Teddy Wilson
Teddy Wilson | |
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![]() Wilson at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., 1940 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Theodore Shaw Wilson |
Born | Austin, Texas, U.S. | November 24, 1912
Died | July 31, 1986 New Britain, Connecticut, U.S, | (aged 73)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Piano |
Associated acts | Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman |
Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986)[1] was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive swing pianist",[2] Wilson had a sophisticated, elegant style. His work was featured on the records of many of the biggest names in jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. With Goodman, he was one of the first black musicians to appear prominently with white musicians. In addition to his extensive work as a sideman, Wilson also led his own groups and recording sessions from the late 1920s to the 1980s.
Biography[edit]
Wilson was born in Austin, Texas, United States.[3] He studied piano and violin at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama.[3] After working in Speed Webb's band, with Louis Armstrong, and also understudying Earl Hines in Hines's Grand Terrace Cafe Orchestra, Wilson joined Benny Carter's Chocolate Dandies in 1933.[3] In 1935, he joined the Benny Goodman Trio (which consisted of Goodman, Wilson and drummer Gene Krupa, later expanded to the Benny Goodman Quartet with the addition of Lionel Hampton).[3] The trio performed during the big band's intermissions. By joining the trio, Wilson became one of the first black musicians to perform prominently in a racially integrated group.
Jazz producer and writer John Hammond was instrumental in getting Wilson a contract with Brunswick, starting in 1935, to record hot swing arrangements of the popular songs of the day, with the growing jukebox trade in mind. He recorded hit records with singers such as Lena Horne, Helen Ward and Billie Holiday. During these years, he also took part in many sessions with swing musicians such as Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers, Red Norvo, Buck Clayton, and Ben Webster. From 1936 to 1942, he recorded for Brunswick Records and Columbia Records. In the 1950s he recorded on Verve Records.
Wilson formed his own short-lived big band in 1939, then led a sextet at Café Society from 1940 to 1944.[3] He was dubbed the "Marxist Mozart" by Howard "Stretch" Johnson due to his support for left-wing causes: he performed in benefit concerts for The New Masses journal and for Russian War Relief, and he chaired the Artists' Committee to elect Benjamin J. Davis (a New York City council member running on the Communist Party USA ballot line).[4] In the 1950s, Wilson taught at the Juilliard School. Wilson can be seen appearing as himself in the motion picture Hollywood Hotel 1937) and in The Benny Goodman Story (1955). He also worked as music director for the Dick Cavett Show.
Wilson lived quietly in suburban Hillsdale, New Jersey.[5] He was married three times, including to the songwriter Irene Kitchings. He performed as a soloist and with pick-up groups until the final years of his life, including leading a trio with his sons Theodore Wilson on bass and Steven Wilson on drums.[6]
In 1979, Wilson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.[7]
Wilson died of stomach cancer in New Britain, Connecticut, on July 31, 1986 aged 73. He is buried at Fairview Cemetery in New Britain. In addition to Theodore and Steven, Wilson had three more children, William, James (Jim) and Dune.[8]
Select discography[edit]
Solo[edit]
- 1942: Columbia Presents Teddy Wilson
- 1972: With Billie in Mind (Chiaroscuro)
- 1983: Alone (Storyville)
As leader[edit]
- 1944: Teddy Wilson Sextet (The Onyx Club New York Original Live Recordings)
- 1949: Teddy Wilson Featuring Billie Holiday
- 1952: Runnin' Wild (MGM)
- 1952: Just A Mood - Teddy Wilson Quartet Starring Harry James & Red Norvo (Columbia EP B-1569/5-1277)
- 1955: The Creative Teddy Wilson (Norgran) - also released as For Quiet Lovers (Verve)
- 1956: Pres and Teddy (Verve) with Lester Young
- 1956: I Got Rhythm (Verve)
- 1956: The Impeccable Mr. Wilson (Verve)
- 1956: These Tunes Remind Me of You (Verve)
- 1957: The Teddy Wilson Trio & Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Bob Brookmeyer at Newport (Verve)
- 1957: The Touch of Teddy Wilson (Verve)
- 1959: Mr. Wilson and Mr. Gershwin (Columbia)
- 1959: Gypsy in Jazz (Columbia)
- 1959: And Then They Wrote... (Columbia)
- 1963: Teddy Wilson 1964 (Cameo)
- 1967: Moonglow (Black Lion)
- 1968: The Noble Art of Teddy Wilson (Metronome)
- 1973: Runnin' Wild (Black Lion)
- 1976: Live at Santa Tecla
- 1980: Teddy Wilson Trio Revisits the Goodman Years
- 1990: Air Mail Special
As sideman[edit]
- 1933–1942: Billie Holiday, The Quintessential Billie Holiday (Volumes 1-9); Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia 1933–1944 (Columbia)
- 1935: Mildred Bailey, Mildred Bailey and Her Alley Cats[9] (Columbia)
- 1935–1939: Benny Goodman, The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings (RCA)
- 1938: Benny Goodman, The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert (Columbia)
- 1946-1947: Sarah Vaughan, The Chronological Classics: Sarah Vaughan 1946-1947 (Classics)
- 1954: Ben Webster, Music for Loving (Norgran)
- 1974: Phoebe Snow Phoebe Snow (album) (Shelter Records)
References[edit]
- ^ "NEA Jazz Master: Teddy Wilson, Pianist, Arranger, Educator". National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "Teddy Wilson Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 433. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
- ^ Denning, Michael (1996). The Cultural Front: The Laboring of American Culture in the Twentieth Century. New York: Verso. p. 317. ISBN 978-1844674640.
- ^ "Jersey Is Home To Teddy Wilson; One Son Is a Teacher". The New York Times. July 1, 1973.
Mr. Wilson settled in Hillsdale 10 years ago, when he and his present wife, were married.
- ^ "Teddy Wilson Profile". Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians. jazz.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
- ^ Wilson, Teddy (September 2001). Teddy Wilson Talks Jazz: The Autobiography of Teddy Wilson. ISBN 9780826457974.
- ^ "Teddy Wilson Dies; Pianist and Leader Of 30's Jazz Combos". The New York Times. Associated Press. 1 August 1986.
- ^ Hemming, Roy. Mildred Bailey (liner notes). Decca Records. p. 5. GRD-644.
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Teddy Wilson. |
- Teddy Wilson discography at Discogs
- Teddy Wilson on BlueBlackJazz.com
- Teddy Wilson at IMDb
- Teddy Wilson at Find a Grave
- Teddy Wilson music, papers, and artifacts, Institute of Jazz Studies, (Rutgers University)
- 1912 births
- 1986 deaths
- Musicians from Austin, Texas
- People from Hillsdale, New Jersey
- Big band bandleaders
- Swing pianists
- Mainstream jazz pianists
- African-American pianists
- American jazz pianists
- American male pianists
- Tuskegee University alumni
- Juilliard School faculty
- Brunswick Records artists
- Columbia Records artists
- Verve Records artists
- American jazz educators
- Benny Goodman Orchestra members
- Musicraft Records artists
- 20th-century American pianists
- Educators from Texas
- Educators from New Jersey
- Jazz musicians from Texas
- 20th-century American male musicians
- American male jazz musicians
- The Chocolate Dandies members
- Black Lion Records artists
- 20th-century African-American people