Joe Zawinul, Keyboards, 1932, Vienna, Austria
As a young teenager, Joe played the accordian and studied music at the Vienna Conservatory. In the early 50's Joe worked in dance bands and in radio studios as a pianist. In the late '50s he moved to the U.S. and went to work for Maynard Ferguson. In 1961 he joined Cannonball Adderley with whom he performed, recorded and began writing. He remained with Adderley until 1970 when he joined Miles Davis. In the early 70's Joe and Wayne Shorter formed the group"Weather Report" which lasted until 1985. Zawinul was one of the most original and prolific jazz composers and arrangers to have emerged in the 1970s. Two of his most popular hits were "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", and "Birdland", which were recorded by Weather Report, Manhattan Transfer, and Maynard Ferguson's big-band. Zawinul's performance with Adderley's group, on electric piano, influenced other jazz musicians to work with the instrument, thus drastically changing the sound of an entire branch of jazz music. His use of synthesizers has also been a great influence on modern sounds. Joe created one of the first musically successful vehicles for improvisation since the early New Orleans bands.
Doc Severinsen, Trumpet, 1927, Arlington, Va
Doc first came to prominance while playing in Charlie Barnet's band in the late 40's. During the next few years he played with Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and many other popular jazz orchestras. Around 1950 he joined NBC as a staff musician, and remained almost exclusively in television for many years to come. In 1962 he became the assistant leader, under Skitch Henderson, of the "Tonight Show" band, and a few years later became the leader and director of program music. He gained popularity with television audiences for his virtuoso playing, his quick wit, and his wild jackets. Doc is also known for leading workshops for young brass players and conducting numerous educational venues in addition to his work in television. After the demise of the Johnny Carson show, Doc became the conductor of the Phoenix Pops Orchestra, a position he held for twenty years.
Hank Mobley, Saxophone, 1930, Eastman, GA
In the early '50s Hank played with Paul Gayten's rhythm-and-blues band, and then intermittenly with Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1954 he was one of the founding members of the Jazz Messengers with Art Blakey and Horace Silver. He remained with the group for two years and then worked for Silver's own group, and then returned to Blakey's band. In the early '60s Hank worked for Dizzy Reese and then for Miles Davis. He performed and recorded with groups of his own throughout the '60s, and also worked as a freelance player. He toured Europe from 1968 to 1970, and thereafter health problems forced him to restrict his working schedule The most notable aspect of Mobley's playing was his precise and idiosyncratic use of rhythm. This led him to play very intricate improvised melodies, so intricate that at times he wasn't able to keep up with himself. However, as time passed, he developed a style over which he had excellent control, delivering a beautifully relaxed performance. His keen understanding of rhythmic structure enabled his to interact effectively with the finest drummers of his day. Hank Mobley died in 1986.
Tiny Grimes, Guitar, 1916, Newport News, Va
