Turk Murphy, Trombone, 1915, Palermo, CA
Turk, after Jack Teagarden, was probably one of the most prominent jazz trombonists of traditional jazz on the West Coast, first gained fame while playing in Lu Water's band in the early '40s. Turk formed his own band in 1947 and continued to work with it well into the 1980s, always based in San Francisco where it had a steady gig for years in Earthquake McGoons, a popular jazz club that is still working today. The group occasionally came East and frequently toured in Europe and the Far East. Murphy's trombone playing was robust with a full sound, and full of good humor. The band played traditional music (jazz) of the '20s, well-known ballads of the day, and numerous original compositions. The group recorded extensively but with various and frequent changes of personnel. In 1986 he opened his Traditional Jazz Museum, at the Front Page, in San Francisco. Turk Murphy died in 1987.
Sam Most, Clarinet/Flute, 1930, Atlantic City, NJ
Sam was brought up in a musical family (his brother was Abe Most) and began his professional career as a saxophone player in Tommy Dorsey's band and during the '40s he also worked with the modern band of Boyd Raeburn and Don Redman. Around this time he switched from the tenor sax to the flute which he felt was better suited to the new ideas he wanted to express. He began to record in the early '50s and probably established himself as the first bop flutist. Throughout the'50s Sam led his own group, and in 1954 won the Downbeat critic's "New Star" award. He also worked with such diverse players as Chris Connor, Calvin Jackson, Paul Quinichette, and Teddy Wilson. He later played for Buddy Rich with whom he recorded and toured the world. During the '70s he worked with his brother, Abe, in Los Angeles and recorded with Red Norvo and Louis Bellson. He also worked as a freelance on the West Coast.
Andy Razaf, Composer, 1895, Washington, DC
Joe Farrell, Saxophone, 1937, Chicago Heights, IL
Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Organ, 1933-1997, Louisville, KY
