Teddy Hill

Theodore " Teddy" Hill ( * December 7, 1909 Birmingham, Alabama, † May 19, 1978 in Cleveland, Ohio) was an American tenor saxophonist, big band leader of swing and jazz club manager. He led the band in the Dizzy Gillespie made ​​his first recordings, and was the manager of Minton 's Playhouse at the time, as there bebop was developed.

Hill began with trumpet, but then switched quickly to the saxophone. In 1927 he played in a band called " Frank Bunch and his fuzzy Wuzzies ". The following year he went to New York, where he (still led by George Howe initially) joined the band of Luis Russell. In 1929 he played on the recording " Mahogany Hall Stomp " in the band at the time of Louis Armstrong.

In 1932 he founded his own band, with whom he played regularly at the Savoy Ballroom. Members were temporarily Roy Eldridge, Chu Berry, Dicky Wells, Bill Coleman and Kenny Clarke. During his time at Hill Clarke revolutionized the drumming by, instead of the current played the basic rhythm on the cymbals and the snare on the bass drum. In March 1937 arose Hills only hit " The Love Bug Will Bite You ( If You Do not Watch Out ) ". This year left as a European tour through England and France decency, Roy Eldridge, the band. Hill found replacement in the then twenty -year-old Dizzy Gillespie; this is the first time documented on Hills recording of " King Porter Stomp " (1937 ) as a soloist.

1940 Hill took over the management of Minton 's Playhouse, a jazz club in Harlem. First he headed next to further his band, which he, however, soon broke up. He hired his former drummer Clarke, who put together a house band, who was also a pianist Thelonious Monk. Soon other musicians began to spontaneous jam sessions on stage einzufinden, including Gillespie, Charlie Christian and Charlie Parker. These sessions are regarded as the birth of bebop. Hill led the Minton's to 1969, as this but how many jazz clubs in the late 1960s, his musical direction changed radically, he took over a club called Baron lounge.

In 1976 he became ill and decided to move to Cleveland to his daughter. Doctors diagnosed him with colon cancer firmly with him. Hill died within two years.