Jazz quiz

This might be interesting and possibly cause a few brain exercises.

Answer the question correctly and you get to pose the next one, to save a difficult one from dragging on, offer a clue after a day or two.

Your starter; who is this?

American jazz and swing pianist, recorded with big bands and small groups

Studied classical composition under Paul Hindemith, taught composition at Yale, later was a professor at CalArts.

mike, you start this quiz with a hard question. i really don,t know. if i guess does that count? if it does, i guess nat pierce.
gord ( ps this thread is a great idea, i hope it takes off.)

Not Nat Pierce Gord.

Time for a clue or two;

Born 1923 New York, started playing in a Greenwich Village club at age 14, influenced by Teddy Wilson and Willy "the Lion" Smith, played briefly with Muggsy Spanier, joined Benny Goodman in June 1941, started composing and arranging for Goodman as well as piano. Drafted in 1943 joined Glen Miller in the Army Air Force band.

More clues if you don't figure it by tomorrow.

i think the answer is mel powell. gord

You got it Gord, Mel Powell it is, your turn to set a teaser.

in the movie new york new york, robert deniro played a tenor sax playing jazzman at the start of the bebop era. which well known tenor sax star played for deniro. gord

I didn't know the answer but found out quickly on the internet. Is that allowed or is it cheating?

I didn't make any rules, I did a google too, but as I set the first one I thought somebody else should have a chance.

time for another clue. this tenor sax star started with bunny berigan,s big band in 1937,then moved to artie shaws band in 1939. when shaws band folded he went with benny goodman,later returning to shaws band when he reformed.in 1943 he formed his own modern bop influenced big band which also broke up a couple years later. gord

Hi Gord, sounds like Georgie Auld, must admit I hadn't heard of him until I googled and Wiki'ed.

Yes Gord I googled up Georgie Auld as well. He played for deNiro and also gave tuition for playing the instrument (I guess to look right for holding and keying).

My quiz subject is a jazz guitarist who suffered an untimely death at age 48.
(more clues to follow if required)

Seems quite a few Guitarists died early, Charlie Christian at 25, Wes Montgomery at 45, Django 43. Got as far as the C's in Google/Wiki.

My guy died in 1968 at age of 45 (I got it mixed up) so you got it right Mike Wes Montgomery

A big loss, he's one of my favourites.

OK next:

Mary Elfrieda Scruggs, better known as?

the answer could be mary lou williams. gord

It could and it is, your turn.

born fritz jones in 1930, lets see somebody guess this one. gord

Hi Gord,
How about Ahmad Jamal, born Freddie "fitz" Jones. Began playing piano aged 3.

Mike, I got mary Lou as well (Google both)

I think we are going to have to rule out Google, and Wiki Mike.
It just makes it too easy (but how can we avoid cheating?)

Try this one (I'm trying to start as obscure as possible).

This great pianist was honoured by The National Endowment for the Arts (US presumably) in 1989.
By the age 13 he was performing on piano locally in Michigan and Ohio.

further clues;-
My pianist has received many honors including
5 Grammy awards
NEA Jazz Masters Award
Jazz Living Legend Award
In 2008 National Medal of Arts
A Doctorate degree from Un. of Hartford (2009)