Hip Dudes of Jazz

Thomas Wright Waller - 'Fats' Prodigiously swinging stride piano man and organist who concealed his talent behind popular tunes and elegant modes of dress. Seldom allowed to display his real talent owing to his colourful use of English Language and often food related humorous songs - died aged 39.
Quotes:- “You get that right tickin’ rhythm, man, and its ON!” “One never knows, do one?” “This is so nice, it must be illegal.” ''Fine wonderful perfect – lets have a drink and think about it'' ''If you don’t know what it is, don’t mess with it.'' - Yez - Yez!!

Fats Waller arrived to rehearse or record. Fats sat down with a bottle of Scotch on the piano but wouldn't start rehearsing till the bottle was empty. It might have been Jay Wilbur who was involved and had an organ in the studio for Fats to play. (Note: Fats made recordings, including organ, but at the HMV Abbey Road studios on Aug 21 and 28, 1938, and there was probably also a session involving drummer Joe Daniels but there is no surviving evidence of that session).

Louis Thomas Jordan was born on July 8, 1908 in Brinkley, Arkansas. The son of a musician, he learned to play the saxophone as a youth and majored in music later at the Arkansas Baptist College. He also toured with the famed Rabbit Foot Minstrels, who were the backing musicians for a number of blues legends. In the mid-Thirties, Jordan, now an accomplished jazz saxophonist, moved to New York, working with such jazz greats as Louis Armstrong. He joined drummer Chick Webb's swing band in 1936. After honing up his singing skills, he left the band in 1938 to start up his own band. Called the Elks Rendez-Vous Band, after the name of the club where they were playing a long-term engagement, Jordan signed with the Decca label. The band's name was changed to the Tympany Five in 1939 and between 1941 and 1949; they had a series of hit records that were distinct of the "jump style" rhythm and blues style of music. These included Choo Choo Cha Boogie, Saturday Night Fish Fry and Let The Good Times Roll. He had his first million-seller with "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't Ma Baby?"

Lester Willis Young (The Pres) - inventor of jive talking, Tando Hat wearer (Pork Pie) and the oblique stance (fee - what does the bread smell like, man) and fluid improviser - listen to the then 28 yr old Lester's live pre-bop solo on Honeysuckle Rose - Benny Goodman's Sun Jan 16th 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert Lester's Solo MP3-803KB

Bulee 'Slim' Gaillard - Among his best recordings from this era was 'Slim's Jam', which featured Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. This track was reissued in 1983 by Gaillard himself on Roots of Vouty (Putti-Putti). A cult hero to the emerging beat generation, Gaillard's club act was described in Jack Kerouac's novel, On the Road. His children's song 'Down at the Station' was said to have inspired the Thomas the Tank Engine books of the Rev. W. Awdry. Gaillard led an adventurous childhood. On one occasion, while travelling on board a ship on which his father was steward, he was left behind in Crete when the ship sailed. His adventures became more exciting every time he recounted his tales and include activities such as professional boxer, mortician and truck driver for bootleggers. Originally based in Detroit, Gaillard entered vaudeville in the early 30s with an act during which he played the guitar while tap-dancing. Later in the decade he moved to New York and formed a duo with bassist Slam Stewart in which Gaillard mostly played guitar and sang. Much of their repertoire was original material with lyrics conceived in Gaillard's personal version of the currently popular 'jive talk', which on his lips developed extraordinary surrealist overtones. Gaillard's language, which he named 'Vout' or 'Vout Oreenie', helped the duo achieve a number of hit records, including 'Flat Foot Floogie'. Their success led to a long running radio series and an appearance in the film Hellzapoppin.His tall, loping figure, invariably topped by a big grin and a rakish white beret, became a familiar sight in London's jazz-land. In 1989 he starred in a four-part UK BBC television series, The World Of Slim Gaillard. In addition to his singing and guitar playing, Gaillard also played piano, vibraphone and tenor saxophone.

John Birks Gillespie - Dizzy With his trumpet and its upturned, golden bell, goatee, black horn rim glasses and beret, Gillespie became a symbol of both jazz and a rebellious, independent spirit during the 1940's and 50's. His interest in Cuban and African music helped to introduce those music's to a mainstream American audience. When he died he was famous and beloved everywhere and had influenced entire generations of trumpet players all over the world who loved and emulated his playing and his always positive, upbeat, optimistic attitude.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - hippest guy that ever lived on this planet to date - rap pioneer and multi instrumentalist with oodles of humour despite his former and later afflictions.
Kirk on Flute, Voice-over & Whistle MP3 114KB
Catch his 'Old Rugged Cross' for some insight to this prodigious philosopher, improviser and humourist -
- Now there's the black cross, the green cross, the white cross, the double cross, the criss-cross, and the lost cross. And the cross gets awful heavy at different times, but one is supposed to keep on going on and carrying the cross on his shoulder, because you ain't supposed to let no cross - cross you up. You're supposed to let a cross help you get across. And if you let a cross help you get across, you won't get crossed up but you'll be on the cross 'cause you done got across on the cross. So if you can remember this, you won't get lost on the cross while you're trying to get across. So we're just here to let you know about it. I know that you knew already, 'cause y'all the hippest people in the world, hip black and white. But you still know that you got a cross you must deal with. So when it crosses you up, go on and deal with it, and leave it alone. - Quothe the Master-
Now ain't dat sumptin' else!
R R Kirk Website

Thelonious Sphere Monk - Spatial Improviser - mover of musical horizons - pushed us into the next dimension on a par with with Einstein - also wearer of very functional hats and groovy spectacles
Quotes:- ''Wrong is Right'' ''I don’t consider myself a musician who has achieved perfection and can’t develop any further. But I compose my pieces with a formula that I created myself. Take a musician like John Coltrane. He is a perfect musician, who can give expression to all the possibilities of his instrument. But he seems to have difficulty expressing original ideas on it. That is why he keeps looking for ideas in exotic places. At least I don’t have that problem, because, like I say, I find my inspiration in myself.” “I’m famous. Ain’t that a bitch?”

Remember - they have also to be "Hip" not just a groundbreaking Jazz Artist - can you dig it!

Send mail to jazzmaster@jazzeddie.f2s.com with questions or comments about the design only of this web site. Last modified: 18/02/2012

Send mail to jazzmaster@jazzeddie.f2s.com with questions or comments about the design only of this web site.
Last modified: 18/02/2012