Bios P-R

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Bios P-R

Born in Piedmont, W. Virginia on July 29, 1900. He was a gifted child saxophonist who studied extensively and by graduation had mastered most of the wind instruments. And was also adept at arranging. By 1924 he began a relationship with Fletcher Henderson that was destined to alter the development of big band jazz. In 1927 he took over McKinney’s Cotton Pickers and in 1931 he formed his own band which remained in existence for nearly a decade. He arranged for Jimmy Dorsey, Count Basie, Jimmy Lunceford, Harry James and many others and, in 1946 he formed a new band , taking it to Europe and performing on radio and television. Redman laid many of the basic rules for what today is regarded as ‘big band music’. Redman proved that ‘arranged’ music need not lose the spontaneity of improvised jazz.

Hot Lips Page

Born Oran Page in Dallas, Texas on January 27, 1908. In the 20’s, Page played trumpet mostly in his home state but also toured with bands accompanying some of the best blues singer—Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and Ida Cox. He later joined Walter Page’s Blue Devils and in 1931 joined Benny Moten’s band. Upon Moten’s death in 1935, Page went to work for Count Basie in Kansas city where he was heard by Louis Armstrong’s manager who promptly signed him up. (It’s believed that Armstrong was suffering lip problems at the time, and his manager needed an able trumpeter—just in case.) As it turned out, Page didn’t replace Satchmo, but went on leading bands, large and small. Mostly around New York. He played with Artie Shaw for a short time and was also featured on some excellent V-discs during the war in ’44. Hot Lips Page was an inventive and interesting blues-oriented trumpeter as well as a superb blues singer

Walter Page

Walter Page was born in Gallatin, Missouri on February 9th, 1900. In the early 20’s he played bass with Benny Moten in Kansas City. In 1925, Page was stranded in Oklahoma City when a band he was playing with folded, and he decided to form a band of his own out of the wreckage. Well, this group became the legendary Blue Devils. It was one of the outstanding territory bands of the Southwest and was instrumental in forming the style known as Kansas City Jazz. Page gathered many fine musicians like Hot Lips Page, Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young and Count Basie. Later on, Page joined Count Basie’s band to become the fourth member of the fables All American Rhythm section—with Basie, Freddie Green and Jo Jones. A solid player with an impeccable sense of timing, Page is credited as one of the originators of the so-called ‘walking bass’—a style of playing in which the bassist plays notes up and down the scale in addition to the three or four basic notes of the chord. –But, we’re getting pretty academic ! Suffice it to say: Walter Page found his place in the Jazz Hall of Fame as one of really great bass players. He passed away in 1957.

Marty Paich

One of the best-known arrangers of the post-World War II era, Marty Paich had much stronger jazz credentials than many of his peers, thanks to his active presence on the West Coast scene during the '50s. Paich was born in Oakland, CA, on January 23, 1925; he started out as a pianist, and was performing professionally at age 16. Along with the up-and-coming Pete Rugolo, he wrote arrangements for local bandleader Gary Nottingham. Tapped for military service in 1943, he continued to arrange while serving as the leader of the Army Air Corps band through 1946. Paich soon graduated to higher-profile gigs, playing and arranging for Shelly Manne and Shorty Rogers and also serving a stint as Peggy Lee's accompanist and musical director. During the mid- to late '50s, Paich wrote arrangements for a who's who of West Coast jazz, including Chet Baker, Buddy Rich, Ray Brown, Dave Pell, and Stan Kenton, among others. Paich contributed the arrangements to altoist Art Pepper's 1959 masterpiece Art Pepper + Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics. Paich had already begun to branch out from his West Coast roots, arranging material for Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, and big-band leader Terry Gibbs. Around 1960, he elected to move away from his own recording career to focus on arranging for pop (and sometimes jazz) vocalists. He also helmed Sarah Vaughan's Songs of the Beatles project in 1980. In the late '80s, He also continued to work on soundtracks into the '90s, frequently as a conductor and musical supervisor. Colon cancer claimed Paich's life on August 12, 1995.

Tiny Parham

Tiny Parham (who was actually rather large) was most significant as an arranger/bandleader in Chicago who recorded many memorable sides from 1927-1930. After growing up in Kansas City, Parham toured the Southwest with a territory band and then settled in Chicago in 1926. In addition to accompanying blues singers and cutting sides with Johnny Dodds, Parham recorded extensively with, bands that mostly consisted of now-obscure Chicago players; best-known are cornetist Punch Miller and (in 1930) bassist Milt Hinton.. Parham's arrangements were often atmospheric, and such numbers as "The Head-Hunter's Dream," "Jogo Rhythm," "Blue Melody Blues," "Blue Island Blues," "Washboard Wiggles," and "Dixieland Doin's" were particularly memorable. After 1930, Parham spent the remainder of his life playing in theaters, often on organ after the mid-'30s, only recording three further titles in 1940 before his premature death.

Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker

Was born in Kansas City, Kansas August 29th, 1920. They nicknamed him "Yardbird" because’ of his love for fried chicken. His mother gave him a saxophone while he was in high school, and at the age of 14 he dropped out of school and devoted full time to his instrument. After gaining experience with several bands, Parker got his first real break with Jay McShann’s band in 1938, with which he made his first recordings three years later. As the years went on, Charlie Parker pioneered new music with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clark and Charlie Christian, and helped shape the course of 20th century music and the face of jazz. Parker’s last public appearance was in March, 1955 at Birdland—the club named after him.

Joe Pass

Was born Joseph Anthony Passalaqua, in New Brunswick, N.J. on January 13th In his teens guitarrist Pass worked with Tony Pastor and Charlie Barnet. Then, after more than two decades of obscurity due to severe drug addiction. Pass was rehabilitated, cured of his habit,
and returned to work as a ‘new man.’ Thanks to the patronage of Norman Granz, Pass joined the biggest names in Jazz, including Oscar Peterson with whom he made a Granny-winning album. He also proved an especially gifted accompanist to Ella Fitzgerald, but it was as a solo performer that Joe Pass displayed his mastery of the guitar.

Alcide Pavageau

One of the better-known string bassists active in New Orleans during the 1950's and 60's, Alcide Pavageau actually began playing the instrument surprisingly late in life. He was originally a guitarist and became famous as a dance in New Orleans, which is how he gained the lifelong "Slow Drag" nickname. Pavageau did not take up the bass until 1927 when he was already 39. He played with many legendary players. Pavageau began working with George Lewis in 1943 and was part of the band that appeared in New York with Bunk Johnson in 1945. When the musicians went back to New Orleans, Pavageau continued working under Lewis ' leadership and he toured the world with the clarinetist throughout the 1950's. In the 60's Pavageau was a fixture at Preservation Hall. His wife (known as Sister Annie Pavageau) worked as a gospel-oriented pianist-vocalist.

Dave Pell

Dave Pell started the octet after playing with most of the bands in the big band era, including Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James and the like, he was a featured star of the Les Brown Band of Renown for 13 years. Shorty Rogers and Marty Paich were the first arrangers that came up with the unique sound of the band that was basically the four soloists from the Les Brown Band and the rhythm section. The Dave Pell Octet was one of the bands credited with the creation of the West Coast Jazz scene in the 1950s. The band became an instant success and was a showcase for the great new West Coast arrangers, including John Williams, Bill Holman, Bob Florence, Johnny Mandel, Andre Previn, Med Flory and many more. The Dave Pell Octet arrangements are once again being made available from Dave at his Jazz/Dance arrangements site because of the resurgence of interest from schools all over the world. Best know as the leader of The Dave Pell Octet. Dave has recorded over thirty albums with his band. He also recorded 2 CDs with his group Prez Conference in celebration of Lester Young featuring "Sweets" Edison and Joe Williams. Dave's other credits encompass the full scope of the professional music industry from sideman to bandleader, music publisher, producer, jazz musician, label owner and music supervisor for many films

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson

Was born in Montreal, Canada on August 15^th, 1925. Blessed with an attractive stage personality, this giant of mainstream Jazz technique was influenced by Art Tatum, Errol Garner and, later by George Shearing. After studying trumpet, illness turned Peterson’s attention toward the piano, and his enthusiasm and endless hours of practice helped mould his remarkable playing skill. In his teens—after winning a talent contest, Peterson was heard regularly on radio in Canada and beyond. He made his debut at Carnegie Hall with Norman Granz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic, and he collaborated with Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie and many others. Peterson is rated as one of the most highly regarded and instantly identifiable pianists in Jazz.

Oscar Pettiford

From Oklahoma—played with such greats as Charlie Barnet, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and—with the Woody Herman band, before taking his big bass to Dizzy Gillespie. Pettiford often played in the company of Thelonius Monk and Art Blakey, and finally toured Europe and settled in Denmark where he died in 1960.

Flip Phillips

Flip Phillips, who angered some critics early on because he gained riotous applause for his exciting solos during Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts, for over 50 years was an excellent tenor saxophonist equally gifted on stomps, ballads, and standards. He played clarinet regularly in a Brooklyn restaurant during 1934-1939, was in Frankie Newton’s group (1940-1941), and spent time in the bands of Benny Goodman, Wingly Manone, and Red However, it was in 1944 that he had his breakthrough. As a well-featured soloist with Woody Herman’s Herd (1944-1946), Phillips became a big star. His warm tenor was most influenced by Ben Webster but sounded distinctive even at that early stage. He toured regularly with Jazz at the Philharmonic during 1946-1957, scoring a bit of a sensation with his honking solo on "Perdido" and holding his own with heavy competition. Phillips then retired to Florida for 15 years, playing on just an occasional basis, taking up the bass clarinet as a double and making only a sporadic record date. But by 1975 he was back in music full-time, making quite a few records and playing at festivals and jazz parties. Even as he passed his 80th birthday, Flip Phillips had lost none of the enthusiasm or ability that he had a half-century earlier.

De De Pierce

De De Pierce was an incredible trumpeter and singer who made jazz in the '40s, '50s, and '60s with his wife, singer/pianist Billie Pierce. Pierce was born in New Orleans, LA, on February 18, 1904. He first appeared playing with Arnold Dupas band in 1924, playing the trumpet. One night while working at the Blue Jay Club in New Orleans, he met Billie and the two fell in love. They immediately began playing together, and by 1935 they were the regular house band at the Luthjens Dance Hall, where they stayed until the mid-'50s. They released albums throughout this period, but their exit from the dancehall was due to illness, which also stopped their recording career. The two were both quite sick; eventually they were hospitalized and De De lost his sight during the ordeal. Despite this setback, they began recording again in 1960 and rekindled their careers. Deteriorating health would eventually take them out of the entertainment industry, but not before De De played with Ida Cox on her last tour. He passed away in November of 1973, leaving behind Billie after a long and fruitful career together.

Nat Pierce

Pianist Nat Pierce was born in Somerville, Mass. On July 16^th, 1925.
After playing in local bands he worked with several name bands, including Larry Clinton, and then briefly led his own band from 1949 to 1951. He then went to work with Woody Herman where he played piano, arranged and acted as *straw boss’ . Later Pierce arranged for Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald. He was in great demand and made countless record dates with just about everyone in the upper jazz bracket. In 1957 Pierce appeared on the TV program "The Sound of Jazz" on which he arranged performances by Basie, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Joe Newman, Vic Dickenson, Gerry Mulligan and many others. In the late fifties, Pierce led a band including Buck Clayton and had the honor of having the last band to play at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom before it closed forever. Pierce was such a superb pianist that he served as a substitute for the greatest pianists in big band history: Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton.

Bucky Pizzarelli

A superior guitarist who swing musicians in particular appreciate, Bucky Pizzarelli has been a fixture in jazz and the studios since the early '50s. Self-taught, Pizzarelli has long been a master of the seven-string guitar. He toured with Vaughn Monroe before and after a stint in the military. In 1952, Pizzarelli joined the staff of NBC and 12 years later he switched to ABC; in addition, he worked with The Three Sounds (1956-1957) and had several tours with Benny Goodman. In the 1970s he was more active in jazz, co-leading a duo with George Barnes and working with Zoot Sims, Bud Freeman, and Stephane Grappelli, among many others. Pizzarelli has since kept up a busy recording schedule.

Ben Pollack

Was born in Chicago on June 22nd, 1903. After playing drums with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings in the early 20’s, Pollack formed his own band which he stocked with the best of young white musicians from jazz and dance bands. These included Benny Goodman, Glen Miller and Jack Teagarden. By the mid-thirties, Pollack gave up drumming for the most part to direct the band and concentrate on business affairs. The drumming was taken over by Ray Bauduc. By this time, his musicians included Yank Lawson, Eddie Miller and Gil Rodin. A hefty argument broke out and practically everyone left to form a cooperative band with Bob Crosby put in charge. But Pollack formed a new band starring Harry James. Yet, in a short while James left to join Benny Goodman who by now had become country’s most famous band leader. Well, all the accumulated resentments on the part of Pollack caused him to sue just about everyone..Crosby, Goodman, Victor records, Goodman’s sponsors, Camel cigarettes and a motion picture company. Ben Pollack never recovered from his depression over losing what he believed to be his rightful heritage, and he took his own life by hanging himself in June 1971. Whatever else, it must be said that Ben Pollack gave many of the greatest jazz musicians their start, and he did manage to enjoy one last stroke of success before his death—in 1964, when he and his Pick-a-rib boys attracted more than 20,000 people at the Disneyland Dixieland Festival.

Danny Polo

A versatile clarinetist, Danny Polo was one of the finer (if unheralded) swing soloists of the big band era. He picked up the clarinet while quite young (his father was a clarinetist too), playing with a marching band when he was eight. He had a duo as a teenager with pianist Claude Thornhill. Polo worked with Elmer Schoebel in 1923, visited New Orleans with Merritt Brunies and had stints with Arnold Johnson, Ben Bernie and Jean Goldkette, and (for three months filling in for Don Murray in 1926). After working with Paul Ash, Polo (along with drummer Dave Tough) went to Europe in the summer of 1927.

BUD POWELL

Earl Powell was born in New York City on September 27th, 1924. After learning to play piano in the classical tradition as a child, he began working around New York’s Coney Island. During the next couple of years he became a regular visitor to Minton’s Playhouse where the first stirrings of Be-bop were heard. Powell was especially influenced by Thelonious Monk’s innovations, but he quickly developed his own style. He was hired by Cootie Williams to play in that big band. It was at this time that Powell was arrested in Philadelphia and, according to reports, was badly beaten by police officers (presumably for the possession of drugs). This is cited as the beginning of mental problems that were to haunt Powell for the rest of his life. However, he did keep up with the events on 52nd st. in New York and was soon one of the most striking of bop pianists. But—by 1945 he displayed the first overt signs of mental instability and was hospitalized and subjected to electro-convulsive therapy. Throughout the 50’s Powell worked regularly with the leading be-bop figures—Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach, but his physical and mental health gradually deteriorated. Powell died in 1966—at his performing peak, and will always be regarded as a major figure in be-bop and an important influence on pianists since the 50’s.

Mel Powell

One of the finest swing pianists and a prodigy, Mel Powell (Melvin Epstein) was playing piano and writing important arrangements for Benny Goodman by the time he was 18. He had previously played with Bobby Hackett, George Brunis and Zutty Singleton., was the intermission pianist at Nick's, and worked in the short-lived Muggsy Spanier big band. After a period working for the CBS Orchestra under Raymond Scott, , Powell was one of the stars of the Glen Miller Army Air Force Band After decades of work as a well-respected serial composer, Mel Powell returned to jazz for cruises in 1986 and 1987 that were recorded by Chiaroscuro. He continued composing and performing even after being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1990. Eight years later, on April 24, Melvin Epstein died in the Los Angeles area.

Louis Prima

was born on December 11^th, 1911 in New Orleans as the younger brother of Leon Prima, one of the best trumpeters in that city. An irresistible performer, Prima arrived in New York in the thirties to headline at the famous Front Door. In partnership with Pee Wee Russell he created a sensation After the Mafia moved in on him, Prima moved to Hollywood and opened his own Famous Door there.

Russell Procope

Russell Procope was born in New York City on August 11th, 1908 as a neighbor of famous musicians Benny Carter, Rudy Powell and Bobby Stark. Procope played clarinet and sax in N.Y. clubs in his late teens, and when he was 20 he recorded with Jelly Roll Morton. A year later he joined Benny Carter’s big band and went on to work with Chic Webb, Fletcher Henderson, Tiny Bradshaw, Teddy Hill and Andy Kirk. From 1946 until 1974—nearly three decades, he was a member of Duke Ellington’s orchestra—with only a short period in Wilbur de Paris’ band in the sixties. Much of Procope’s solo playing reflected a warmth and style of New Orleans jazz—rather than that of New York.

Jack Purvis
Born on Dec. 11, 1906 in Kokomo, Indiana, Jack Purvis had a crazy and somewhat legendary life that has never been fully sorted out. His career in music was actually fairly brief. He began playing trumpet and trombone in a boy's training school, and he worked in local dance bands as early as 1921. Purvis played in Lexington, KY with the Original Kentucky Night Hawks for a few years in the mid-1920s; he also worked to qualify as an airline pilot and studied music in Chicago. Purvis started freelancing in 1926, worked with Whitey Kaufmans Original Pennsylvanians, visited Europe in 1928 with George Carhart and was with Hal Kemps Orchestra from 1929-30 (originally as a trombonist before switching to trumpet).

Ma Rainey

Ma Rainey wasn't the first blues singer to make records, but by all rights she probably should have been. In an era when women were the marquee names in blues, Ma Rainey was once the most celebrated of all the "Mother of the Blues" had been singing the music for more than 20 years before she made her recording debut (Paramount, 1923). With the advent of blues records, she became even more influential, immortalizing such songs as "See See Rider," "Bo-Weavil Blues," and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." Like the other classic blues divas, she had a repertoire of pop and minstrel songs as well as blues, but she maintained a heavier, tougher vocal delivery than the cabaret blues singers who followed. Ma Rainey's records featured her with jug bands, guitar duos, and bluesmen.

Django Reinhardt

Jean Baptiste Reinhardt came from a gypsie family in Liberchies, Belgium and began touring with his guitar while still in his teens. He lost the use of two fingers on his right hand following an accident and, to compensate, developed a unique way of playing. He was soon featured in Parisian clubs and, in 1934, teamed up with violinist Stephane Grappelli to form the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. He was also a popular side-man with visiting Americans like Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins and others, and after World War Two was invited by Duke Ellington to come to New York, which he did.

Harry Reser

When one thinks of pre-bop banjoists, it is of purely rhythmic players whose chordal solos differ little from what they play during ensembles. Harry Reser however was quite a bit different, an outstanding virtuoso who was arguably the finest banjoist of the 1920's. Less an improviser than a brilliant technician who could play novelty ragtime with the speed of a pianist, Reser was also one of the most recorded musicians of the era. Reser actually started on the guitar when he was five and soon he was playing violin, cello and piano; later on he would add marimba, trumpet and saxophone. It was not until he was 16 (inspired by Vess Ossman and Fred Van Eps), that Reser switched to banjo. After playing locally in dance bands, in 1921 Reser moved to New York where he was quickly in great demand. Reser started making records with many obscure groups almost immediately and in 1922 he recorded his first solo records including a remarkable version of "Kitten On The Keys." In addition to his series of virtuoso banjo workouts (writing more than twenty novelty rags) that still sound very impressive today, Reser recorded at the head of a huge number of overlapping dance bands (also writing many of the arrangements) that used a bewildering series of pseudonyms. The best-known name was the Cliquot Club Eskimos, a radio band that for ten years (1925-35) helped sell soft drinks; After that band ran its course, Reser freelanced, playing in many settings throughout the world and writing ten instruction books for the banjo, guitar and ukulele. His last job was playing guitar in the orchestra for the 1965 Broadway musical, Fiddler on the roof, dying of a heart attack in the pit as he was warming up for the night's performance.

BUDDY RICH

Bernard Rich was born in New York on September 30th, 1917 and actually started in show business at the age of two ! He achieved fame as a drummer and tap-dancer, performing on Broadway as the four-year-old member of his parents act and, at six, was touring as a solo artist in the USA Vaudeville circuit and also in Australia. Rich formed his own band at the age of 11 and in a few more years was attracting attention by playing with bands in New York clubs. In 1937 he was hired by Joe Marsala and, in quick succession played in several important bands of the swing era—Bunny Berigan, Harry James, Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey. He formed his own big band in the late 40’s, and then worked with Les Brown and became a regular with Jazz at the Philharmonic. Rich was characterized by he phenomenal speed of playing and his astonishing dexterity. He was also a subtle accompanist, adept with brushes, bust always swinging and propulsive. Rich was notorious for his short-temper, but remained caustically witty..even during his last days when he was dying of a brain tumor. A nurse, preparing him for brain surgery asked him if there was any music he didn’t like and Rich answered: "Only country music." Buddy Rich passed away in 1987.

MAX ROACH

Was born in New Land, North Carolina on January 10th, 1924 and began to play drums in his pre-teen years. He later studied in New York and was active in the Be-bop revolution. Roach backed-up all the leading practitioners of the new art and, along with Kenny Clarke he established a new drummer’s vocabulary. His work with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker demonstrates his inventiveness and masterly technique. In the 40’s, Roach worked with bands led by Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter, and toward the end of the decade he was with Miles Davis for two years. In 1954 he formed a quintet with Clifford Brown, and when Brown died in an accident in 1956, the shock was so great for Roach that it literally incapacitated him for many years. He left music for a time to engage in black cultural projects and the Civil Rights Movement. He did go back to playing in the seventies, forming small groups with Freddy Hubbard, Sonny Rollins and Stanley Turrentine, and performed with his songstress wife, Abbey Lincoln. By this time, Roach had become an elder statesman of jazz, and recorded with members of the ‘Avant Guarde.’ Roach continued to perform and to engage in Black Politics throughout the eighties and into the nineties, and was seen as one of the most gifted musicians in jazz.

Richard Rodgers

Richard Rodgers was the most successful composer of popular music for the theater in the 20th century. Over the course of a 60-year career, he wrote the song scores for 42 musicals staged on Broadway or in the West End, as well as 11 movie musicals and two television musicals (not counting numerous film and TV adaptations of his stage productions), along with a few instrumental works. Although many of his songs became popular hits in sheet music and on records, he never wrote music independent from some dramatic context. In addition to composing, he also occasionally collaborated on librettos for his shows and served as a producer for them. His work won him Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award.

Adrian Rollini

Adrian Rollini was the greatest bass saxophonist of all time, one of the first jazz vibraphonists, and a talented multi-instrumentalist who could make music on such novelty instruments as the "hot fountain pen" (a miniature clarinet with a saxophone mouthpiece) and a "goofus." The older brother of tenor saxophonist Arthur Rollini, he played piano and xylophone as a youth, performing Chopin at the Waldorf Astoria when he was four. After joining the California Ramblers in 1922, it was suggested that Rollini learn the potentially cumbersome bass sax; it only took him a week, Rollini made many records with the studio group, and also with his " Goofus Five"

Arthur Rollini

A fine tenor-saxophonist, Arthur Rollini was largely overshadowed by the more distinctive stylists of the 1930s and was essentially a journeyman most famous for his association with Benny Goodman during the clarinetist's rise to fame. The younger brother of the great Adrian Rollini (the master of the bass sax), Arthur started playing music in New York in the late 1920s, attended Columbia University and worked with the California Ramblers. He spent most of 1929 in London, playing with Fred Elizaldes Orchestra. He freelanced in New York for the next few years, recording with his brother and working with and was a member of the Benny Goodman Orchestra from 1934-39, occasionally getting solos and contributing to Goodmans ride to great success. Unfortunately, he played very little jazz in later years, although he appeared on a record date with Brad Gowans in 1946. His 1987 autobiography, Thirty Years with the Big Bands, is highly rated.

SONNY ROLLINS

Theodore Walter Rollins was born in New York on September 7th, 1929.
He played saxophone in high school and began gigging in New York on tenor sax in 1944, inspired by Coleman Hawkins. Rollins first recording date was with scat-singer Babs Gonsalez, in 1948, and he was soon recording with Bud Powell, Fats Navarro and J.J. Johnson. In ’49 Rollins played with Art Blakey,--a year later with Tadd Dameron, and in 1951 with Miles Davis— and then with Thelonious Monk. Rollins left for Chicago and, in 1956, joined the Clifford Brown/Max Roach quintet for a year and a half. Then he began leading his own groups. In a Jazz poll conducted by Leonard Feather at the end of the 60’s, Miles Davis voted for Sonny Rollins as the the ‘Greatest Tenor saxophone man -ever! "

Luis Russell

Was born on August 6^th, 1902, in Bocas del Toro, Panama. He played numerous instruments in his homeland and then moved to New Orleans in 1919. Russell played piano in local saloons and clubs and in the early 20’s worked for Albert Nicholas and others. Russell also led bands in the Crescent City. He went to work for King Oliver in Chicago, in 1925, and then moved to New York in 1927 to become leader of a band there. For the next few years he led his band there and on tours—often backing Louis Armstrong. In fact, in 1935 the band became known as Louis Armstrong’s Orchestra, BUT—Russell kept on as leader until the early 40’s when he formed a new band for touring. Russell was a dedicated musician who attempted to integrate New Orleans style jazz into big band music. He died in 1963.

Pee Wee Russell

Was born as Charles Ellsworth Russell on March 27th, 1906 in Maple Wood, Missouri. He began playing clarinet in the early 20’s and by 1927—the year he came to New York he had already worked with Jack Teagarden, Bix Beiderbecke and Frank Trumbauer. Throughout the 30’s and 40’s Russell played with numerous jazzmen—Bobby Hackett, Wild Bill Davison, Louis Prima, Billy Butterfield, Muggsy Spanier, and George Wettling, and he enjoyed a long association with Eddie Condon. In the 60’s Russell played at clubs, concerts and festivals around the world.