Bill Doggett

小簡介
1916年出生的Bill Doggett是個很早便在社會上歷練的樂師，然而早年便在樂團(tuán)中領(lǐng)軍的他，卻收入十分微薄，在一陣掙扎之後他便尋求與爵士樂中之名的樂手合作演出的機會，他曾經(jīng)是Ink Spot的專司編曲者，更曾經(jīng)替爵士樂女歌手Ella、鐵琴大師Lionel Hampton、爵士鋼琴大師Count Basie以及爵士小喇叭天王Louis Armstrong等人做過編曲的工作。 在50年代早期，他以Hammond Organ（電子風(fēng)琴），開創(chuàng)他個人的風(fēng)格，以小型樂團(tuán)演奏節(jié)奏藍(lán)調(diào)（Rhythm & Blues），這樣的樂風(fēng)讓他在R&B越界得到許多的音樂獎與樂評的肯定，單曲Honky Tonk更有銷售400萬張的佳績。 而在60年代，比爾積極地參與許多的公民權(quán)利促進(jìn)運動，并擔(dān)綱演出，就爵士音樂史而言，他是時代所肯定的音樂家，任重而道遠(yuǎn)的精神，影響後輩；本張專輯收錄了他在1977年的錄音，就編制上而言，已經(jīng)是有融合爵士的型態(tài)出現(xiàn)了，再加上有拉丁鼓Conga的樂手演出，多元性的樂風(fēng)，令人激賞！
With his instrumental hit Honky Tonk in February 1956, Bill Doggett (born William Ballard Doggett) created one of rocks greatest instrumental tracks. Although it generated scores of offers to perform in rock & roll clubs throughout the United States, Doggett remained tied to the jazz and organ-based R&B that he had performed since the 1930s. Continuing to record for the Cincinnati-based King label until 1960, he went on to record for Warner Brothers, Columbia, ABC-Paramount and Sue. His last session came as a member and producer of an all-star jazz/R&B group, Bluesiana Hurricane in 1995.
Born on the north side of Philadelphia, Doggett struggled with poverty as a youngster. Although he initially dreamed of playing the trumpet, his family was unable to afford lessons. Persuaded by his mother (a church pianist), to try keyboards instead, he quickly mastered the instrument. Hailed as a child prodigy by his 13th birthday, he formed his first band, the Five Majors, at the age of 15.
Performing with the Jimmy Gorman Band, the pit orchestra at the Nixon Grand Theater, while still in high school, Doggett assumed leadership of the group in 1938. The experience was brief, however, as Doggett sold the orchestra to Lucky Millinder, with whom he continued to work off and on for the next four years. He made his recording debut on Millinders tracks, Little Old Lady From Baltimore and All Aboard in 1939.
Although he formed a short-lived orchestra with Benny Goodmans arranger, Jimmy Mundy, in late 1939, Doggett continued to work primarily as a sideman. Playing piano and arranging for the Ink Spots from 1942 until 1944, he went on to arrange tunes for Count Basies band and tour and/or record with Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald and Lionel Hampton. Replacing Wild Bill Davis in Louis Jordans band, in 1947, he appeared on the influential tunes, Saturday Night Fish Fry and Blue Light Boogie. He made his debut as an organist during June 1951 recording sessions with Ella Fitzgerald.
Debuting his own organ-led combo at New York nightclub, the Baby Grand, in June 1952, Doggett recorded more than a dozen singles before striking gold with Honky Tonk four years later.
A longtime resident of Long Island, New York, Doggett died on November 13, 1996, three days after suffering a heart attack.