#dick twardzik

[jazzplusplus]

1955 - Chet Baker Quartet, Martial Solal Trio & Bobby Jaspar All Stars - Paris (?)

Chet Baker (tp, voc), Dick Twardzik (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Peter Lippman (dr)

Martial Solal (p), Benoit Quersin (b), Jean-Louis Viale (dr)

Bobby Jaspar (ts, fl), René Thomas (g) + Martial Solal Trio

[mosaicrecords]

The Fleeting Artistry of Dick Twardzik

Dick Twardzik was one of those amazing originals who developed independently and early. As a pianist/composer, he keeps company with Monk and Herbie Nichols. His discography is minute and the trio sides that pianist Russ Freeman recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio for Pacific Jazz are out of print yet again. This superb piece by Richard Williams is the best thing I’ve read on this amazing artist who died at age 24.

-Michael Cuscuna Read Blog Post... Follow: Mosaic Records Facebook Tumblr Twitter

[blewnotes]

Jazziversaries April 30th

Percy Heath (bass, acoustic) 1923 -2005 :: was an American jazz bassist, brother to tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975. Heath played with the Modern Jazz Quartet throughout their long history and also worked with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Wes Montgomery and Thelonious Monk.

Deciding after the war to go into music, he bought a stand-up bass and enrolled in the Granoff School of Music in Philadelphia. Soon he was playing in the city's jazz clubs with leading artists. In Chicago in 1948, he recorded with his brother on a Milt Jackson album as members of the Howard McGhee Sextet. After moving to New York in the late 1940s, Percy and Jimmy Heath found work with Dizzy Gillespie's groups. Around this time, he was also a member of Joe Morris's band, together with Johnny Griffin.

It transpired that other members of the Gillespie big band, pianist John Lewis, drummer Kenny Clarke, Milt Jackson, and bassist Ray Brown, decided to form a permanent group; they were already becoming known for their interludes during Gillespie band performances that, as AllMusic.com says, gave the rest of the band much-needed set breaks---that would eventually become known as the Modern Jazz Quartet. When Brown left the group to join his wife Ella Fitzgerald's band, Heath joined and the group was officially begun in 1952, with Connie Kay replacing Clarke soon afterward. The MJQ played regularly until it disbanded in 1974; it reformed in 1981 and last recorded in 1993.

In 1975, Percy Heath and his brothers formed the Heath Brothers with pianist Stanley Cowell. He would sometimes play the cello instead of the bass in these later performances.

In 2003, at the age of 80, he released his first album as bandleader through the Daddy Jazz label. The album, titled A Love Song, garnered rave reviews and served as a fitting coda for Heath's illustrious career. It featured brother Albert Heath on drums, bassist Peter Washington and pianist Jeb Patton.

Percy Heath was an avid striped bass fisherman, and surfcaster, who could be found on many a day, along the surf line of his beloved Montauk Point. He was well respected by the community, and his fellow fishermen. On May 27th, 2006, a plaque was set into a 5000lb stone, at Turtle Cove, at Montauk Point, as a memorial. The ceremony was attended by his wife June, and 3 sons.

Richard Twardzik (piano) 1931 -1955 :: was a jazz pianist, known for bebop, who worked in Boston for the bulk of his career.

He trained in classical piano as a child, and made his professional debut at 14. He was taught by prominent Boston piano teacher Margaret Chaloff, mother of baritone player Serge Chaloff, in whose group Twardzik recorded, in addition to one led by Charlie Mariano. Twardzik also worked with Charlie Parker on several occasions toward the end of Parker's life when he was performing locally.

Twardzik became addicted to heroin as a teenager. He died from a heroin overdose while on a European tour with Chet Baker.

Not quite so many musicians today jazzlings, but stillenough to be going on with!

If today is your birthday then we wish you a peaceful one and a year ahead filled with all that you need to help you achieve your dreams!

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And thanks to you for passin' thru'

Wal tall

Speak low,

Go placidly

Geo