Thomas Oliver Gwaltney III
(February 28, 1921, in
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, United States
– February 11, 2003, in
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
)
was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. He played clarinet, saxophone, and vibraphone.
Biography
Gwaltney studied under
Ernie Caceres
Ernesto Caceres (November 22, 1911 – January 10, 1971) was an American jazz saxophonist born in Rockport, Texas. He was a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra from 1940–1942.
Background
Caceres's brothers were both musicians. Emilio Caceres ...
and
Peanuts Hucko
Michael Andrew "Peanuts" Hucko (April 7, 1918 – June 19, 2003) was an American big band musician. His primary instrument was the clarinet, but he sometimes played saxophone.
Early life and education
He was born in Syracuse, New York, United St ...
, playing clarinet in college bands and while serving in the military. Due to lung injuries during World War II, he put down the clarinet and played vibraphone in the 1940s.
From 1946 to 1947, he studied at New York University and played in an ensemble with
Charlie Byrd
Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba' ...
and
Sol Yaged. Between 1951 and 1955 he seldom played, concentrating on helping a family business in Norfolk, Virginia. In 1956, he joined
Bobby Hackett
Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was an American jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet, and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Hackett was a featured soloist o ...
, playing on his album ''Gotham Jazz Scene'' in 1957.
He then worked with
Wild Bill Davison
William Edward Davison (January 5, 1906 – November 14, 1989), nicknamed "Wild Bill", was an American jazz cornetist. He emerged in the 1920s through his work playing alongside Muggsy Spanier and Frank Teschemacher in a cover band where they p ...
,
Billy Butterfield
Charles William Butterfield (January 14, 1917 – March 18, 1988) was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, flugelhornist, and cornetist.
Early years
Charles William Butterfield was born in Middletown, Ohio and attended high school in Wyoming ...
(1958–59),
Buck Clayton
Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...
(1960), Charlie Byrd again (1962–63), and with his own ensembles.
Gwaltney established the nightclub
Blues Alley
Blues Alley, founded in 1965, is a jazz nightclub in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Musicians who have performed at Blues Alley include John Abercrombie, Monty Alexander, Mose Allison, Tony Bennett, Rory Block, Ruby Braff, Gar ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
After selling it, he still performed there regularly guitarist
Steve Jordan. He organized the Virginia Beach Jazz Festival and the Manassas Jazz Festival;
he led bands at Manassas with Davison,
Ed Polcer
Ed Polcer (born February 10, 1937 in Paterson, New Jersey, United States) is an American jazz cornetist, bandleader, festival director, club owner, and mentor of young musicians. He has been described as a "melodic mellow-toned cornetist with an ...
,
Willie "The Lion" Smith
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893 – April 18, 1973), nicknamed "The Lion", was an American jazz and stride pianist.
Early life
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf, known as Willie, was born in 1893 in Goshen, ...
,
Eddie Condon
Albert Edwin Condon (November 16, 1905 – August 4, 1973) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in Chicago jazz, he also played piano and sang.
Early years
Condon was born in Goodland, Indiana, the son of J ...
,
Doc Evans
Paul Wesley "Doc" Evans (June 20, 1907 – January 10, 1977) was an American jazz cornetist.
Evans was born in Spring Valley, Minnesota. the son of a Methodist minister. He learned piano and drums as a child, and played saxophone in high school. ...
, Bobby Hackett,
Vic Dickenson
Victor Dickenson (August 6, 1906 – November 16, 1984) was an American jazz trombonist. His career began in the 1920s and continued through musical partnerships with Count Basie (1940–41), Sidney Bechet (1941), and Earl Hines.
Life and care ...
,
Maxine Sullivan
Maxine Sullivan (May 13, 1911 – April 7, 1987), born Marietta Williams in Homestead, Pennsylvania, United States, was an American jazz vocalist and performer.
As a vocalist, Sullivan was active for half a century, from the mid-1930s to just be ...
, and
Jimmy McPartland
James Dugald "Jimmy" McPartland (March 15, 1907 – March 13, 1991) was an American cornetist. He worked with Eddie Condon, Art Hodes, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, and Tommy Dorsey, often leading his own bands. He was married to ...
.
He stopped playing vibraphone in the 1970s but continued on clarinet in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1986 he recorded a tribute album for
Pee Wee Russell
Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet.
With a highly individualistic and sp ...
and gave a concert at the Smithsonian Institution honoring
Jimmie Noone
Jimmie Noone (April 23, 1895 – April 19, 1944) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. After beginning his career in New Orleans, he led Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra, a Chicago band that recorded for Vocalion and Decca. Classical ...
. He worked in the Chesapeake Bay Jazz Band beginning in 1992.
Awards
* Best Reissue Album, ''Satchmo at the National Press Club: Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours'', Independent Music Awards, 2013
"12th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced!"
Independent Music Awards, 11 June 2013. Retrieved on 4 Sept. 2013.
Discography
As leader
* 1960 '' Goin' to Kansas City'' with Buck Clayton
Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...
(Riverside)
* 1963 ''Great Jazz'' (Laurel)
* 1982 ''Singin' the Blues''
As sideman
With Charlie Byrd
Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba' ...
* 1963 ''Once More! Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova
''Once More! Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd featuring tracks recorded in 1963 and released on the Riverside label.Riverside
Riverside may refer to:
Places Australia
* Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania
Canada
* Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon
* Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta
* Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...
)
* 1963 ''Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros''
With Wild Bill Davison
William Edward Davison (January 5, 1906 – November 14, 1989), nicknamed "Wild Bill", was an American jazz cornetist. He emerged in the 1920s through his work playing alongside Muggsy Spanier and Frank Teschemacher in a cover band where they p ...
* 1966 ''Wild Bill at Bull Run''
* 1972 '' 'S Wonderful''
* 1973 ''Just a Gig''
* 1986 ''Lady of the Evening''
With others
* 1957 ''Gotham Jazz Scene'', Bobby Hackett
Robert Leo Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was an American jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet, and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Hackett was a featured soloist o ...
(Capitol)
* 1961 ''Wild Women Don't Have the Blues'', Nancy Harrow
Nancy Harrow (born October 3, 1930, New York City) is an American jazz singer and songwriter.
Career
Harrow studied classical piano beginning at age seven, then decided to pursue careers in dancing and singing.
She released an album for Candid ...
( Candid)
* 1968 ''Jazz as It Should Be Played'', Eddie Condon
Albert Edwin Condon (November 16, 1905 – August 4, 1973) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in Chicago jazz, he also played piano and sang.
Early years
Condon was born in Goodland, Indiana, the son of J ...
* 1975 ''Manassas Memories '73'', Doc Evans
Paul Wesley "Doc" Evans (June 20, 1907 – January 10, 1977) was an American jazz cornetist.
Evans was born in Spring Valley, Minnesota. the son of a Methodist minister. He learned piano and drums as a child, and played saxophone in high school. ...
* 1976 ''Two for Tea'', Max Kaminsky
* 2008 ''Wille "The Lion Smith" and His Jazz Cubs'', Willie "The Lion" Smith
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893 – April 18, 1973), nicknamed "The Lion", was an American jazz and stride pianist.
Early life
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf, known as Willie, was born in 1893 in Goshen, ...
(Jazzology
Jazzology Records is an American jazz record company and label. It is part of the Jazzology group of labels owned and operated by the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation.
Jazzology Records was founded in 1949 by George H. Buck, Jr. That year he ...
)
* 2012 ''Satchmo at the National Press Club: Red Beans & Rice-Ly Yours'', Louis Armstrong
Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...
(Smithsonian Folkways
Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was fou ...
)
References
Other sources
*Barry Kernfeld
Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians.
Education
In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at U ...
, "Tommy Gwaltney". '' Grove Jazz'' online.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gwaltney, Tommy
1921 births
2003 deaths
20th-century American saxophonists
American jazz bandleaders
American jazz clarinetists
American jazz saxophonists
American male saxophonists
American jazz vibraphonists
Jazz musicians from Virginia
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians
American military personnel of World War II