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1947 |
Wardell Gray Chronology |
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Created by Leif Bo Petersen |
Last
updated: August 3, 2020. |
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Date |
Event |
References/Further Details |
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1947? |
Louis [Lewis] Oles Band Lewis Oles (tp), Teddy Edwards (ts & arr);
Wardell Gray (ts); 3 unidentified (reeds); unidentified (p); unidentified
(b); unidentified (d). Unidentified studio. Los Angeles, CA. Recording session for Dick Bock (later owner of
Pacific Jazz Records). |
B.
Rusch, “Teddy Edwards Interview,” Cadence,
April 1994, 13. For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
|
January
30 |
Concert “Dancing on a Dime” benefit show Artists from the film and music world. Joseph Le Conte Junior High School, Hollywood, CA. 6:30–midnight. Bill Anson; Martin Block; Frank Bull; Stuart
Hamblen; Lou Marcelle; Maurice Hart; Gene Norman; Peter Potter (mc). March of Dimes. FWB broadcast 6:00– Midnight. Material
from this broadcast including Wardell Gray was used on AFRS Jubilee # 228: Woody
Herman and the All Stars Howard McGhee (tp); Jack Teagarden (tb);
Woody Herman (cl, mc); Ted Nash, Wardell Gray (ts); Herbie Stewart (bars);
Tommy Todd (p); Charlie Drayton (b); Jackie Mills (d); Gene Norman (mc). |
“‘Dancing on a Dime’ Set Tonite,” California Eagle, January 30, 1947. “Your Radio today,” Los Angeles Times,
January 30, 1947, part 1, 11: 6:00 pm.–midnight: March [of] Dimes. For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
|
February
13 |
Jam session Including Howard McGhee, Charlie Parker, Jack
Teagarden, Lucky Thompson, Wardell Gray, Big Bill Moore, Kessel. Casa Blanca, Los Angeles, CA. |
"I Cover the Town," California
Eagle, February 20, 1947, 18. |
|
February
26 |
Charlie Parker All Stars Howard McGhee (tp); Charlie Parker (as);
Wardell Gray (ts); Michael “Dodo” Marmarosa (p); Barney Kessel (el-g); George
“Red” Callender (b); Don Lamond (d). C.
P. MacGregor Studio, Hollywood, CA. Commercial
recordings for Dial. |
For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html See
also: http://www.plosin.com/milesahead/BirdSessions.aspx?s=470226 |
|
April
3 |
Billy Eckstine accompanied
by Al Killian Orchestra Al Killian (tp); Billy Eckstine (vtb, voc); Sonny
Criss (as); Wardell Gray (ts); Hampton Hawes (p); Shep Shepard (b); Chuck
Thompson (d). Billy
Berg’s Supper Club, Hollywood, CA. April
3–29. |
“Billy
Eckstine Arrives in L.A.,” California
Eagle, March 27, 1947 20: opening April 3. “Music–As
Written,” Billboard, March 29,
1947, 18 opening April 4 with 6-piecer. “Out
of the horn’s Mouth,” Variety
(Daily), April 18, 1947, 12: Eckstine closing April 29. Billy Eckstine quoted in M. Gardner, liner
notes to 12-inch LP: Xanadu 200: gives the personnel. |
|
April
21 |
Billy Eckstine Ray Linn (tp); Billy Eckstine (vtb, voc);
Jerry Valentine (tb); Sonny Criss (as); Wardell Gray (ts); Warren Bracken
(p); Unidentified (g); Shifty Henry (b); Tim Kennedy (d). Unidentified
studio, Los Angeles, CA. Commercial
recordings for National. |
For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
|
April
29 |
Just Jazz Concert Benny Goodman Band Benny
Goodman (cl); Red Norvo (vib); Jimmy Rowles (p); Al Hendrickson (g); Henry
Babasin (b); Don Lamond (d). Benny Carter band Chuck
Petersen (tb); Vic Dickenson (tb); Benny Carter (as); Charlie Barnet (ts);
Dodo Marmarosa (p); Irving Ashby (g); Red Callender (b); Jackie Mills (d). Howard McGhee Band Howard
McGhee (tp); Sonny Criss (as); Wardell Gray (ts); Dodo Marmarosa (p); Charlie
Drayton (b); Don Lamond (d). Erroll Garner Peggy Lee Gene
Norman & Eddie Laguna (prod). Civic
Auditorium, Pasadena, CA. Recordings
exist. Material
from this broadcast including Wardell Gray was used on AFRS Jubilee ## 261
and 262. Some
of it was also commercially issued on Modern Music. |
“Music–As
Written,” Billboard, April 12,
1947, 34: Gene Norman will stage the
first in a planned series of concerts, Gene Norman Presents Just Jazz, at
Pasadena Civic Auditorium on April 29. Concert 2.5 hours. “Hollywood Inside,” Variety (Daily), April 28, 1947, 2. “Goodman
Redeems Self at Concert,” Down Beat,
May 21, 1947, 10. “Benny
Carter Finds a Welcome…” Down Beat,
May 18, 1951, 2. For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
|
Spring
or Summer |
Al Killian Orchestra Al Killian (tp); Sonny Criss (as); Wardell Gray
(ts); unidentified (p); unidentified (b); Tim Kennedy (d). Probably
McCornack General Hospital, Pasadena, CA. Also
appearing here: Kay Kyser, Jane Russell, Mervyn Bogue, and Hadda Brooks. Recorded
material from here was used on AFRS Jubilee. ##242 and 243. |
D. Salemann, Wardell Gray 1921-1955 Discography
(1986), 10:
Dates May, McCormack General Hospital, Pasadena, CA. R.
E. Lotz & U. Neuert. The AFRS “Jubilee” Transcription Programs (1985),
Nos. 242–43: Date August 1947, Hollywood, CA. Broadcast dates: #242: October.
# 243: October 10. See
discography for details. Jubilee
to Be First Broadcast from McCormack,” Needle, January 24, 2: From
January AFRS Jubilee was produced in the Recreation Hall at the McCornack
General Hospital on Mondays on a regular basis. First Jubilee show found place on January
27. Material from here was used on Jubilee ## 225 and 226. The
last 1947 Jubilee production from McCornack seems to have been at July 27 (Needle,
July 25, 1). Material from here was used on AFRS Jubilee ##239, 244, and 283. |
|
May
early |
Charlie Parker Release of Dial 1012. 10" 78 rpm. record. Charlie Parker and Wardell Gray only
appear on 1012 A. Recorded February 26, 1947. Charlie Parker All Stars Dial 1012-A Relaxin’ at
Camarillo Recorded September 21, 1946. The Mad Monks — Serge Chaloff Dial 1012-B Blue Serge |
"Weekly
Review of the New Records," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 7, 1947, 4D:
favorable review. Dial's releases continue to be a messy affair,
having different track and/or different take combinations on the same or
differing series numbers. |
|
June
12 |
Dexter Gordon Quintet Dexter Gordon/ Wardell Gray Melba Liston (tb); Dexter Gordon (ts);
Charles Fox (p); George Red Callender (b); Chuck Thompson (d). C.
P. MacGregor Studio, Hollywood, CA. Commercial
recordings for Dial. |
For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
|
July
5 |
‘Let Freedom Fling’ 12-piece Unity Band Jam Session Elk’s
Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA. July
5-6. Dance
from 8:30. L.
A. Communist Party (prod). Jam
session from midnight including: Howard McGhee, Al Killian (tp); Trummy Young
(tb); Sonny Criss (as); Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Teddy Edwards; Wild Bill
Moore, Gene Montgomery (ts); Hampton Hawes, Russ Freeman (p); Barney Kessel
(el-g); Shifty Henry, Harry Babasin, Red Callender (b); Roy Porter, Leroy
Gray, Tim Kennedy (d): Earl Coleman (voc). Jack
Williams (prod). Ralph Bass (mc). The
whole jam session was recorded by Ralph Bass. Some
of the material was commercially issued on BOP. |
Ad
in California Eagle, July 3, 14, 1947, For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
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July
24 |
Nat King Cole Trio Benny Carter and His Orchestra Wardell
Gray has replaced Lucky Thompson. Mary Bryant Mack & Ace Million
Dollar Theater, Los Angeles, CA. July
24–31. |
Ad
in California Eagle, July 24, 1947, 12. “Music
Notes,” Variety (Daily), July 27,
1947, 15 |
|
Summer |
Al Killian Orchestra Probably: Al Killian (tp); Sonny Criss (as); Wardell
Gray (ts); Charles Fox (p); Shep Shepherd (b); Tim Kennedy (d). Tour in the Northwest. 2 weeks. Realized without Eckstine. Ending with a prolonged stay in
Portland, OR. |
“Out
of the Horn’s Mouth,” Variety
(Daily), April 18, 1947, 12: After
closing at Berg’s Eckstine will take 14 days tour on one-nighters through the
Pacific Northwest “Music–As Written,” Billboard, May 3, 1947, 34. R.
Dietsche. The Golden Years of Portland
Jazz, 1942–57 (2005), 86: The band was gathered for an Eckstine
Californian tour, but Eckstine didn’t come, so the band filled these dates
without Eckstine. T.
Gioa. West Coast Jazz (1998), 125. |
|
October
17? |
Al Killian Orchestra Al Killian (tp); Sonny Criss (as); Wardell Gray
(ts); Charles Fox (p); Shep Shepherd (b); Tim Kennedy (d). Savoy
Club, Portland, OR. Private
broadcast recordings exist. |
R.
Dietsche. The Golden Years of Portland
Jazz, 1942–57 (2005), 91: gives date October 17. For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
|
October
Late |
Al Killian Orchestra Club
Cherokee, Portland, OR. 9:30–2:30.
Sunday Matinee Jam session 3:00–6:30 pm. |
Ad
in Oregonian, October 29, 1947, 17: Playing nightly. |
|
December
26 |
Just Jazz Concert Benny
Goodman, Wardell Gray, Vido Musso, Red Norvo, Mel Powell, Red Callender, Lee
Young, Kay Starr, and Pete Johnson. Civic
Auditorium, Long Beach, CA. Gene
Norman (prod). |
”Jazz
Concert Play to 6,500…” Variety,
December 29, 1947, 3. “Benny
Goodman Heads Holiday Jazz Concerts,” California
Eagle, December 18, 1947, 27. |
|
December
27 |
Just Jazz Concert Benny
Goodman, Wardell Gray, Vido Musso, Red Norvo, Ernie Royal, Don Lamond, Mel
Powell, Red Callender, Lee Young, Pete Johnson, Kay Starr, and Johnny Mercer. Shrine
Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA. Gene
Norman (prod). Material
from this concert was used on AFRS Jubilee #271 (Gray and Musso) and AFRS
Just Jazz #16 (Gray and Goodman). Some
of it was also commercially issued on Modern Music. |
”Jazz
Concert Play to 6,500…” Variety,
December 29, 1947, 3.3. “Benny
Goodman Heads Holiday Jazz Concerts,” California
Eagle, December 18, 1947, 27. “Just
Jazz,” Daily Trojan, January 5,
1948, 4: Review. For details see http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |