Rupert Nurse
Rupert Theophilus Nurse (born December 26, 1910 in Port of Spain , † March 18, 2001 in Arima ) was a Trinidadian jazz and entertainment musician ( double bass , piano , saxophone , arrangements ). He helped build bridges between jazz and calypso .
Live and act
Nurse spent his childhood partly in Trinidad and partly in Venezuela . After completing his school education, he went to Tobago as a teacher for four years , but also worked in industry. In addition, he taught himself to play the piano, bass and saxophone as an autodidact and learned to arrange with correspondence courses. With the Guiana-born saxophonist Wally Stewart, he founded a big band, the Moderneers , who played swing and other American dance music, but also arranged calypsos by him.
During World War II he played for American soldiers; In 1945 he moved to London , where he worked as a bassist in the Antilles Club . He played with musicians such as Winifred Atwell , Fitzroy Coleman, Leslie “Jiver” Hutchinson , Cab Kaye and Billy Mo , with whom he also partly went on a European tour and in the recording study. When the calypso became popular in Europe. he became the head of the band of Melodisc Records, for which he also arranged. In 1953 he recorded with Lord Kitchener , but also with Mary Lou Williams . Nurse also worked as a teacher and until the 1980s had a trio with whom he performed in London. After his return to Trinidad he continued to work as an arranger.
Web links
- Val Wilmer: Rupert Nurse. In: theguardian.com. April 18, 2001 (English).
- Rupert Nurse at Allmusic (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Nurse, Rupert |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Nurse, Rupert Theophilus (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Trinidadian jazz and entertainment musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 26, 1910 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Port of Spain |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 18, 2001 |
| Place of death | Arima (Trinidad and Tobago) |