BANDS:
- Miles Davis Group [1948]
- Billy May Orchestra
- Claude Thornhill Orchestra [1958-1959]
- Maynard Ferguson Orchestra [1959-1960]
- Bill Russo Orchestra [1960]
- Orchestra USA [1962-1965]
- Upper Bohemia Six [1962-1964]
- Earl Hines Group [1966]
- New York Jazz Repertory Company
- Alexis Korner Band [Apr 78]
- Not Much Noise
- Sugar Blue Band [1979]
- Mike Zwerin Group
- Big Band Charlie Mingus [1988]
BIOGRAPHY:
Mike Zwerin was born in New York in May 18th, 1930. His main instruments were trombone and bass trumpet, although he also played piano. He started studying violin when he was 6.
His first professional concerts were as part of the Tuba Band of Miles Davis, who was playing by then at the Royal Roost. This was around 1948.
MILES DAVIS GROUP
This was the expanded Miles Davis Group in September 1948:
He then abandoned trombone for some years, and went to live in Paris. He came back to the States in 1958. He played with Billy May and Sonny Durham.
During 1958 and 1959, he was part of Claude Thornhill Orchestra.
He then joined Maynard Ferguson Orchestra during 1959-1960.
His next band was Bill Russo Orchestra in 1960.
He was a member of the Orchestra USA from 1962 to 1965. This band was led by John Lewis and Gunther Schuller.
He recorded two albums with members of this orchestra, as well as an album comprising Kurt Weill compositions (with Eric Dolphy and Jerome Richardson).
He joined Upper Bohemia Six during 1962 to 1964.
After that, he played in recordings by Archie Shepp and Clave Pozar.
In 1966, he toured Russia with Earl ´Fatha´ Hines. He was also part of New York Jazz Repertory Company.
After that, he switched from music playing to music critic, writing for many specialized magazines, thus acquiring a well deserved fame as great jazz journalist. He wrote for Village Voice (1964 to 1969), becoming their editor from 1969 to 1971. He then wrote for the International Herard Tribune since 1979, and finally, for Bloomberg News since 2005. His articles have appeared in the best publications, such as Rolling Stone, Esquire, Playboy, Downbeat, etc. He also wrote many liner notes for CD reissues.
Mike also wrote several books. Some of them are: Close enough for jazz, Round about close to midnight, The Parisian jazz chronicles, as well as his autobiography, Too close for jazz.
Again, he went to live to France in 1969.
He resumed his musical career at the end of the 70s, appearing with Alexis Korner.
|
MILES DAVIS GROUP #? |
1948-1949 |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miles Davis † trumpet | Gerry Mulligan † sax | Lee Konitz sax | Junior Collins french horn | Bill Barber tuba | Mike Zwerin † trombone | John Lewis † piano | Al McKibbon † bass | Max Roach † drums | plus † | Gil Evans † arranger, conductor | Kenny Hagood vocals in some tunes |
He then abandoned trombone for some years, and went to live in Paris. He came back to the States in 1958. He played with Billy May and Sonny Durham.
During 1958 and 1959, he was part of Claude Thornhill Orchestra.
He then joined Maynard Ferguson Orchestra during 1959-1960.
His next band was Bill Russo Orchestra in 1960.
He was a member of the Orchestra USA from 1962 to 1965. This band was led by John Lewis and Gunther Schuller.
He recorded two albums with members of this orchestra, as well as an album comprising Kurt Weill compositions (with Eric Dolphy and Jerome Richardson).
He joined Upper Bohemia Six during 1962 to 1964.
After that, he played in recordings by Archie Shepp and Clave Pozar.
In 1966, he toured Russia with Earl ´Fatha´ Hines. He was also part of New York Jazz Repertory Company.
After that, he switched from music playing to music critic, writing for many specialized magazines, thus acquiring a well deserved fame as great jazz journalist. He wrote for Village Voice (1964 to 1969), becoming their editor from 1969 to 1971. He then wrote for the International Herard Tribune since 1979, and finally, for Bloomberg News since 2005. His articles have appeared in the best publications, such as Rolling Stone, Esquire, Playboy, Downbeat, etc. He also wrote many liner notes for CD reissues.
Mike also wrote several books. Some of them are: Close enough for jazz, Round about close to midnight, The Parisian jazz chronicles, as well as his autobiography, Too close for jazz.
Again, he went to live to France in 1969.
He resumed his musical career at the end of the 70s, appearing with Alexis Korner.
ALEXIS KORNER BAND
Around April 1978, Alexis Korner celebrated his 50th anniversary with a special concert where some of his friends appeared. This is the impressive list:
|
ALEXIS KORNER BAND #6 |
Apr 78 |
|||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexis Korner † vocals, guitar | Chris Farlowe vocals | Duffy Power harmonica | Paul Jones harmonica | Eric Clapton guitar, vocals | Neil Ford guitar | Colin Hodgkinson bass, vocals | Zoot Money keyboards | Dick Morrissey † sax | Dick Heckstall-Smith † sax | Art Themen sax | Mel Collins sax | John Surman sax | Mike Zwerin † trombone | Stewart Speer † drums |
NOT MUCH NOISE
This is the lineup for the trio Not Much Noise:
They recorded the self-titled live album Not Much Noise in October 1978.
|
NOT MUCH NOISE #? |
1978 |
|
|---|---|---|
Christian Escoude guitar | Gus Nemeth bass | Mike Zwerin † trombone, trumpet |
They recorded the self-titled live album Not Much Noise in October 1978.
SUGAR BLUE BAND
This was the Sugar Blue Band in 1979:
They recorded Sugar´s first album, Crossroads in December 1979, being released in 1980.
|
SUGAR BLUE BAND #? |
1979 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sugar Blue harmonica, vocals | Cecile Savage bass | Mike Zwerin † trombone | Vic Pitts drums | |
They recorded Sugar´s first album, Crossroads in December 1979, being released in 1980.
BIG BAND CHARLIE MINGUS
This is the lineup for Big Band Charlie Mingus in June 1988:
They recorded the live album Live at the Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt Paris vol 2 (I guess there must be a volume 1, but don´t have it...).
In the last years, Mike´s health was not good, and finally, he passed away in Paris on April 2nd, 2010. He was 79. His legacy continues with his son, bassist Ben Zwerin.
|
THE MINGUS DINASTY BAND #? |
1988 |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reggie Johnson bass | Jaki Byard † piano | Randy Brecker trumpet | Jon Faddis cornet | John Handy sax | Clifford Jordan sax | Nick Brignola † sax, flute | David Murray sax, clarinet | Jimmy Knepper † trombone, conductor | Mike Zwerin † trombone | Billy Hart drums |
They recorded the live album Live at the Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt Paris vol 2 (I guess there must be a volume 1, but don´t have it...).
In the last years, Mike´s health was not good, and finally, he passed away in Paris on April 2nd, 2010. He was 79. His legacy continues with his son, bassist Ben Zwerin.
DISCOGRAPHY: (31 albums known to me - Status: Just starting)
OWN ALBUMS (1 credit)
- Flash - Michel Petrucciani / Mike Zwerin / Louis Petrucciani / Aldo Romano (1980)
- Members: Aldo Romano (RIP: Michel Petrucciani, Mike Zwerin)
- The Complete live recordings 1949-1954 - Miles Davis ( - )
- Members: Bill Barber, Gil Coggins, Junior Collins, Kenny Drew, Don Elliot, Kenny Hagood, Al Haig, Connie Henry, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Sonny Rollins (RIP: Art Blakey, Paul Chambers, Kenny Clarke, John Coltrane, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Red Garland, Percy Heath, J J Johnson, Philly Joe Jones, Connie Kay, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Jackie McLean, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, Kai Winding, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Serge Chaloff, Buddy De Franco, Rolf Ericson, Roy Haynes, Howard Rumsey, Toots Thielemans, Carlos Vidal (RIP: Sidney Bechet, Walter Bishop Jr, Don Byas, Joe Carroll, Benny Carter, John Collins, Willie Cook, Bob Cooper, Eddie ´Lockjaw´ Davis, Kenny Dorham, Jimmy Forrest, Lorraine Geller, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Grey, Shelly Manne, Jay Migliori, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Brew Moore, Fats Navarro, Big Nick Nicholas, Hot Lips Page, Charlie Parker, Cecil Payne, Oscar Pettiford, Bud Powell, Chano Pozo, Hubert Rostaing, Bud Shank, Sahib Shihab, Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson, Charlie Ventura, Jimmy Woode, Britt Woodman)
- Comments: 10CD boxset with lots of live concerts.
- Cool boppin´ - Miles Davis ( - )
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Kenny Hagood, Lee Konitz (RIP: Kenny Clarke, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Kai Winding, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Carlos Vidal (RIP: John Collins, Cecil Payne, Sahib Shihab)
- The Real birth of the cool - Miles Davis ( - )
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Kenny Hagood, Lee Konitz (RIP: Miles Davis, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Mike Zwerin)
- Newport suite - Maynard Ferguson And His Orchestra (1960)
- Members: Joe Farrell, Jimmy Ford, Slide Hampton, Frank Hittner, Willie Maiden (RIP: Jaki Byard, Don Ellis, Maynard Ferguson, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Rick Kiefer, Stu Martin
- Orchestra USA - the debut recording - Orchestra USA (1963)
- Members: Gunther Schuller (RIP: John Lewis, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Julien Barber, Richard Davis, Jim Hall, Phil Woods (RIP: Eric Dolphy, Connie Kay, Gary McFarland, Nick Travis)
- Technical: (RIP: Tom Dowd)
- Comments: CD reissue contains bonus tracks.
- Theatre music of Kurt Weill - Sextet of Orchestra USA (1965)
- Members: (RIP: John Lewis, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Jimmy Raney (RIP: Eric Dolphy, Thad Jones, Connie Kay, Jerome Richardson, Nick Travis)
- Not Much Noise - Not Much Noise (1978)
- Members: (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- Comments: Recorded live in October 1978.
- Cross roads - Sugar Blue (1980)
- Members: Sugar Blue (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Bruce Grant, Steve Potts
- Comments: Recorded in December 1979 in France.
- The Party album - Alexis Korner And Friends (1980)
- Members: Eric Clapton, Mel Collins, Chris Farlowe, Neil Ford, Colin Hodgkinson, Paul Jones, Zoot Money, Duffy Power, John Surman, Art Themen (RIP: Dick Heckstall-Smith, Alexis Korner, Sappho Korner, Dick Morrissey, Stewart Speer, Ian ´Stu´ Stewart, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Gus Johnson, James Litherland
- Comments: The party album is a double album, commemorating Alexis 50th anniversary, on April 19th, 1978. It's credited to Alexis Korner and Friends, and there are lots of guest musicians, many of them former Alexis bandmates. The album has 5 tracks played by the big band, 3 tracks as a quartet (Korner / Hodgkinson / Money / Speer), and 3 tracks as a jam session by everybody. Beware, there´s an abridged edition on LP just called Alexis Korner And Friends, with just 6 tracks (instead of the 11 eleven tracks in the original 2LP).
- And Friends - Alexis Korner (1982)
- Members: Mel Collins, Chris Farlowe, Neil Ford, Zoot Money, Duffy Power, John Surman, Art Themen (RIP: Dick Heckstall-Smith, Alexis Korner, Dick Morrissey, Stewart Speer, Mike Zwerin)
- 1972-1983 - Alexis Korner (1988)
- Members: Graham Broad, Eric Clapton, Mel Collins, Jim Diamond, Chris Farlowe, Neil Ford, Jaki Graham, Tim Hinkley, Colin Hodgkinson, Paul Jones, Danny McIntosh, Zoot Money, Duffy Power, Keith Richards, Alan Ross, John Surman, Art Themen, Ruby Turner (RIP: Boz Burrell, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Tony Hicks, Alexis Korner, Sappho Korner, Steve Marriott, Dick Morrissey, Stewart Speer, Peter Thorup, Ian Wallace, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Dyan Birch, John Cameron, Tony Carr, Doreen Chanter, Irene Chanter, Frank Collins, Nick Evans, Peter Frampton, Neil Hubbard, Katie Kissoon, Robin Lumley, Paddy McHugh, Eddie Mordue, Barry St John, Terry Stannard, Liza Strike, Peter Ward, Rick Wills (RIP: Harry Beckett, Elton Dean, Ollie Halsall, Nicky Hopkins, Mike Patto, Morris Pert)
- Producer: George Caldwell
- Technical: John Burns
- Live at the Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt Paris vol 2 - Big Band Charlie Mingus (1993)
- Members: Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Billy Hart, Reggie Johnson (RIP: Nick Brignola, Jaki Byard, Jimmy Knepper, Mike Zwerin)
- Comments: Recorded live in June 1988.
- Why do I love you? - The Miles Davis Tuba Band / Lennie Tristano (1993)
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Kenny Hagood, Lee Konitz (RIP: Miles Davis, Gil Evans, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Lennie Tristano, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: (RIP: Billy Bauer, Ray Brown, Allen Eager, Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Charlie Parker, Buddy Rich, Sarah Vaughan)
- Musically rich... and famous - Alexis Korner (1998)
- Members: Graham Broad, Victor Brox, Eric Clapton, Mel Collins, Jim Diamond, Chris Farlowe, Andy Fraser, Kenn Gudman, Tim Hinkley, Colin Hodgkinson, Henry Lowther, Danny McIntosh, Zoot Money, Robert Plant, Chris Pyne, Keith Richards, John Surman, Ray Warleigh (RIP: Ron Aspery, Boz Burrell, Alexis Korner, Steve Marriott, Dick Morrissey, Stewart Speer, Peter Thorup, Ian Wallace, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Annette Brox, Tony Carr, Irene Chanter, Lol Coxhill, Nick Evans, Peter Frampton, Malcolm Griffiths, Gaspar Lawal, John Marshall, Eddie Mordue, Tony O´Malley, Paul Rodgers, Barry St John, Terry Stannard, Liza Strike, Adrian Tilbrook, Rick Wills (RIP: Harry Beckett, Duster Bennett, Elton Dean, Nicky Hopkins, Steve Miller, Alan Spenner)
- Producer: George Caldwell, Jeff Griffin (RIP: Ian Samwell)
- The Complete birth of the cool - Miles Davis (2001)
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Kenny Hagood, Al Haig, Lee Konitz, Gunther Schuller, Joe Shulman, Sandy Siegelstein (RIP: Kenny Clarke, Miles Davis, Gil Evans, J J Johnson, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Kai Winding, Mike Zwerin)
- Producer: Michael Cuscuna, Pete Rugolo
- Comments: Half live, half studio.
- The Quintessence - Miles Davis (2002)
- Members: Bill Barber, Walter Bishop, Junior Collins, Al Haig, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Sonny Rollins, Gunther Schuller, Joe Shulman, Sandy Siegelstein (RIP: Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, Percy Heath, J J Johnson, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Jackie McLean, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Kai Winding, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Buddy De Franco, Roy Haynes, Teddy Kotick (RIP: Dizzy Gillespie, Budd Johnson, Jimmy Jones, Duke Jordan, Shelly Manne, Sal Mosca, Fats Navarro, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Eddie Safranski, Lennie Tristano, Charlie Ventura)
- Comments: 2CD, compilation of tracks where Miles Davis appears from the period 1945-1951: with Charlie Parker All Stars, Charlie Parker Quintet and Sextet, Metronome All-Stars, Miles Davis Group or the Miles Davis-Tadd Dameron Quintet, as well as some tracks by Sarah Vaughan or Lee Konitz Sextet.
- From cool to bop - Miles Davis (2002)
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Kenny Hagood, Lee Konitz, James Moody (RIP: Kenny Clarke, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Mike Zwerin)
- From cool to bop - the anthology - Miles Davis (09/2002)
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Kenny Hagood, Lee Konitz, James Moody (RIP: Kenny Clarke, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Mike Zwerin)
- Comments: 2CD comprising 2 different live recordings: one from September 1948 (his nonet) and another one from May 1949 (with Tadd Dameron).
- From Paris to Chicago - Sugar Blue (1992)
- Members: Sugar Blue (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Bruce Grant, Steve Potts (RIP: Michael Robinson)
- Comments: This compilation includes the two albums that Sugar recorded in France: Cross roads (recorded in December 1979) and Absolutely blue (recorded in April and May 1982).
- From be-bop to cool - Miles Davis (07/2000)
- Members: Bill Barber, Junior Collins, Al Haig, Lee Konitz, James Moody, Joe Shulman, Sandy Siegelstein (RIP: Kenny Clarke, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, Hank Jones, Al McKibbon, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Kai Winding, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: Carlos Vidal (RIP: Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Cecil Payne, Sahib Shihab)
- Milestones - Miles Davis (2001)
- Members: Bill Barber, Jimmy Cobb, Junior Collins, Kenny Drew, Don Elliot, Kenny Hagood, Connie Henry, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins (RIP: Art Blakey, Paul Chambers, Tadd Dameron, Miles Davis, J J Johnson, Connie Kay, Wynton Kelly, John Lewis, Al McKibbon, Jackie McLean, Gerry Mulligan, Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, Mike Zwerin)
- Guests: (RIP: Eddie ´Lockjaw´ Davis, Stan Getz, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker)
- Comments: 3CD boxset.
- The Very best of John Lewis - John Lewis (11/2002)
- Members: (RIP: John Lewis)
- Guests: Ray Alonge, Billy Bean, Richard Davis, George Duvivier, Bernie Glow, Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Bobby Jaspar, Charles Libove, Gunther Schuller, Phil Woods (RIP: David Baker, Don Butterfield, Eddie Costa, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Barry Galbraith, Jimmy Giuffre, Percy Heath, Freddie Hubbard, Connie Kay, Scott LaFaro, Albert Mangelsdorff, Gary McFarland, Ralph Pena, Herb Pomeroy, Buster Smith, Nick Travis, Mike Zwerin)
- Producer: (RIP: Nesuhi Ertegun)
- Technical: (RIP: Earle Brown, Tom Dowd)
- Comments: 5CD boxset comprising 10 of John Lewis albums.
- Lost in the stars - the music of Kurt Weill - VVAA (1985)
- Guests: Sandford Allen, Michael Blair, Carla Bley, Jimmy Bralower, Randy Brecker, Crispin Cioe, Greg Cohen, Jim Cuomo, Rory Dodd, Marianne Faithfull, Anton Fig, Bruce Fowler, Tom Fowler, Walt Fowler, Sharon Freeman, Fred Frith, Bob Funk, Charlie Haden, Tootie Heath, Arno Hecht, Chris Hunter, Jim Hynes, Jim Keltner, Randy Kerber, Dagmar Krause, Marty Krystall, Jeff Layton, Victor Lewis, Paul Litteral, Tom Malone, Branford Marsalis, Cecil Mcbee, Paul McCandless, Hugh McCracken, Sid McGinnis, Mike Miller, Tony Morales, Buell Neidlinger, Van Dyke Parks, Lou Reed, Todd Rundgren, Fernando Saunders, Ralph Schuckett, Ira Siegel, John Siegler, Chris Spedding, Sting, Steve Swallow, Fred Tackett, Eric Troyer, Maria Vidal, Tom Waits, Paul ´Wix´ Wickens, Larry Willis, Albert Wing, Phil Woods (RIP: Lester Bowie, Jon Clarke, Kenny Kirkland, George Russell, John Stubblefield, Gary Windo, Peter Wood, Mike Zwerin)
- Technical: Greg Calbi
- Plays Kurt Weill - Eric Dolphy & John Lewis ( - )
- Members: (RIP: Eric Dolphy, John Lewis)
- Guests: (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- Comments: CD reissue contains bonus tracks.
- Good golly, Miss Nancy - The Robert F Pozar Ensemble (1966)
- Guests: Jimmy Garrison (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- The Magic of Ju-Ju! - Archie Shepp (1967)
- Guests: Norman Connors, Reggie Workman (RIP: Martin Banks, Ed Blackwell, Denis Charles, Mike Zwerin)
- Producer: (RIP: Bob Thiele)
- Trumpetmachine for flying out proud - George Gruntz (1977)
- Members: Franco Ambrosetti, Jon Faddis, George Gruntz, Daniel Humair, Palle Mikkelborg
- Guests: Kenny Wheeler (RIP: Woody Shaw, Mike Zwerin)
- Portrait for a small woman - Alan Silva Celestrial Communication Orchestra (1978)
- Members: Alan Silva
- Guests: Bernard Vitet (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- Desert mirage - Alan Silva Celestrial Communication Orchestra (1982)
- Members: Alan Silva
- Guests: Bernard Vitet (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
- Getting experimental over U - Zip (1996)
- Guests: (RIP: Mike Zwerin)
RELATED MUSICIANS:
Mike Zwerin mostly worked with these musicians: (name + number of credits)
John Lewis (13)
Bill Barber (10)
Junior Collins (10)
Miles Davis (10)
Lee Konitz (10)
Al McKibbon (10)
Gerry Mulligan (10)
Max Roach (10)
Kenny Hagood (8)
Kenny Clarke (7)
Page created by Miguel Terol on: 05/April/2010 - Last modified on: 27/July/2010. If you want to contribute with info, please write to: molympus1@gmail.com
Please, note than you can check the indexes (musicians, bands, obituaries) at the top of this page.
Rest in Peace Mike. We loved you and will miss you.
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