Louis Prima, Trumpet/Vocal, 1911, New Orleans, LA
Louis studied the violin from the age of 7, but then around 1925 taught himself the trumpet. He performed in various local bands, remaining in New Orleans until1935, except for brief stints with Red Nichols in Cleveland and New York. In 1935 he played a long-term gig at the Famous Door in New York and then did several other long term engagements in Chicago and Los Angeles. In the 1940s Louis formed a big-band, but during the '50s and '60s he again worked with small groups. From 1952 he was married to Keely Smith for around ten years, and together they achieved great commercial success with recordings of popular tunes, and Louis also appeared in many films during his career. Louis's gruff singing voice and trumpet style were greatly influenced by Louis Armstrong. After 1940 his style became almost completely commercial and closer to popular music than jazz. Louis Prima died in 1978.
Teddy Hill, Saxophone, 1909, Birmingham, AL
Teddy left Alabama and moved to New York in 1927 where he worked with George Howe and Luis Russell. He later recorded as a soloist with a band led by Henry"Red" Allen. In the early '30s he performed with James P Johnson and in 1935 organized his own band. He employed musicians such as; Roy Eldridge, Bill Coleman, Chu Berry, Dicky Wells, and Russell Procope. He also employed Dizzy Gillespie whose first solos were recorded with the band in 1937. The group had a regular gig for aeveral years at the Savoy Ballroom, and did numerous broadcasts over radio station WJZ. Hill tired of performing in 1940 and became manager of Minton's Playhouse, in Harlem. It was during this period that Mintons earned its reputation as the birthplace of bop. Teddy Hill died in1978.
Chuck Loeb, Guitar, 1955, Nyack, NY
Tom Waits, Vocal, 1949, Pomona, CA
