Peck Kelley

Peck Kelley (born October 22, 1898 in Houston , Texas as John Dickson Kelley ; † December 26, 1980 ibid) was a legendary American jazz pianist , although he was active most of his career in his hometown of Houston and the surrounding area.

Life

Kelley initially learned the classical piano by himself and discovered the jazz style in 1917. In 1921 he founded his band Peck Kelley's Bad Boys , which later played well-known musicians such as Louis Prima , Pee Wee Russell and Jack and Charlie Teagarden . Jack Teagarden worked occasionally with Kelley from 1921 to 1925. Further members of his later formation Peck's Bad Boys were the clarinetists Leon Rappolo and Pee Wee Russell. In 1922 his band performed at the Garden of Tokyo Ballroom in Galveston, Texas ; He allegedly played in St. Louis in 1925, Shreveport in 1927 and New Orleans in 1934 . He turned down offers from Paul Whiteman , the Dorsey Brothers and Bob Crosby .

Musicians like Jack Teagarden or Ben Pollack always mentioned the virtuoso playing skills of Kelley, who was known only to a few other musicians; In 1939, John Hammond wrote an honorable article on Down Beat under the title: "Peck Kelley is not a rumor." In 1940, Collier's Weekly reported on him.

From 1948 he performed mainly as a solo pianist. It wasn't until 1957 that the first recordings for the Commodore label were made with a combo; the two records were only released after the pianist's death ( Peck Kelley Jam Vol. 1 & 2 ). Shortly afterwards, privately recorded solo and duo recordings ( Out of Obscurity ) were released on the Arcadia label. In old age he went blind and developed Parkinson's disease .

Lexigraphic entries

Ian Carr , Digby Fairweather , Brian Priestley : Rough Guide Jazz. The ultimate guide to jazz. 1800 bands and artists from the beginning until today. 2nd, expanded and updated edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2004, ISBN 3-476-01892-X .
Leonard Feather , Ira Gitler : The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press, New York 1999, ISBN 0-19-532000-X .

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ According to the Jazz Rough Guide , he was supposed to perform there with Russell, Frank Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke , but did not get a work permit from the union.
↑ "Peck Kelley Is No Myth". See The Peck Kelley Story (Riverwalk Jazz)
↑ According to Digby Fairweather , present this record "with the quartet of Dick Shannon ... Kelley as a great talent who unfortunately seems a bit jaded."

personal data
SURNAME	Kelley, Peck
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Kelley, John Dickson (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American musician
DATE OF BIRTH	October 22, 1898
PLACE OF BIRTH	Houston , Texas
DATE OF DEATH	December 26, 1980
Place of death	Houston , Texas

[1] According to the Jazz Rough Guide , he was supposed to perform there with Russell, Frank Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke , but did not get a work permit from the union.

[2] "Peck Kelley Is No Myth". See The Peck Kelley Story (Riverwalk Jazz)

[3] According to Digby Fairweather , present this record "with the quartet of Dick Shannon ... Kelley as a great talent who unfortunately seems a bit jaded."