he was in his teens he began performing in public and was soon playing with energing artists like Jimmy McPartland, Dave Tough and Frank Teschemacher. at the age of 14 he went to work with Bix Beiderbecke. In 1925 Goodman was hired by Ben Pollack and stayed with that band leader until 1929 when he became a highly demanded studio musician in New York. Goodman had many hundreds of recording dates. In the late 20’s and early 30’s Goodman played with Red Nichols, Ted Lewis and others. About the same time, Goodman found himself in the illustrious company of Fats Waller with ‘McKenzies Mound City Blue Blowers.. Within five years, Goodman began forming his famous combos—trio, quartet, quintet, sextet—joining forces with Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa, and Lionel Hampton. He really created a sensation while playing at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. That was the time and place when the crowd went wild and dubbed Goodman "The King of Swing." The swing era was born!

SLIM Gaillard  

Was born Bulee Gaillard on January 4th, 1916, in Santa Clara, Cuba. He led an adventurous childhood, --one time travelling aboard a ship on which his father was steward. Slim was left behind in Crete when the ship sailed. Gaillard dabbled in just about every profession: He was a boxer, mortician, truck driver and bootlegger. In Detroit he entered Vaudeville in the early 30s where he played guitar and tap-danced. Later he moved to New York and formed a duo with Slam Stewart the renowned bassist. Gaillard sang and played guitar—with his own personal version of the current ‘Jive talk’. He went on to record several hits—"Flat foot Floogy" with Stewart, and " Cement mixer putti putti" with Bam Brown. Another hit, " Down by the station" which began as a unique jazz piece, became a classic among children’s nursery rhymes. Later on, Gaillard worked with Dizzy Gillespie ands, in the late forties, did some eccentric performances such as playing piano with his hands upside down. Slim Gaillard was a Character in every sense of the word, and some people never understood his language. In the 80’s he appeared on numerous stage and TV shows in London where he settled down. Gaillard’s tall, loping figure, invariably topped with a big grin and white beret became a familiar sight and in 1989 he starred in a four-part television series on BBC entitled "The world of Slim Gaillard."

Erroll Garner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania June 15, 1921. A self-taught pianist, he played on the radio at the age of 10 and within a few more years was playing professionally. In 1944, Garner moved to N.Y. and began working in night clubs and at the jazz oriented joints along 52nd street. For a short time he played with a trio led by Slam Stewart and then formed his own trio. Garner wirked in this was and as a soloist for the rest of his life, touring the USA throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s, playing prestigeous hotel and club engagements, appearing at festivals and on radio and TV. While Garner’s playing suggests that of Fatha Earl Hines to some extent and that of the great stride piano players, Garner is uniquely himself. He was the first jazz pianist since Fats Waller who appealed to a non-jazz audience, and the first jazzman ever to achieve popular acclaim without recourse to singing or clowning around. Garner is in a class all by himself. He came from nowhere and, since his death in in 1977, there has been no other pianist following in his footsteps.

George Gershwin

In a career tragically cut short in mid-stride by a brain tumor, George Gershwin (1898-1937) proved himself to be not only one of the great songwriters of his extremely rich era, but also a gifted "serious" composer who bridged the worlds of classical and popular music. The latter is all the more striking, given that, of his contemporaries, Gershwin was the most influenced by such styles as jazz and blues. Gershwin's first major hit, interpolated into the show Sinbad in 1919, was "Swanee," sung by Al Jolson. Gershwin wrote both complete scores and songs for such variety shoes as George Whites Scandals (whose annual editions thus were able to introduce such songs as "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" and "Somebody Loves Me"). After 1924, Gershwin worked primarily with his brother Ira as his lyricist. The two scored a series of Broadway hits in the '20s and early '30s, starting with Lady Be Good (1924), which included the song "Fascinatin' Rhythm." 1924 was also the year Gershwin composed his first classical piece, "Rhapsody in Blue," and he would continue to work in the classical field until his death.By the '30s, the Gershwins had turned to political topics and satire in response to the onset of the Depression, and their Of Thee I Sing became the first musical to win a Pulitzer Prize. In the mid '30s, Gershwin ambitiously worked to meld his show music and classical leanings in the creation of the folk opera Porgy and Bess, The Gershwins had moved to Hollywood and were engaged in several movie projects at the time of George Gershwin's death.

Stan Getz was born on February 2nd, 1927 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and his big band experience began when he was 15. He played with Jack Teagarden in 1943, with Stan Kenton in 1944.45, with Jimmy Dorsey in 1945 and with Benny Goodman in 1945-46. Getz actually made recording under his own name when he was only 19. From 1947 to 1949 he played with Woody Herman, and then began leading his own quartets and quintets. He also played in Scandanavia in 1951. Getz is one of the most renowned jazzmen and one of the few who have received wide-spread acclaim while retaining the admiration of fellow musicians.

TERRY GIBBS  

Terry Gibbs was born as Julius Gubenko. On October 13th, 1924 in New York
city. After an all-round study of percussion, he concentrated on vibraphone, working with such leaders as Tommy Dorsey, Chubby Jackson and Buddy Rich. At the end of the 40’s Gibbs received international prominence thanks to a two year spell with Woody Herman, followed by a brief period with Benny Goodman’s sextet. In the fifties he formed his own big band and worked on television with singer Mel Torme’. Towards the end of the decade he reformed his big band in California which he led at the famous Monterey Jazz Festival in 1961. Gibbs playing always swings and he creates one of the most exciting sounds in jazz.

Dizzie Gillespie  

Dizzie Gillespie, the famous trumpeter was born as John Birks Gillespie in Cheraw, S. Carolina on October 21st, 1917. He began playing trombone at the age of 12 and took up the trumpter one year later. Largely self-taught,Gillespie won a musical scholorship, but preferred playing music to formal study and quit University in 1935. He went to live in Philadelphia where he played in local bands. It was here that he earned the nickname *Dizzie’ from a fellow trumpeter because of his zestful behavior. You could write a thick book about Gillespie’s rise to fame and his impact on the modern jazz world and—indeed, books have been written for all to read. Suffice it to say that Dizzy ranked only second to Louis Armstrong in development of the trumpet, and actually helped re-shape music. He was one of the true giants in jazz.

Although he was a fine classically trained pianist who emigrated to the United States in 1911, Jean Goldkette's importance to jazz is as a bandleader in the 1920s. Goldkette actually had over 20 bands under his name by the mid-'20s, but it was his main unit (which recorded for Victor during 1924-1929) that is the only one remembered today. In 1924, the band included Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and Joe Venuti, , with the legendary cornetist Bix Beiderbecke heard on just one selection .. However, in 1926, Beiderbecke became the orchestra's top soloist and the jazz lineup was pretty impressive.

Dexter Gordon

Dexter Gordon had such a colorful and eventful life (with three separate comebacks) that his story would make a great Hollywood movie. The top tenor saxophonist to emerge during the bop era and possessor of his own distinctive sound, Gordon sometimes was long-winded and quoted excessively from other songs, but he created a large body of superior work and could battle nearly anyone successfully at a jam session. His first important gig was with Lionel Hampton (1940-1943) although, due to Illinois Jacquet also being in the sax section, Gordon did not get any solos.

Stephane Grappelli was born in Paris on January 26th, 1908. He played harmonium at ten, his first violin at twelve and was soon studying as the Paris conservatoire.
At sixteen he was playing at silent-film movie theatres and in Paris courtyards
for pennies until he was introduced into the Gregorians—a big band modelled on Jack Hylton’s band It wasn’t long after that Grappelli met Django Reinhardt and a sensational partnership developed: With three other members the Quintet of the Hot Club of France was born and with it..A new jazz. Following Django’s death , Grappelli rapidly turned into a super-star, playing Carnegie Hall in 1974 and touring America and Europe with his own quartet. Right into the 1990’s he continued to play at full strength and with a variety of partners and his talent to improvise seemed to mature—like vintage wine.

Freddie Green  

Freddie Green was born in Charleston, S. Carolina on March 31st, 1911.
He was a self-taught musician who began on Banjo. Green became known around New York Jazz clubs in the early 30’s, and by 1936 he switched to guitar. He was recommended to Count Basie who was looking for a replacement at the time, and was hired in 1937. Green became a member of the famous All-American Rhythm Section—with Basie, Walter Page and Jo Jones. Green remained with Basie until 1950, when the big band folded, but returned when Basie reformed the band and remained there until Basie’s death in 1984. Freddie Green was a meticulous time-keeper and a driving force that helped ensure the suburb swing of the Basie band all the way from its Kansas Cotu sound of the 30’s all through 50’s and afterwards. On many recording, Green’s guitar is virtually inaudible, but everyone who played with him insist that his beat was a main factor in ensuring the band’s propulsive swing.

Sonny Greer

Guarnieri was born in New York city on March 23rd 1917. Although he studied piano for Johnny mally, his musical future was determined by meeting Fats Waller, Willy the Lion Smith, James P. Johnson and Art Tatum. Johnson told Guarnieri one time, " After Fats and me—you’re number three!" (Quite a compliment!)  Guarnieri had remarkably small hands, but nevertheless was adept at playing stride piano and his big breakthrough came when he played with the swing bands of the era—Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Jimmy Dorsey.With Shaw, he played harpsichord in the famous Gramercy Five. During the forties Guarnieri worked in broadcast studios extensively—often with Raymond Scott’s orchestra, and enjoyed recording sessions with Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, and Louis Armstrong. In the 60’s he spent many years as house pianist at the Hollywood Plaza Hotel.

Bobby Hackett

Bobby Hackett's mellow tone and melodic style offered a contrast to the brasher Dixieland-oriented trumpeters. Emphasizing his middle-register and lyricism, Hackett was a flexible soloist who actually sounded little like his main inspiration, Louis Armstrong. When Hackett first came up he was briefly known as "the new Bix " because of the similarity in his approach to that of Bix Beiderbecke, but very soon he developed his own distinctive sound. Originally a guitarist (which he doubled on until the mid-'40s), Hackett performed in local bands, and by 1936 was leading his own group. He moved to New York in 1937, played with Joe Marsala, appeared at Benny Goodmans 1938 Carnegie Hall concert .

Was born in New York on March 13^th, 1914. After studying guitar, formally and Trumpet, informally, Haggart switched to bass—self-taught, and played with various small time dance bands. He became internationally known upon joining former members of Ben pollack’s band. The new outfit— under the nominal leadership of Bob Crosby was a great success during the swing era, combining currently popular dance music with two-beat dixieland. Haggart arranged several of the band’s most popular numbers and worked together with drummer Ray Bauduc on a tune which became one of the great classics of the swing era, "Big Noise from Winnetka". On this number, Haggart whistled through his front teeth sibilantly while pressing the strings of his bass, and, at the same time, Bauduc played on the bass strings with his drum sticks. In 1942 Haggart left the Crosby band and returned to studio work and arranging for many artists including Louis Armstrong. In the early fifties he teamed up with Yank Lawson to form the Lawson-Haggart Jazz band, calling it the "World’s Greatest Jazz Band." Haggart remained a popular figure at festivals and reunions of the old Crosby Band, touring the USA and Europe as bandleader and sideman and making records.

EDMOND HALL  

Chico Hamilton

Chico Hamilton, a subtle and creative drummer, will probably always be better known for the series of quintets that he led during 1955-1965 and for his ability as a talent scout than for his fine drumming. Hamilton first played drums while in high school with the many fine young players who were in Los Angeles at the time. He made his recording debut with Slim Gaillard, , toured with Lionel Hampton, , and served in the military (1942-1946).

Jimmy Hamilton  

Lionel Hampton was born on April 20th, 1908 in Louisville, Ky: At an early age, he was taken to Chicago, where his grandparents lived, and they sent him to Holy Rosary Academy at Collins, Wisconsin where he learned the basics of military band drumming. By the end of the 20’s Hampton became a professional drummer, playing in various territory bands on the west coast. He played at the Los Angeles Cotton club where Louis Armstrong was also performing, and on some of these dates he also played vibraphone, piano, and sang. In 1936, while leading his own band at the Paradise club, a fateful event took place: He was joined by Benny Goodman, Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa who happened to be passing through during a tour. Goodman was so impressed by that session that he invited Hampton to attend a recording date already scheduled for his trio. The resulting records were so successful that the Goodman trio became a quartet—with Hampton on vibes. And when Gene Krupa abruptly left Goodman in 1938, Hampton took over on drums as well. Lionel Hampton formed his own band in 1941 and hired outstanding musicians, and from the early fifties he toured Europe regularly and became popular at international festivals. In the 70’s and 80’s, Hamp was still hard at work—touring, recording, playing, singing and..despite arthritis—dancing in front of his orchestras as if time stood still since 1941. For many years, Lionel Hampton was the only vibraphonist in jazz, and one of the truly great giants.

Slide Hampton

Slide Hampton has been a fine trombonist and arranger since the mid-'50s, helping to keep the tradition of bop alive in both his playing and his writing. After working with Buddy Johnson and Lionel Hampton, he became an important force in Maynard Fersusons excellent big band. After traveling with Woody Herman to Europe in 1968, he settled overseas where he stayed very active. Since returning to the U.S. in 1977, he led his World of Trombones (which features nine trombonists), played in a co-op quintet called Continuum, and been involved in several Dizzy Gillespie tribute projects, recording in the 1990s for Telarc

Herbie Hancock  

Herbie Hancock was born in Chicago on April 12th, 1940 and grew up in a musical household. He studied piano from the age of seven and gave his first public performance when he was nine. Although he played classical music, his interest was mainly in jazz, in which he made his debut. Hancock first played with trumpeter Donald Byrd in New York in 1961, and recorded with both Byrd and with his own small group. During the early and mid-sixties Hancock led bands for club engagements and record dates, but his big break-through came when he joined the Miles Davis Quintet with which he stayed for five years. In 1968 he formed his own sextet, which became one of the most popular and influential groups in the jazz-rock movement of the 70’s.

W.C. Handy

W.C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues," brought the music of rural Southern blacks into the mainstream by copyrighting old songs and writing new songs, spurring the blues into the mainstream of popular music during the 1910s and '20s. He was also a highly trained veteran of the music world who led all manner of groups: string quartets, brass bands, and a touring minstrel-show group. William Christopher Handy was born in Florence, AL, in 1873. His early years were spent living in a log cabin built by his grandfather, a local minister (as was his father). Handy was musical from an early age, and took lessons on the cornet from a local barbershop.

  Erskine Hawkins

A talented pianist best-known for his big band recording of "Stardust," Edgar Hayes never became a major name but he worked steadily throughout his long career. Hayes graduated with a music degree from Wilberforce University. He toured the South with Fess Williams Orchestra in 1922 and two years later led his Blue Grass Buddies in Ohio.. Hayes played and arranged for the Mills Blue Rhythm Band during 1931-36, staying with the band after it was taken over by Lucky Millinder.

Coleman, Randolph Hawkins was born in St Joseph, Missouri on November 21st
He invented the tenor saxophone as a serious means of expression, and continued to be alive in new developments for 40 years. Starting with piano lessons at the age of five, Hawkins later learned the cello and took up saxophone lessons when he was nine years old. Within a few years he was playing dances and making appearances in Kansas and Chicago. He joined Fletcher Hendersons’ orchestra in 1924—the same time that Louis Armstrong came to work there. Henderson’s recording of "The Stampede" in 1926, featured Hawkins first notable solo. In his ten years with Henderson’s band, Hawkins transformed the tenor saxophone from a novelty instrument for blues and corny music to a powerful instrument for swing. In 19 34 he left Henderson to tour Europe; In 1937 Hawkins recorded some memorable sides with Django Reinhardt and with his side-kick Benny Carter. In 1940 he toured with his own 16 piece band, appearing at the Arcadia and Savoy Ballrooms, and in 1943 formed a sextet with Thelonious Monk., Don Byas and Benny Harris. Actually, Hawkins activities are far too many for us to mention. Suffice it to say that he was a jazz master whose life-work spanned six decades of musical history. Coleman Hawkins died of pneumonia in 1969, at the age of 68.

FLETCHER HENDERSON 

Born in Cuthbert, Georgia on December 18th, 1897. He was one of the most important figures in the development of big band music. In the early thirties he set the standards by which big band jazz was measured, thru a combination of selecting leading jazz musicians and by having Don Redman make the arrangements which were used by almost all big bands for the next thirty years. Actually, Henderson became a band leader by accident: After getting his degree in chemistry at Atlanta State University, he travelled to New York in 1920 to continue his studies. In order to support himself, he drifted into working as a song-plugger and then became manager of the Black Swan record company, playing piano for the firm’s record dates. Then, Henderson put a band together to accompany Ethel Waters on tour. Soon he was leading a band at a popular club near Broadway. In 1924 he was in Roseland— one of New York’s most famous ballrooms –where he played on and off for ten years. By 1927, his was the most talked about band in that city. In the thirties he had an astonishing array of top flight musicians like Bobby Stark, Rex Stuart, Benny Morton Coleman Hawkins, Russell Procope and Edgar Sampson, and finally Red Allen and Roy Eldridge, Omer Simeon, Chu Berry, Israel Crosby and Sid Catlett. By 1939, Henderson had enough of hassles with promotors and discouragement that came from diminishing audiences, and he folded his band to join Benny Goodman as arranger and pianist. The course that Fletcher Henderson established remained the most significant in big band music.

A fine swing clarinetist, , a good soprano saxophonist, and a spirited blues vocalist, Woody Herman's greatest significance to jazz was as the leader of a long line of big bands. He always encouraged young talent and, more than practically any bandleader from the swing era, kept his repertoire quite modern. Although Herman was always stuck performing a few of his older hits (he played "Four Brothers" and "Early Autumn" nightly for nearly 40 years), he much preferred to play and create new music. Woody Herman began performing as a child, singing in vaudeville. He started playing saxophone when he was 11, and four years later he was a professional musician.

J.C. Higgenbotham

An extroverted trombonist with a sound of his own, J.C. Higginbotham was heard at his best during the late '20s and early '30s, when he was one of the stars with Luis Russells orchestra. From that point on, he went gradually downhill due to being an alcoholic, but he had worthy moments along the way. He started his career playing in territory bands in the Midwest. Higginbotham was with Russell (1928-1931) for some classic recordings, including a few sessions backing Louis Armstrong, and two songs on which he fronted the orchestra under the title of "J.C. Higginbotham and His Six Hicks." Higginbotham was a featured soloist with the orchestras of Fletcher Henderson, Chick Webb and Benny Carter.

Earl ‘fatha’ Hines was born in Dusquene. Pa., on Dec. 28th, 1903. He was an
outstanding musician and a major figure in the evolution of jazz piano.
Hines began his professional career in 1918, having already played cornet in brass bands in his home town. By 1923—the year in which he came to Chicago.. he had performed with several bands around Pittsburgh . In Chicago, Hines played with the bands of Carroll Dickerson (which we’ll hear a bit later on) and with Erskine Tate. In 1927 he teamed up with Louis Armstrong, playing piano, acting as musical director, and, briefly, working as Armstrong’s partner in a nightclub. The third partner was Zutty Singleton. Hines made a series of recordings with Armstrong which have remained classics. These were mainly with the Hot Five, Hot Seven, and Savoy Ballroom bands. Earl Hines replaced Lil Armstrong at the piano, and gone was her strenuous pounding on the piano.--so different from Hines imaginative musicianship. He unleashed broken chords and delicate improvisations with elegance, and he modeled his phrasing on Louis’ style of trumpet playing.  Hines and Armstrong bounced off each other with breathtaking dexterity, yet it became somewhat of a hostile contest at times and, in fact, the two men nearly came to blows. Even in later years, while playing together, Hines exuberance was curbed by Satchmo who yelled, "Cut it, boy!". Animosity led to Hines quitting Armstrong’s all stars, and Louis shouted- "Hines and his ego, ego, ego. If he wants to go, the Hell with him. He’s sure good, but we don’t need hime !". In 1927, Hines was also with Jimmy Noone’s band and the following year was invited to form a band to perform over a long period at Chicago’s Grand Terrace. With outstanding arrangers like Jimmy Mundy and top-flight musicians such as Trummy Young, Omer Simeon and Darnell Howard, the band advanced at a speed that surpassed many better known contemporaries. Hines stayed at the Grand Terrace for an entire decade and the reason is open to question. Some believe it was due to force by gangsters who ran the the place and,as one musician, Jo Jones, remarked: "Earl had to play with a knife at his throat and a gun in is back the whole time!" In the early forties, Earl Hines hired several musicians who modernized the band’s sound: Dizzie Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Wardell Gray.And he hired singers Billy Eckstein and Sarah Vaughan. Yet, he eventually folded his band in 1947 and joined Louis Armstrong’s All Stars where he remained until 1951. Then he led his own small groups,-- holding a long-term residency at San Francisco’s Hangover Club In 1957 he toured Europe with Jack Teagarden and an all-star band, and then a series of concerts in New York in 1964. Hines enjoyed tremendous success thanks to this and some fine recording dates and, from that point on until his death in 1983, Hines toured and recorded extensively. Until the very end, Earl Hines inventiveness and musicianship were at their peak and some of his performances in the 70’s rank with his early work half a century before. A brilliant, dynamic pianist, Hines had an astonishing technique and was
phenomenally inventive. It is difficult to know just how many pianists he influenced, but several Jazz greats have admitted their debt to Earl Hines: Nat King Cole, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Kyle, and Teddy Wilson. Before the 1970’s were out, Hines had toured Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and Australia, had met the Pope and played at the White House for President Ford. By the 80’s he admitted that he felt tired, but he kept on playing until the weekend when he died at the age of 79. By this time he earned  the reputation as the greatest jazz pianist after Art Tatum.

Milt Hinton

Bassist Milt Hinton probably appeared on more records than any other musician in the world, and he remained a vital figure in jazz even into his 80s. He grew up in Chicago and worked with many legendary figures from the late '20s to the mid-'30s, including Freddy Keppard, Jabbo Smith, Tiny Parham (with whom he made his recording debut in 1930), Eddie Soth, Fate Marable, and Zutty Singleton.. He was with Cab Calloways 's orchestra and his later small group during 1936-1951. Considered the best bassist before the rise of Jimmy Blanton in 1939, Hinton was featured on "Pluckin' the Bass" (1939).

Johnny Hodges

Possessor of the most beautiful tone ever heard in jazz, altoist Johnny Hodges formed his style early on and had little reason to change it through the decades. Although he could stomp with the best swing players and was masterful on the blues, Hodges' luscious playing on ballads has never been topped. He played drums and piano early on before switching to soprano sax when he was 14. Hodges was taught and inspired by Sidney Bechet, although he soon used alto as his main ax; he would regretfully drop soprano altogether after 1940.

Billie Holiday

Billy Holiday was born as Eleanora Fagan Gough on April 7th, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began singing during her early years in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was brought up. She moved to New York in 1929. Billie spent much of her life with friends and relatives and quickly learned how to survive extreme poverty, racial prejudice and the injustice of black ghetto life. She had already survived rape at the age of eleven and endured life as a prostitute for a short time for which she had been arrested.  Despite these traumatic times—including imprisonment on Rykers Island -the lack of formal education and musical training, her singing developed and she began to appear at New York Clubs and speak-easies.  Critic John Hammond heard her and arranged appearances and recording sessions for her—two of these were with Benny Goodman and his nine-man studio group which included Jack Teagarden. Billie Holiday’s highly distinctive style was already in place, and was apparent in the movie she made with Duke Ellington in 1935 entitled, "Symphony in Black." . Billie Holiday’s life and career was perhaps the most dramatic in Jazz history -her struggle with alcohol and drug addiction, her collision with the law, her many broken marriages, heart-and- liver disease, and death under the most humiliating circumstances—under police guard. That she survived at all is incredible; that she should become the greatest jazz singer that ever lived—without an equal—borders on the miraculous. In her
autobiography Billie Holiday wrote: "There’s no damned business like show business— you had to smile to keep from throwing-up.!"