Not many jazz musicians make it to 100 years old. Ragtime pianist and composer Eubie Blake made it (his most famous compositions were I'm Just Wild About Harry and Memories of You). More famous than his compositions however was his memorable quote on his 100th birthday - "If I knew I was gonna live this long I'd have taken better care of myself".
We’re very keen on anniversaries at the JRC. We have this deluded idea that if we celebrate something that happened 100 years ago or any anniversary with a nought on the end that the media will be hugely interested in what we’re doing – but of course they aren’t. Well that’s not going to stop us taking a look at who’s celebrating their 100th birthdays in 2016. Here’s just a few of particular interest to us (part 1):
We’re very keen on anniversaries at the JRC. We have this deluded idea that if we celebrate something that happened 100 years ago or any anniversary with a nought on the end that the media will be hugely interested in what we’re doing – but of course they aren’t. Well that’s not going to stop us taking a look at who’s celebrating their 100th birthdays in 2016. Here’s just a few of particular interest to us (part 1):
Cat Anderson
It’s the centenary of Cat Anderson in 2016. He was the high note specialist in various
trumpet sections in his career. He had a
long stint with Duke Ellington and his stratospheric notes at the end of
Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue from Duke’s appearance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival take this legendary performance to an even greater peak of
excitement.
We will be performing the piece at the 2016 London Jazz
Festival at The Cadogan Hall on November 18th as part of our “1956: A Jazz Jubilee”
concert. I’ve decided to put this one on
as a rather premature celebration of my own centenary – 40 years early in fact.
Cat’s high notes will be handled by the astonishing young
trumpet talent Louis Dowdswell.
A teaser from our Echoes of Ellington concert
- featuring Louis Dowdeswell
Charlie Christian. When
Benny Goodman appeared at Carnegie Hall in 1939 he was joined by the dazzling
electric guitarist Charlie Christian.
Sadly Charlie died of tuberculosis in 1942 aged just 25 but in his very
short career he became the great innovator of his chosen instrument. Goodman called him the greatest musician he
ever worked with.
On Saturday June 18th we reprise our recreation
of Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller at Carnegie Hall which features DaveChamberlain in the role of Charlie Christian.
Dave has established himself as one of the country’s finest double bass
players so you can imagine our astonishment when he turned up at the first
rehearsal for the show with the same model guitar and amp as Charlie and
played his famous solos note for note.
Now that’s dedication!
Charlie Christian's Stardust Solo
- Note 1for Note
One other musician featured in the 1939 concert who would
have been 100 years old in 2016 is Glenn Miller’s drummer Mo Purtill. At
the original concert Goodman and Miller were slugging it out for the position
of top dog and Miller pulled Bugle Call Rag out of the pad and played it at a
completely bonkers tempo. Mo delivers a
frantic drum solo which I have to deliver when we perform this piece when we perform this piece.
Damn, it’s fast – I feel like I’ve run a marathon by the time I’m
through with it.
Watch out for part two of this post and if you're interested in our concert series at Cadogan Hall in 2016, all tickets and information are available here, including a Christmas special with up to 25% off tickets when booking for all 5 shows.
The Jazz Repertory Company Showreel
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