Pee Wee Marquette: Every Night At Birdland: The Lost Introductions (2008)

Nicholas F. Mondello

CD/DVD Reviewer since 2008

Nick Mondello is a pro trumpeter, writer and marketing/PR consultant to musicians worldwide.

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Published: April 1, 2008

Pee Wee Marquette: Every Night At Birdland: The Lost Introductions

Heard around the jazz world as the "Voice of Birdland," diminutive Pee Wee Marquette was host, hostess and crowd favorite at "Bird's Place." Marquette, known for his (?) piercing faux-soprano brought on and literally introduced—sometimes malapropriately—the greats of jazz. In this collection, gleaned from many classic "Live at Birdland" recordings, you'll hear Pee Wee shreik his classic, "Art Blake-eeee, Art Blake-eeee," bringing on the Master and his Messengers.

Being a jazzer himself, Marquette would improvise individual names, especially after he'd "request" a gratuity for doing so. "Hor-ass Silber," was rendered reminiscent of a Masked Man, as opposed to a great jazz pianist. The CD swings across the panorama of jazz greats. None other than the Prez himself, Lester, coined Pee Wee with his own monicker, calling him adoringly "Half-a-Mofo!" Prez's clip is included in the set. A DVD of intimate recollections is due out shortly.