Thomas Robert Talbert (August 4, 1924 Crystal Bay, Minnesota – July 2, 2005 Los Angeles) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and band leader.Bruce Talbot, Tom Talbert – His Life and Times: Voices From a Vanished World of Jazz, Scarecrow Press (2004)
Biography He was born on August 4, 1924, in Crystal Bay, Minnesota, and grew up listening to big band music on the radio.
He got started as a band leader when he was drafted in the Army in 1943, becoming composer for a military band at Fort Ord, California, performing for War Bond drives throughout California.
In the late 1940s, he led his own big band on the West Coast, much of his work foreshadowing what became known as West Coast jazz before moving to New York in the early 1950s after being denied a recording contract in LA
In 1956, he recorded two records that would become his best known works, Wednesday's Child and Bix Duke Fats, gaining him fleeting fame.
When rock and roll eclipsed jazz in popularity, he moved to his parents' home in Minnesota in 1960, tried his hand at cattle ranching in Wisconsin, before eventually moving back to Los Angeles and a musical career in 1975.
In addition to composing for TV and movie studios, he became involved in music education, and set up a foundation to help talented young musicians, with one of the first recipients (in 1996) being Maria Schneider.
He died July 2, 2005.Obituary: Talbert, Tom; 80; Los Angeles, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), July 10, 2005
Co-workers Talbert has worked together with many other famous musicians. Some include:
Los Angeles in the 40s: Johnny Richards Lucky Thompson Dodo Marmarosa Hal McKusick Al Killian Art Pepper Steve White Claude Williamson
New York in the 50s: Marian McPartland Kai Winding Don Elliott Johnny Smith Oscar Pettiford Herb Geller Joe Wilder Eddie Bert Barry Galbraith Aaron Sachs Claude Thornhill
Selected discography As sideman With the Boyd Raeburn Orchestra AFRS Downbeat, Los Angeles, early 1946, Memphis in June Club Morocco, Hollywood, January 1946 AFRS Jubilee #169, Hollywood, California, early February 1946 Hollywood, February 5, 1946 With Johnny Richards probably Los Angeles, Note: no details except Tom Talbert, arranger With Patty McGovern, accompanied by the Tom Talbert Orchestra New York, August 1956, Wednesday's Child, Atlantic
As leader Los Angeles, June 25, 1946 Los Angeles, December 31, 1947 Los Angeles, August 1949 Los Angeles, November 1949 New York, August 24, 1956, Bix, Duke, Fats, Atlantic New York, September 7, 1956 New York, September 14, 1956 Hollywood, October 3, 4 & 5, 1977, Louisiana Suite Hollywood, August 11 & 12, 1987, Things As They Are, The Tom Talbert Septet Rendezvous Ballroom, Newport Beach, California, 30 May 30, 1991 – 3 June 1991, Stan Kenton Celebration, Tom Talbert Jazz Orchestra Hollywood, October 1991, Duke's Domain Hollywood, October 10, 1991, The Warm Cafe Hollywood, May 18, 1992 Hollywood June 1992 Hollywood, June 2, 1992 Alhambra, California, May 18 & 19, 1993 New York, July 1, 7 & 8, 1997, This Is Living! Clinton Recording Studios, New York City, December 9, 10 & 11, 1999, To a lady: discover jazz with the Tom Talbert Orchestra
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