Gene Rodgers

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Gene Rodgers (born March 5, 1910 , † October 23, 1987 in New York City ) was an American jazz pianist and arranger .

Live and act

Rodgers began as a professional musician in 1924 before moving to New York in 1928 and making his first recordings in 1929. He worked with Clarence Williams , King Oliver , Chick Webb and Teddy Hill in the 1930s, and in 1936 in England with Benny Carter . On October 11, 1939, he took part in Coleman Hawkins ' first recording of Body and Soul , in which he played the introduction. He also worked with Zutty Singleton and in Erskine Hawkins ' Big Band (1943). In Los Angeles he had a short appearance on the side of Cab Calloway in the music film Sensations of 1945 , then he led his own trio in New York. After he had already recorded for Vocalion in 1936 , he played a 78 for Joe Davis Records in 1945 with his own compositions ( Rhapsody Boogie ).

In the late 1950s he had his own trio with bassist Tommy Williams and drummer Ben Riley , with whom he presented the album Jazz Comes to the Astor , which was released in 1958 on Mercury Records . He also went to the studio with the Coleman Hawkins All Star Octet ( The Swinging Hawk , 1959) and Al Casey ( Six Swinging Strings , 1981). Under his own name he recorded the album After Hours (Black And Blue) with Slam Stewart and Jo Jones in 1972 ; a last album was made in 1980 for the 88 Up Right label . In 1982 he played with Eddie Chamblee , Eddie Durham and Al Casey in The Harlem Blues & Jazz Band .

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personal data
SURNAME Rodgers, Gene
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz pianist and arranger
DATE OF BIRTH March 5, 1910
DATE OF DEATH October 23, 1987
Place of death New York City