Living Jazz Players over 90

[Zeldar]

With the recent passing of Dave Brubeck at age 91 (a day short of 92) I started wondering how many of his generation are still around and perhaps even active.

The first to come to mind is Marian McPartland who is 94.

Help build a list of others.

[WordMan]

Hmm. Hank Jones died recently. Sonny Rollins is in his 80's - is that close enough? Same with guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and piano player Ahmad Jamal...

[K364]

Ramsey Lewis is a young pup: born May 27, 1935 (age 77)

[K364]

Never heard of him, but how about "The Fiddling Viking" - Svend Asmussen, born 28 February 1916 (age 96)

[Jeff Lichtman]

He's not as big a name as the ones that have been mentioned so far, but Lionel Ferbos is 101 and still working.

[Zeldar]

Not everybody on List of jazz musicians has an age listed but at least these do:

Clark Terry
Chico Hamilton
Yusef Lateef

[Chefguy]

Eugene Wright, Brubeck's old bassist, will be 90 next year.

Sonny Rollins is still a youngster at 82, as is Ornette Coleman and Pete Fountain. Fats Domino is 84.

[Bob Ducca]

I'm blanking on his name but there's a guy that still plays every Saturday night in New Orleans who is 100 years old. He played with Louie Armstrong.

[astorian]

Originally Posted by K364

Ramsey Lewis is a young pup: born May 27, 1935 (age 77)

Just a few years ago, my wife and father-in-law got to see him here in Austin at the Paramount Theater as opening act for... Dave Brubeck!

[Jeff Lichtman]

Originally Posted by Bob Ducca

I'm blanking on his name but there's a guy that still plays every Saturday night in New Orleans who is 100 years old. He played with Louie Armstrong.

Is it Lionel Ferbos, whom I mentioned in post #5? I never heard that he played with Armstrong, although he did play with some other greats such as Mamie Smith and Captain John Handy. He is 101 years old and leads the Palm Court Jazz Band in New Orleans every Saturday night.

[Bob Ducca]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lichtman

Is it Lionel Ferbos, whom I mentioned in post #5? I never heard that he played with Armstrong, although he did play with some other greats such as Mamie Smith and Captain John Handy. He is 101 years old and leads the Palm Court Jazz Band in New Orleans every Saturday night.

Yes, him. He was on a recent episode of Treme. Maybe I'm misremembering him talking about playing with Armstrong.

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by Bob Ducca

I'm blanking on his name but there's a guy that still plays every Saturday night in New Orleans who is 100 years old. He played with Louie Armstrong.

Louis. Louis Armstrong. And he pronounced it "Lewis".

[Bob Ducca]

Originally Posted by Chefguy

Louis. Louis Armstrong. And he pronounced it "Lewis".

Not according to this.

It's like Louis Armstrong-he spelled his name Louis, but he liked it to be said as Louie, too, instead of the "s" being sounded.

And also here from the Wiki citations:

Armstrong was registered as "Lewie" for the 1920 U.S. Census. On various live records he's called "Louie" on stage, such as on the 1952 "Can Anyone Explain?" from the live album In Scandinavia vol.1.

[Chefguy]

Originally Posted by Bob Ducca

Not according to this.



And also here from the Wiki citations:

"This is Louis, Dolly." And in any case, it's not spelled "Louie".