Results for "Clarinet"

Dick Johnson

Born: December 1, 1925

Dick Johnson, perhaps best known for his long stint as frontman for the Artie Shaw Orchestra. Born and grew up in the Brockton, Mass area as part of a musical family. He got his professional start as a musician during a stint with the U.S. Navy in 1944-1946. Johnson served with the navy band on the USS Pasadena during WWII. He often credited his stint in the Navy for kicking off his career in jazz. After the war, Johnson toured with the big bands of Charlie Spivak and Buddy Morrow. Eventually, after several years on the road, he settled in his hometown of Brockton, Mass. It was there in Brockton where he and close friend, Lou Colombo formed a jazz sextet

Peanuts Hucko

Born: April 7, 1918

Michael Andrew "Peanuts" Hucko was born in 1918 in Syracuse, NY and moved to New York City in 1939. From 1939 to 1940, He played tenor saxophone with Will Bradley and Joe Marsala. After a brief time with Charlie Spivak, he joined the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band in which he served in Europe during World War II. During this time, Peanuts (the nickname comes from a childhood love of them) began to concentrate on the clarinet "because we did a lot of marching in sand, which was awkward with the tenor." With Miller's Uptown Hall Gang, he was featured in a hard-driving version of Stealin' Apples.

Francois Houle

Clarinetist François Houle has established himself as one of today’s most inventive musicians, in all of the diverse musical spheres he embraces: classical, jazz, new music, improvised music, and world music. Whether he’s performing works by Mozart or Messiaen, appearing as a featured soloist with orchestra, or improvising and embracing live, interactive electronics, François demystifies music for audiences everywhere. Inspired by collaborations with the world’s top musical innovators, François has developed a unique improvisational language, virtuosic and rich with sonic embellishment and technical extensions

Chuck Hedges

Born: July 21, 1932

Chuck Hedges built his reputation in his hometown Chicago in the early 50's along with George Brun, Danny Alvin and Muggsy Spanier. During the 60's Chuck was part of the great Dick Ruedebusch Band that recorded many records and performed on the Ed Sullivan Show. Chuck has made his home in the Milwaukee area and has been playing at The Grove Restaurant on Thursday nights. He also travels worldwide for jazz festivals. Chuck played with the late Wild Bill Davison all over Europe. Chuck continues to get requests to play in Europe as well as throughout the United States. Chuck also continues to play with Tommy Saunders' Wild Bill Legacy Band

Jimmy Hamilton

Born: May 25, 1917

Jimmy Hamilton was for a quarter-century a mainstay of jazz's most important large ensemble, the Duke Ellington Orchestra. On clarinet, Hamilton was a model of polished, cool style and substance, while his less often featured work on tenor saxophone allowed him to reveal funkier inclinations. Hamilton was hired by Ellington as the replacement for Barney Brigard in 1943, and he stayed on with the Duke until 1968. Prior to joining Ellington, he had worked with Lucky Millinder, Jimmy Mundy, and most noticeably Teddy Wilson's sextet (1940-1942) and Eddie Heywood; Hamilton also recorded “Gloomy Sunday” with Billie Holiday

Benny Goodman

Born: May 30, 1909

Benjamin David Goodman was born on May 30, 1909 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the eighth child of immigrants David Goodman and Dora Grisinsky Goodman, who left Russia to escape anti-Semitism. Benny's mother never learned to speak English. His father worked for a tailor to support his large family, which eventually grew to include a total of 12 children, and had trouble making ends meet. When Benny was 10 years old, his father sent him to study music at Kehelah Jacob Synagogue in Chicago. There, Benny learned the clarinet under the tutelage of Chicago Symphony member Franz Schoepp, while two of his brothers learned tuba and trumpet

Ben Goldberg

Clarinetist / Composer Ben Goldberg grew up in Denver, Colorado. He received his undergraduate music degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master of Arts in Composition from Mills College. He was a pupil of the eminent clarinetist Rosario Mazzeo, and studied with Steve Lacy and Joe Lovano. In addition to composing for and playing in the Ben Goldberg Quintet, he currently performs in the following groups: Tin Hat; plays monk, a trio with Scott Amendola and Devin Hoff; Myra Melford’s Be Bread; Nels Cline’s New Monastery; and Go Home, a new quartet with Charlie Hunter, Ron Miles, and Scott Amendola. The 11- piece Ben Goldberg's Brainchild performs Ben's on-the-spot compositions

Jimmy Giuffre

Born: April 26, 1921

Reedman and composer Jimmy Giuffre was born in Dallas, TX. He started his musical education at age 9 learning the clarinet and within few years he was proficient enough to give solo clarinet recitals at local functions. After high school he attended North Texas State University receiving a B. A. in music. During his college years he played in local bands. Soon after graduation he enlisted in the Army and was a member of the official Army band. After discharge he became a professional arranger for several big bands including Boyd Raeburn's, Buddy Rich's, Jimmy Dorsey’s and most famously in Woody Herman’s where he also played tenor sax

Charlie Gabriel

Charlie Gabriel, known to friends and relatives as Charlie "G" was born in New Orleans, LA and hails from a musical family. His great grandfather, Narcesse Gabriel, who resided in New Orleans in 1856 was a bass player. Charlie's grandfather Martin Joseph, an accordion and cornet player had the "National Jazz Band" in New Orleans and hosted many jazz musicians. Martin Manuel Gabriel, father of Charles, was a clarinetist and drummer and worked with all of the jazz greats from New Orleans. Martin and his brothers Percy on bass and Clarence on jazz piano formed "The Gabriel Brothers Dixie- Land Band". Charles has played traditional style music with some of the top New Orleans musicians such as "Kid Howard", "Kid Sheik", "Jim Robinson", "George Lewis" etc

Pete Fountain

Born: July 3, 1930

Peter Dewey Fountain, Jr. was born July 3, 1930 in New Orleans, the cradle of American music, Jazz. He was a skinny kid who spent too much time hanging around the front stoop of the Top Hat Dance Hall near his home. The Top Hat was a stronghold of Dixieland Jazz and Jazz already had a strong hold on Pete Fountain. But, oh the sounds! This was music straight from the soul. Sounds that would never be written in stone, that would always be brand new because they were purely personal. Pete heard all the greats in New Orleans and he knew he wanted to play Jazz. After endless hours of practicing and listening to the recordings of Benny Goodman and Irving Fazola, the personal sound of Pete Fountain began to emerge and it was "Fat." By the time Pete was 16, he had already gained a reputation on Bourbon Street