Kudos to Morning Maestro Gary Walker

March 4, 2008. Posted by Doug Doyle.

Add new comment | Filed under: air drums, bassist john, dictionary, dizzy gillespie, first few days, gary walker, jazz 88, Jazz Alive, jazz club, Jazz Community, jon faddis, maestro, music, newscasts, radio station, sax, sports, talented artists, tenth anniversary, trumpeter, west orange

As my tenth anniversary at Jazz 88 is fast approaching, I remember my first few days at the radio station. I didn't know enough about the music to comment on anything. I had to rely on my personal Jazz Dictionary, Gary Walker. Thanks to the morning maestro, I've learned so much about jazz now...to a point where I play air drums, piano and sax in the studio in between newscasts. I'm also blessed to be working at a radio station where so many talented artists come to visit. Two recent events made me realize I've actually become a part of the jazz community. Trumpeter Jon Faddis agreed to shoot the breeze with me about sports and jazz on SportsJam and bassist John Lee complimented my work during a recent visit to Cecil's Jazz Club in West Orange. Very cool to have two terrific guys who played with Dizzy Gillespie make me feel special!

Doug Doyle

© 2008 WBGO

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Eddie Lockjaw Davis

March 2, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: andy kirk, Birthdays, cherokee, cootie williams, count basie orchestra, eddie davis, eddie lockjaw davis, hard bop, jazz genres, latin jazz, lockjaw, louis armstrong, lucky millinder, Masters, music check, presence, ray noble, sessions, soul jazz, swing, tenor saxophone

It's the birthday of tenor saxophone legend Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. He was a pretty powerful presence in bands led by Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie. He also led his own sessions, which included swing, bop, hard bop, Latin jazz, and soul jazz genres. Basically, Eddie Davis played a lot of music. Check out this video - Eddie plays Ray Noble's "Cherokee" with the Count Basie Orchestra.

© 2008 WBGO

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Barrett Deems

March 1, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.

Add new comment | Filed under: 1950s, all stars, barrett, bing crosby, Birthdays, contemporaries, drummer, frank sinatra, gene krupa, hyperkinetic, Jazz Alive, jazz giant, louis armstrong, playing the drums, pops, swing

Today is the birthday of drummer Barrett Deems, called "The World's Fastest Drummer" by his contemporaries Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. I can't say that I would call Barrett Deems a jazz giant, but I always found him entertaining. Have you ever seen High Society with Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong? If you answered yes, then you've seen Barrett Deems. He played drums for Louis Armstrong's All-Stars during the 1950s, and his hyperkinetic drumming was an excellent foil to the super-cool swing of Pops.
Here's "The World's Fastest Drummer" playing the drums, the stage, and a chair.

© 2008 WBGO

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