Monthly Archives: September 2015

My Biggest Worry

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Bill

My biggest concern with having a jazz museum was financial survival in a world where rock music rules.  Jazz and classical music are our intellectual styles of music and both are in danger financially today. I knew we wouldn’t be … Continue reading →

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Our Harry James Trumpet

Posted on September 27, 2015 by Bill

I had been reading books on jazz musicians since I had decided to retire from professional trumpet playing to start a jazz museum.  Since jazz history was not yet a college course when I was in school, I knew I … Continue reading →

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Mark Taylor’s Other Donations

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Bill

Along with the 2,200 albums Mark Taylor donated to our museum, there were two other major donations.  His dad had been personal friends with Stan Kenton over the years, and had acquired the band crate and Stan’s personal music folder.  … Continue reading →

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Two Major Donations of Record Albums

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Bill

When I started working on the museum in October of 2005, I only had a few records of my own to put in the museum.  Soon, however, we acquired 3,400 records in two donations from two of my friends. Leonard … Continue reading →

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Leonard Belota’s Rehearsal Band

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Bill

http://youtu.be/cpawFeFW2LM My good friend, Leonard Belota, had a rehearsal band in Ft. Worth back in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  I played lead trumpet in the band and Leonard was the jazz trumpet player.  This track is from 1978 … Continue reading →

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A Record Album Museum

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Bill

      When we decided to have a jazz museum, all we had was a building, a large room full of antiques, and about 400 records I had bought over the years.  The antiques would have to be sold off … Continue reading →

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Cat Anderson

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Bill

William Alonzo Anderson, known as Cat Anderson (September 12, 1916-April 29, 1981), had a birthday two days ago.  Cat became famous in the Duke Ellington Orchestra and was probably the best high note trumpet player in history. I’ll never forget … Continue reading →

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Mel Torme & The Boss Brass

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Bill

http://youtu.be/lcGdUcaPPbo Mel Torme (September 13, 1925-June 5, 1999).  Today would have been Mel Torme’s birthday.  He is most famous for being a co-writer of “The Christmas Song”, which is my favorite Christmas song. He recorded with the Boss Brass twice, … Continue reading →

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Where Do You Start?

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Bill

The idea of having a jazz museum was born on October 22, 2005 at about 3 P.M.  I was in the pit playing the matinee of the Broadway show Wicked. It was the day before my last day of a … Continue reading →

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More Natalie Cole

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Bill

http://youtu.be/aFV3tuH2iPM The picture is not the album cover these two tunes are from–I seem to have lost the cover.  The title of the cd is “Unforgettable” and was recorded in 1991.  It is one of my favorite albums in my … Continue reading →

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