|
I'm now digging up this guy a little bit, and found following biography
from http://www.surfin.com/TheBlueFlameCafe/index.html What made me
amazed is the mail introduced there. It was written by Tom Parmenter!
- Kazunori
(I corrected the title of this topic. From Vincent to Vinson.)
Eddie "Cleanhead"Vinson
December 18, 1917 - July 2, 1988
Birthplace: Houston, Texas
A honking rhythm & blues alto saxophone player and a vocalist whose style
was in the mold of the classic blues shouter, Eddie Vinson made his mark in
the l940s, first with Milt Larkin's band and then with the Cootie Williams
Orchestra before embarking on a solo career. Nicknamed "Cleanhead" after a
lye-laced straightener destroyed his hair, Vinson recorded extensively
during his fifty-odd- year career and performed regularly in Europe and the
U.S.
Vinson was born and raised in Houston. His parents, both pianists,
introduced him to music at an early age. He began playing the saxophone in
high school and joined Chester Boone's band, which included T-Bone Walker on
guitar, in 1935. A year later Vinson jumped to Milt Larkin's band and became
part of one of the greatest saxophone sections in rhythm & blues. In
addition to Vinson, the section included Arnett Cobb and Illinois Jacquet,
both of whom went on to enjoy prestigious careers in R&B and jazz. Vinson
stayed with Larkin until 1941. He then moved to New York and joined the
Cootie Williams Orchestra, with which he remained through the mid-'40s,
recording such classics as "Cherry Red" and touring with the big band.
Vinson began his own band in 1945 and cut some of his best pieces, among
them, "Kidney Stew" and "Cleanhead Blues."
After returning to Houston in 1954, Vinson worked the Southwest R&B circuit
and, for a brief period in 1957, played with the Count Basie Band. In the
early '60s Vinson moved to Los Angeles and began working with the Johnny
Otis Revue. A 1970 appearance at the Monterey Jazz Festival with Otis
spurred something of a comeback for Vinson. During the 1970s and early
1980s, Vinson became a popular performer in Europe, where he also recorded
regularly, specializing in an appealing jazz-blues hybrid style. Vinson also
performed and made records in the U.S. Recording for the Muse label, he cut
an album with Roomful Of Blues (And a Roomful of Blues) and made Live at
Sandy's, a live recording that featured the accompaniment of old friend Cobb
and drummer Alan Dawson. Vinson died in 1988.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the Mailbox....
Subject: Eddie Cleanhead Vinson
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 96 12:08:04 -0400
From: Tom Parmenter
To: ljperry@ix.netcom.com
Yo ljperry,
I have to object to the description of Eddie Vinson as "a honking R&B alto
player". While he could undoubtedly honk, one of the most interesting things
about him is that he was a unique combination of blues shouter and bebop sax
player, a mirror image of Mose Allison in an odd way.
Nice site, excellent treatment of Eddie Vinson otherwise.
Tom Parmenter
|
| > I miss Tom Parmenter.
Ditto.
Of course Tom's reachable over the net, and Desperado springs to life
intermittently (last "tap" mid-Dec) to project Notes culture onto the web,
with occasional musical comment, but it's nothing like his presence in
house... For his posts, and the way he struck up friendships with, well,
everyone else I miss in music notes.
Ah well. A few remain to light the flame... - Jay
|