NickD

This was posted on TPIN by Mike Vax this AM. The trumpet world has lost another great. Too bad...

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 25 May 2007 01:48:17 EDT
From: Vaxtrpts@aol.com
Subject: [TPIN] A Sad Announcement
To: tpin@tpin.okcu.edu
Message-ID: <d41.984e938.3387d2a1@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

It is my sad task to let all of you know that one of the greatest lead
trumpet players in the history of big bands passed away last night. Buddy
Childers died after a long illness. Buddy was a good friend and the reason
that I
first wanted to become a lead trumpet player. His numerous recordings with
the Stan Kenton Orchestra were my real introduction to that world.
My Kenton Alumni Band actually did a concert yesterday afternoon at the
Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, California, as part of the LA Jazz Institute
"Swing into Spring" weekend of 24 different big band performances. We were the
opening "special" concert as a tribute to Stan. The Balboa Pavilion is
within a couple of blocks of the old Rendezvous Ballroom, where Stan made his
debut on Memorial Day Weekend of 1941. It was a fitting place and time for us
to perform. During that performance, we performed "Solo for Buddy," written
in the early 50's for Buddy Childers by Bill Holman. Carl Saunders and I did
it as a duet.
We actually had Norm Tompach from Friends of Big Band Jazz call Buddy on the
cell phone so that he could hear us play this rare piece in his honor. He
was sleeping and his son didn't want to wake him up.
Little did we know that we would perform the piece on the exact day of his
passing.
Rest in Peace, Buddy. You showed us all how to play lead trumpet the right
way!
Mike Vax

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NickD
"Free Online Lessons in Extreme Trumpet Playing"
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bachstrad72

What a great loss. RIP

__________________
~Perry Sutton~
BM Mason Gross School of the Arts '05
MM Rowan University '07

http://www.myspace.com/perrysutton

http://musicalconservatory.com/faculty/brass_bios1.php

kadleck

Wow, I'm just seeing this now. I know that he hadn't been in good health. A huge loss for the music community.

I learned much sitting next to Buddy with Sinatra. His time and phrasing concepts were some things that I still try to emulate to this day.

Buddy was in his 60's at the time. Each time they came to the east coast, I would wind up with more and more lead parts in my book. When I asked him about it Buddy said, "I used to think my job as a lead player was to play ALL of the lead. Now I realize my job is to make sure that all of the lead GETS played." I think that is a great line.

We'll miss you.

Tony

Richard Oliver

Wonderful words all gents.

The BuZZ

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