Buddy Bolden, Trumpet, 1877, New Orleans, LA
Buddy was the first of many New Orleans cornet "kings". He was highly respected by most of his contemporaries, and many legends about him still persist today. Buddy didn't begin his musical career as a youngster, like most of the other musicians of the era, he began around 1894, after he completed his schooling. Most of his contemporaries began by playing in marching brass bands, but Buddy came up through string bands, which played for private parties and dances. By 1895 he was working with his own band, although city records refered to him as a plasterer. Buddy's rise to fame coincided with the emergence of a black pleasure district called Black Storyville. Before long he was somewhat of a celebrity, playing in the dives, saloons, and even some of the more respecable venues in the district. By the early 1900 his reputation was at its peak, and his band performed regularly in the city's nicer dance halls and parks and also traveled to outlying towns. Around this time Bolden began showing some serious signs of violent mental problems, and his band rapidly disintegrated and was finally taken over by trombonist Frank Dusen. In 1907 Bolden was admitted to a mental institution where, sadly, he spent his remaining years. Although he never recorded, Bolden undoubtedly had a major influence on Freddie Keppard, Bunk Johnson, Louis Armstrong and countless other New Orleans cornetists. By his example, he helped to standardize the New Orleans jazz ensemble repertory still played today. His life formed the basis of the novel, Coming Through Slaughter by M. Ondaatje. Buddy Bolden died in 1931.
Eddie Duran, Guitar, 1925, San Francisco, CA
Eddie was a piano student before he played the guitar, and began playing professionally at the age of fifteen. From the mid '40s he performed with some of the major musicians in modern jazz; Stan Getz, Flip Phillips, Charlie Parker, George Shearing and Red Norvo. He played easily with both bop and swing musicians. He cut his first recordings in the mid '50s with Ron Crotty and Cal Tjader. Through most of the 1960s Eddie led and recorded with his own group. From 1976 to 1981 Eddie was an important member of Benny Goodman's band, and around 1987 he made his home in New York where he freelanced and continued to perform with many of the "name" musicians of the day.
Andrew White, Saxophone, 1942, Washington, DC
