Don Lusher

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Gordon Douglas "Don" Lusher OBE (born November 6, 1923 in Peterborough , † July 5, 2006 in Cheam ) was a British jazz trombonist who was one of the most famous trombonists in Great Britain; he was also twice President of the British Trombone Society .

Live and act

Following the example of his father and grandfather, Lusher began playing the trombone at the age of six and soon played in the local orchestra of the Salvation Army . After completing his military service, he played after the end of the Second World War in the bands of Joe Daniels and Lou Preager , whose singer he married Eileen Orchard. Then he worked with Maurice Winnick , The Squadronaires and in 1951 with Geraldos Gentlemen . In 1952 he became a member of Ted Heath's big band , who promoted him to trombonist leader in 1953. Heath also toured North America several times, taking lessons from Dick Nash and Will Bradley ; he stayed with him until 1961. Then he worked for Jack Parnell until he led his Don Lusher Big Band for several decades in the early 1970s and, from 1975, Ted Heath's band. He also accompanied singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra as a studio musician and on tour . In 1975 he performed Gordon Langford's Rhapsody for Trombone for the first time at London's Royal Albert Hall . He also worked in the Manhattan Sound Big Band , with Alexis Korner at CCS and founded the touring show Best of British Jazz with Kenny Baker . The BBC dedicated the show The Musical World of Don Lusher to him in 1979 with his own big band and Nelson Riddle . In 1990 he performed Scott Stroman's Concertino for Trombone, Strings and Percussion at Lichfield Cathedral . He has also appeared as a guest star with the John Dankworth Orchestra .

Lusher was appointed professor of big band at the Royal College of Music . In 1997 he became professor of trombone at the Royal Marines School of Music , Portsmouth ; In 2004 he retired.

Prizes and awards

During the 1950s Lusher won the polls of Melody Maker and New Musical Express several times as the "top British trombonist". In 1976 he was the BBC Jazz Society's "Musician of the Year". In 1993 he was awarded Freeman status by the City of London ; In 2002 he was awarded the officer rank OBE for his services to music. In 2005 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Portsmouth.

Discographic notes

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Obituary (British Trombone Society) ( Memento from April 15, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
personal data
SURNAME Lusher, Don
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lusher, Gordon Douglas (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH November 6, 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH Peterborough
DATE OF DEATH July 5, 2006
Place of death Cheam