Harry Gozzard
American jazz trumpeter / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Harry Roy Gozzard (March 5, 1916 – January 11, 1995) was an American jazz trumpeter.[1] He first performed with Sam Donahue.[2][3][4] (In an article written by Mike Zirpolo, for Swing and Beyond, Donahue was described as "a superlative tenor saxophone soloist.")[5] Other members of Donahue's band included the former The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson bandleader Doc Severinsen, 1946 Esquire Award winner for Best New Female Vocalist Frances Wayne, Grammy Award-winning vocalist and actress Jo Stafford and popular music arranger Leo Reisman.[6]
Harry Gozzard | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Harry Roy Gozzard |
Born | (1916-03-05)March 5, 1916 Shelburne, Ontario, Canada |
Died | January 11, 1995(1995-01-11) (aged 78) Warren, Michigan, U.S. |
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Years active | 1934–1980 |
Labels | RCA Victor, Bluebird Records, Capitol Records, Okeh Records, Vocalion Records |
While he was with the Donahue band, Gozzard performed a few times with legendary piano-playing bandleader Count Basie.[7][8][9] Basie was featured on four Donahue Okeh recordings made in New York on December 26, 1940.[10][11] In Count Basie: A Bio-Discography, Chris Sheridan stated, “on Boxing Day, Basie flew to New York to guest on a Sam Donahue date.”[12]
In William F. Lee's book, American Big Bands, he mentioned that Gozzard was a sideman in the Sonny Burke Orchestra in the early 1940s. They performed at the famous Roseland Ballroom in New York.[13] (Lady Gaga was the last one to perform there before it closed its doors in 2014. The online newspaper Curbed mentioned in an article that the site was redeveloped into a 62-story, luxury apartment building.)[14] At the time, Burke's band recorded for Decca, Okeh and Vocalion.[15] Gozzard was a part of at least 16 recordings with Burke's band.[16] (In 1938, Donahue went to work with Gene Krupa. Instead of disbanding his orchestra, Donahue turned over the leadership position to Sonny Burke. Around that time, John Hammond, encouraged Burke to bring the band to New York. George T. Simon stated in his book, The Big Bands, that Burke “brought his young Detroiters to New York, rehearsed them, helped support them and eventually landed an engagement at the Roseland in Brooklyn plus an Okeh recording contract.”[17] Hammond was instrumental in igniting several musical careers, including those of Count Basie, Bob Dylan, Harry James, Bruce Springsteen, Benny Goodman, Aretha Franklin and others.)[18][19][20]