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Terry Pollard, 1931-2009
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Terry Pollard was a gifted pianist whose ability paralleled that of her fellow Detroiters Tommy Flanagan and Barry Harris. She shared their grasp of the bebop vocabulary and, some admirers claimed, swung even harder. I became aware of her when she recorded with the vibraharpist Terry Gibbs in the early 1950s. She is with Gibbs on this album, one of her few recordings. In the picture below, which I pirated from the photo section of Bill Crow's web site, Ms. ...
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Bob Borgestede Memorial Concert Set for Friday, January 15
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Friends and musical colleagues of Bob Borgestede are planning a memorial concert to honor the late guitarist on Friday, January 15 at the Rialto Ballroom in the Grand Center district of St. Louis.The show will start at 7:00 p.m., and will include music from faculty members and alumni of SIUE, UMSL and Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) - all schools where Borgestede either studied or taught - as well as the Funky Butt Brass Band and Arvell and Company. ...
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Torrie Zito, Pianist and Arranger, is Dead at 76
Source:
Michael Ricci
Torrie Zito, a versatile arranger who worked with swingers like Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra as well as younger performers like John Lennon, Sinead OConnor and Clay Aiken, died on Thursday at his home in Manhattan. He was 76. The cause was emphysema, his stepson, Alan Merrill, said. Mr. Zito, who started out as a jazz pianist in the bebop mold of Bud Powell, found lasting success as an arranger and orchestrator proficient in a wide variety of ...
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Donald Washington Obituary and Memorial Information
Source:
Michael Ricci
With much sadness, Jazz Bridge would like to announce that Donald Washington Sr., 79, a well-known Philadelphia-area jazz saxophonist and retired Food Fair worker from Haddon Heights, died of lung cancer on December 1st at home. Washington was born in West Philadelphia and raised in Southwest Philadelphia. In 1948, he graduated from Murrell Dobbins Career and Technical Education High School, where he excelled in swimming and played varsity basketball. Food Fair Services employed him as a warehouse worker at 10th ...
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Hale Smith, Who Broke Borders of Classical and Jazz, is Dead at 84
Source:
Michael Ricci
Hale Smith, a classical composer who also worked as a performer and arranger with jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Chico Hamilton, died Tuesday at his home in Freeport, L.I. He was 84. The cause was complications of a stroke, said his wife, Juanita. Mr. Smith, who wryly described himself to The New York Times in 1990 as one of Americas most famous unknown composers, straddled the two worlds of jazz and classical music as a performer, composer, arranger and ...
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The Eddie Locke Memorial
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Among the friends of Eddie Locke who took part in his memorial service in Manhattan on November 22 was bassist and author Bill Crow. Locke, a stalwart drummer based in New York for more than five decades, died last September at the age of 79. Bill prepared this report for Rifftides.
At St. Peter's Church, a lot of good music was played by a lot of Eddie's friends, including Warren Vache, Richard Wyands, Jackie Williams, Murray Wall, Mike LeDonne, ...Continue Reading...
Jazz Drummer Billy James Dies at 73
Source:
Michael Ricci
Legendary jazz drummer Billy James has died in Philadelphia at the age of 73. James died Friday night at Mercy Hospital after struggling with complications from asthma. That's according to his longtime girlfriend, Danita Lyburn. James was originally from Pittsburgh and played with jazz greats including Eddie “Lockjaw" Davis, Sonny Stitt, Don Patterson, Pat Martino, Bootsie Barnes, Eddie Harris, Houston Person and Etta Jones, The Groove ORGANization featuring Gene Ludwig, and many others. He was a long-time mainstay at Philadelphia ...
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Pianist Morris Nanton Dies at 80
Source:
Michael Ricci
Perth Amboy, NJ -- Morris Nanton passed away peacefully at home Sunday morning, November 15. He was born in Perth Amboy and lived there all his life. He served his country with honor in the U.S. Armed Forces with the 5th Army Division Band during the Korean War. He graduated from Perth Amboy High School and Juilliard Conservatory of Music in New York after attending on full scholarship. Known throughout the metropolitan area, The Morris Nanton Trio performed for over ...
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