Jazz

Van Alexander co-wrote “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” with Ella Fitzgerald while both worked in the Chick Webb Orchestra back in 1938. The success of that song led to a job as arranger for Webb as well as Benny Goodman and Paul Whiteman and super stardom for Ella. Van formed his own band during the wonderful swing era but gave it up to work in the movies when Bing Crosby offered him a job in 1948.

Frank Alkyer has asked a lot of questions. As a writer and editor of Music Inc. he has interviewed music retailers and suppliers alike. As a writer and editor for DownBeat Magazine, Frank has interviewed countless jazz and big band performers. With this background you can imagine how meaningful it was for the NAMM team to have the opportunity to interview Frank for the Oral History program. Frank has been an active member of the industry supporting music educational programs, as well as professional development efforts such as the series of sessions he has hosted at various industry events such as the NAMM show. So, at least it was our turn to ask him some questions!
 

Ron Anthony can be heard playing his jazz guitar on several classic recordings of George Shearing as well as on the top selling CD, Frank Sinatra’s “Duets.” His love of music goes back to his childhood and has remained in full force ever since those early days. In addition to performing, Ron is a music teacher and a songwriter. His songs have been recorded by many artists including George Shearing. He co-wrote “It’s Always 4am” with legendary songwriter Sammy Cahn, which has been recorded by several artists over the years.

George Avakian has produced so many pop and jazz recordings over his 50 plus year career with several labels it might be easier to list the recordings he did not take part in. Before entering World War II George had already produced his first recording, as well as writing about the music that he loved so dearly--jazz. While in college he became friends with the great Louis Armstrong, whom George would work with in the 1950s on such products as an album dedicated to the music of W. C. Handy. George played a very important role in reissuing recordings that otherwise may have been lost. He worked hard to bring traditional jazz recordings to newer audiences such as his work with Sidney Bachet in the later part of the great clarinetist’s life.

Louie Bellson was one of the World's premier drummers and listed in every jazz encyclopedia. Even with great success, he remained humble and one of the true gentlemen of American popular music. With his noted double bass drum kit, a series of method books, and respected clinics, Louie made a major impact on the music products industry. Over the decades Louie has been an endorsee and performer at the NAMM show and served as vice president at REMO, Inc. During his playing career, which included years with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James and Duke Ellington, Louie became an innovator in style and a great example of musical staying power.

Max Bennett is among the jazz world’s most percussive bass players. With a strong knowledge of drums, he explored and helped design the rhythm of jazz of the 1970s and 80s in the pre soft jazz era, a style he refers to as cool-whip. With his group, LA Express, he was able to showcase his own compositions and intertwine his artistic creativity within the bass parts, which helped drive the rhythm of the song as much as the drum part. His many contributions to the music products industry include being an endorser for MTD Guitars.
 

Lee Berk’s father had a unique idea in teaching music, bringing the passion and fun of music making into the classroom. The Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA was founded with those ideas and in the decades to follow was built on those ideas by his son, Lee. Lee ensured that jazz programs were created and that important interactive programs were part of the educational experience for each student. As a result of his father’s vision and Lee’s execution of those ideas, the Berklee School of Music has become a respected and honored college for music education.
 

Hal Blaine is perhaps the most recorded drummer from the California recording studios of the 1950s-'70s.  His influential style can be heard on more than 170 number one hit songs and 450 tunes that made the top 40 on the charts during those decades.  His beat can be heard on hundreds of albums by artists ranging from the Beach Boys and Elvis Presley to the Carpenters and Barbra Streisand.  As a creative performer, Hal became one of the early studio players to gain such notoriety that he was asked to endorse drum kits, heads and sticks.  Shorty after the opening of the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA, Hal attended a drum exhibit and spoke to the guests about his long career in music.

Bugs Bower is one of the great characters of music publishing that helped re-direct the industry following World War II. Before and during the war, Bugs was a musician and arranger who played with dance bands on stage and on radio. After the war he continued arranging and was given a job at the Brill Building in New York, the hub for music publishing. In 1946 he wrote the method book “Bop” published and edited by Charles Colin, which paved the way to countless books over the years including “Christmas & Cartoons” and duet books intended for students and their parents to play together. As a songwriter Bugs penned the international smash “Caterina.”
 

Dave Brubeck has played Baldwin Pianos for most of his long career. As a classically trained performer, he added poly-rhythmic concepts to jazz. Among his most celebrated recordings is the world famous “Take Five.” While he never caught the teaching bug, he has been greatly influential on countless performers and musical professors who have been inspired by his blend of the classical techniques and the feel of jazz. Mr. Brubeck has come to symbolize the high art of music and has thus given jazz a great deal of its needed respect. As a supporter of musical education, he has appeared and performed for musical causes around the world.