[TPIN] A Sad Announcement

[Vaxtrpts at aol.com]

It is my sad task to let all of you know that one of the greatest lead  
trumpet players in the history of big bands passed away last night.  Buddy  
Childers died after a long illness.  Buddy was a good friend and the reason  that I 
first wanted to become a lead trumpet player.  His numerous  recordings with 
the Stan Kenton Orchestra were my real introduction to that  world.
My Kenton Alumni Band actually did a concert yesterday afternoon at the  
Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, California, as part of the LA Jazz Institute  
"Swing into Spring" weekend of 24 different big band performances.  We were  the 
opening "special" concert as a tribute to Stan.  The Balboa Pavilion is  
within a couple of blocks of the old Rendezvous Ballroom, where Stan made his  
debut on Memorial Day Weekend of 1941.  It was a fitting place and time for  us 
to perform.  During that performance, we performed "Solo for Buddy,"  written 
in the early 50's for Buddy Childers by Bill Holman.  Carl Saunders  and I did 
it as a duet.
We actually had Norm Tompach from Friends of Big Band Jazz call Buddy on  the 
cell phone so that he could hear us play this rare piece in his honor.   He 
was sleeping and his son didn't want to wake him up.
Little did we know that we would perform the piece on the exact day of his  
passing.
Rest in Peace, Buddy.  You showed us all how to play lead trumpet the  right 
way!
Mike Vax



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