Jersey Jazz - New Jersey Jazz Society

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JerseyArticlesJazz BILL CROW continued from page 12 high school I was working after school and saving my money. I was able to buy this brand new $75 or $80 baritone horn. I played that right through high school and got good enough to win solo contests on it; but when the teacher started a swing band I wanted to be in it. He said, “There are no parts for a baritone horn, but if you learn another instrument we’ll be glad to have you.” My brother had gone into the Navy and left an alto saxophone, so I got that and started learning. I was able to play the third alto parts by the end of that season. I never got a decent tone, but [chuckles] that wasn’t one of the criteria. The next year we merged with another high school that had awfully good saxophone players and I was aced out of that chair. The drummer had graduated, so I went to [him] and said, “Show me that high hat beat and how you hold those sticks.” The school had a set of drums, and I practiced and got the job playing with the high school swing band. I went into the Army expecting to get into a band since there were a couple of bands that wanted me. For one reason or another I couldn’t. They sent me to headquarters to be a typist. I finally met a guy who knew they were starting a new band and he was able to get my name on the roster. I became a member and it really got to be a good jazz band. Just as it got good, my enlistment was up. I had enlisted for 18 months and I was in the middle of the best musical scene I’d ever been on, so I extended to three years and immediately it got rotten. [Laughs] I was glad to get out when I finally did, but during that band experience, I met a cornet player who taught me the whole traditionalist repertoire. I was playing tailgate baritone horn with him and he said, “Why don’t you get a valve trombone? That is what Brad Gowans and Juan Tizol play.” So I found this 30-year-old valve trombone. It had kind of a tubby sound, but it was acceptable so I started playing that. My bit of drumming experience came in handy because the other drummers in that band were not interested in playing the trap set at the service club. So I got a trap set and did all the service club jobs as a drummer. I used to keep the valve trombone by the drums and when it came time for me to play a chorus, the trumpet player would play the ride cymbal. I’d keep my feet going and do my solos on the valve trombone. By the time I got out of the Army I really thought of myself as a jazz valve trombone player. I got back into college at the University of Washington in Seattle and right away met all the musicians there through jam sessions. I ended up living on a houseboat with three other musicians and we just played all the time. Then I met a drummer, Buzzy Bridgford. He was amazed at how innocent I was. He really delighted himself by filling me in on all the gossip and inside knowledge about the jazz world. Finally he was ready to go back to New York. He said to me, “If you want to be a musician you have to go where the A gig is a gig and I was going to do my best. I knew how to play and I knew I was no Oscar Pettiford. In fact, the second time I played with Stan we were in Birdland and … there is Oscar at the bar along with about six other good bass players around the house. I said, “Well, this is me and this is how I play. I can’t really worry that there are a lot of better players in the house. I’m just going to do my job.” Crow (alternately playing drums, valve trombone, bass, and singing) worked with Glen Moore and his Mooremen. Left to right, Carl Janelli, Glen Moore, Bill Crow. music is; come to New York with me.” I said, “That sounds like a good idea.” I dropped out of school, packed my valve trombone and we got on a bus and came to New York. I think I had about 50 dollars in my pocket. I stayed the rest of that year being a valve trombone player on jam sessions and met a whole bunch of people. One was Dave Lambert, who was very poor at that time, scuffling around the Lower East Side. He showed me how to live real cheap in New York, which was a blessing. I even lived with him for a while in a basement on West 10th Street. That first summer, Buzzy got a job up in Tupper Lake, New York. He told me, “I’m going up to the mountains with this quartet. If you want to hitchhike up, I’ll put you up and we can play a little.” So I did, around the 4th of July and he goes to the boss…the boss wouldn’t hire a bass player because he felt two rhythm instruments were enough. Buzzy convinced him to hire me. He gave me 15 bucks a week plus room and board. The second day I was there, Buzzy rented a Kay bass for the summer from some kid and put it on the stand. He said, “Anytime you are not taking a chorus, you’ve got to try to play this. I can’t stand playing without a bass player.” [Chuckles] By the end of the summer I had found my way around the bass enough to play acceptably as long as I could make my own lines. I didn’t even know there was a fingering system. I knew nothing about how to set up a bass or get the action easier. I did figure out how to replace a string. By the end of the summer, I was back in New York with my valve trombone, hanging around Charlie’s Tavern where the musicians all hung out. Somebody would say, “I need a bass for continued on page 16 14 __________________________________ May 2010
One of a kind * Brunch at the only place you’ll find traditional American fare as well as delicious Caribbean foods. Enjoy our lavish variety of dishes while listening to the sounds of live jazz with Frank Noviello , in a cozy friendly dining atmosphere. May 9, two seatings, at noon and 2pm. Early Reservations highly recommended. Seating is limited. THE NEW SPOT FOR LIVE JAZZ IN MORRISTOWN Don’t miss our Mother’s Day Brunch* May 9 with Frank Noviello Then join us for a memorable night of dining and live jazz! Piano Jazz Tuesdays 6–9PM May 4: Brandon McCune May 11: Tomoko Ohno May 18: Allen Farnham May 25: David Braham Live Jazz Every Friday 7–10PM May 7: Laura Hull May 14: Eric Mintel duo May 21: Carrie Jackson May 28: Joe Tranchina NJJS members enjoy a 10% discount! Located in the Best Western Morristown Inn 270 South Street, Morristown NJ 07960 (973) 359-0200 www.hibiscuscuisine.com Walk-ins welcome/Reservations recommended Call us for more info and music updates Mon . . . . . . . 5:30PM–9:30PM Tue–Thu. . 11:30AM–9:30PM Fri. . . . . . . . . 11:30AM–10PM Sat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–10PM Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–8PM Hours may vary; please call. May 2010 ___________________________________ 15
Page 1 and 2: Volume 38 • Issue 5 May 2010 Jour
Page 3 and 4: New JerseyJazzSociety sincere.”
Page 5 and 6: May 2010 __________________________
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Page 9 and 10: food for the body | songs for the s
Page 11 and 12: Restaurant and bar 24 Main St. (Rt.
Page 13: ARBORS RECORDS Daryl Sherman and Jo
Page 17 and 18: May 2010 __________________________
Page 19 and 20: May 2010 __________________________
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Page 25 and 26: Saluting the giants of jazz. Cole,
Page 27 and 28: JerseyArticlesJazz Noteworthy Fradl
Page 29 and 30: JerseyArticlesJazz Hail to the Chie
Page 31 and 32: JerseyReviewsJazz celebrate the mus
Page 33 and 34: JerseyReviewsJazz ■ JACKIE RYAN i
Page 35 and 36: May 2010 __________________________
Page 37 and 38: JerseyReviewsJazz The party was alr
Page 39 and 40: JerseyReviewsJazz impossible, but r
Page 41 and 42: New JerseyJazzSociety Jazz Social |
Page 43 and 44: New JerseyJazzSociety Joe Temperley
Page 45 and 46: JerseyEventsJazz She’ll be Nancy
Page 47 and 48: JerseyEventsJazz Tell them you saw

Jersey Jazz - New Jersey Jazz Society

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