Dick Wellstood
Richard McQueen "Dick" Wellstood ( born November 25, 1927 in Greenwich, Connecticut, † July 24, 1987 in Palo Alto) was an American jazz pianist ( and arranger ) of Dixieland jazz, boogie woogie, stride piano style and swing.
Life and work
Wellstood learned during the 1940's jazz piano playing at the model of the master of stride piano and played with Dixieland groups such as the " Wildcats " by Bob Wilber ( 1946 ), with whom he also toured through Europe in 1952. He also appeared with Sidney Bechet, before in 1953 he began to study law ( which he completed successfully - he practiced only in the 1980s as a lawyer). Occasionally, he also played with Roy Eldridge during his studies and in the band of Conrad Janis. After that he played in New York City Area solo piano as well as in Dixieland groups such as the Eddie Condon ( 1956 ), and accompanied (as house pianist in " Nick's " and then in "Metropolis " in New York) musician like Ben Webster, Wild Bill Davison, Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, Buster Bailey and Vic Dickenson.
In the summer of 1960 he recorded with accompanying musicians like Herman Autrey, Gene Sedric, Milt Hinton and Zutty Singleton for Prestige Album Uptown & Lowtown on. 1965/6 he toured South America with Gene Krupa. From the late 1960s he worked in "The World's Greatest Jazz Band " with, as well as with Kenny Davern at "The Ferry Boat " in Brielle, New Jersey. Wellstoods powerful, often more modern jazz harmony playing style used was based on many idioms and styles of the jazz era, but especially on the personal playing styles of James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Duke Ellington, Donald Lambert, type Tatum and Thelonious Monk. Wellstood occurred during the 80s and together with Dick Hyman on tours in the piano duet, and continued to play with Bob Wilber.
Disco printing specifications
Biography
- Edward N. Meyer: "Giant Strides: The Legacy of Dick Wellstood ( Studies in Jazz No. 32. ) " ( Amerikan. Original Issue: Scarecrow Press Inc., 1999, ISBN 0-8108-3564-9 ).