Author Archives: Bill

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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Natalie Cole “Here’s That Rainy Day”

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Bill

http://youtu.be/bChKSTpeDKE This is my favorite vocal arrangement ever.  Nan Schwartz did the arrangement and won the Grammy in 2009 for best vocal arrangement.  Natalie Cole did a great job, also, in singing this classic tune. The great trumpet solo was … Continue reading →

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The Boss Brass with Guido Basso

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Bill

http://youtu.be/X2i2h9QlZsE Guido Basso was a charter member of the Boss Brass and one of their two great trumpet soloists.  He was a child prodigy on trumpet, from Montreal, and went to the Conservatoire de musique du Quebec where Maynard Ferguson … Continue reading →

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Phil Woods and the Boss Brass

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Bill

http://youtu.be/mO2_lyY-AlM Rehearsal bands are not commercial working bands.  They came about by musicians who wanted to play better quality music than they might play on gigs.  They usually meet once a week (if that much), and the musicians all play … Continue reading →

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