LJLRenner

Mark: Glad for your posts of the legendary jazz musicians. During my recording career, I recorded Dizzy, Wynton and Clark Terry. Gerry Mulligan told me a great Chet Baker story. He introduced Chet to the son of Mussolini who was a good jazz piano player. Chet's response was "drag about your old man." Guess that pretty summed up Chet!
Happy Holidays, Jack

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Good story Jack. Thanks.
Happy Holidays to you too.
Mark

1Feathercrest Loc: NEPA

I was born 1934 and remember hearing Harry James at a concert (on radio, 1939) and at the tender age of 5 immediately recognized an extraordinary skill. When I took up trumpet (in jr H) I tried to sound like Berrigan and then James but not succeeding that well. High School, College brought more proficiency and later lead trumpet chops. Berrigan, James and then lead trumpets with big bands were icons to emulate. I loved Sonny Dunham and others from that era. Trumpet players today are greatly skilled but do not seem to have the soul of those old masters and the bands though very skilled (arrangements and soloists) do not move me as much as those now ancient groups. I was drafted out of college in the mid 50's and ran into many of those great musicians who were also impressed to military service.
I got to play in some of their small groups (bar.sax Virgil Gonsalves, trmb Phil Wilson, and an up and coming clarinetist Buddy DeFranco (RIP Buddy). Good memories, but Buddy who was 10 years older was not military (nor Virgil) who told me to look him up when my enlistment was up. Mark, you have your finger on the pulse of the bygone times for its greatness.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Great stuff!! You were much more accomplished than I. I had perfect pitch and could listen and play almost anything, but I lacked the discipline to practice. My practice was to play along with recordings. One of the first was Harry James' "You Made Me Love You" and Berrigan's,"I can't Get Started". I wore out the records. Later on, my "accompanists" were Lee Morgan, Miles, Baker, Ferguson,
and of course, Clifford Brown. What a tragic loss his sudden death was. He was one of the few who did not use drugs.
Thanks for the background. Do you still play?
Have a wonderful holiday. Jazz lives!!
Mark