Everett “Ernie” Carson III (December 4, 1937 – January 9,
2012) was an American Dixieland jazz revival cornetist, pianist, and singer who
became a legendary Icon of Traditional Jazz who was known Worldwide for his
trademark tone and improvisation.
Born in Portland, a hotbed for traditional jazz in the
40's and 50's- he began playing trumpet while in grammar school and was working
in theatre bands by the time he was a junior in high school and got his start
in Monte Ballou's legendary Castle Jazz Band during 1954-1956.
After a stint in the USMC First Division Band he settled in
Los Angeles, where he worked with Ray Bauduc, Dave Weirbach and Ben Pollock. He
later (ca. 1960) settled in San Francisco and joined Turk Murphy's band; he
made his first recording, Live at Earthquake McGoon's (RCA Victor), in 1961.
Carson was in New Orleans in 1964 when he made a fine
recording for Sonny Faggart of Pearl Records with the St Peter Street
Strutters, a pickup group including Bob Greene.
Carson later settled in Atlanta, where he was involved in
the operation of Ruby Red's Warehouse, a popular banjo emporium. He played in
the band for many years, doubling on piano and was also an exuberant and
humorous singer. He appeared in countless settings (including with singer Pat
Yankee) and led several of his own
groups from the 1970s, including the Capital City Jazz Band (since 1972) and
his own Castle Jazz Band (starting in 1992). He was George Buck's favourite
cornetist (after Wild Bill Davison passed away), and he spent a lot time in the
Audiophile Studio.
Ernie Carson was in and out of New Orleans during the 80s
and 90s and became a prolific GHB/Jazzology artist. For a long time it seemed
there was a new Carson CD every year featuring great hot cornet playing and all
sorts of hitherto-forgotten tunes.
After more than twenty years of playing based in Atlanta he returned to Portland about 1995 and worked
a little, but there wasn't much going on at that time. He suffered smoke
inhalation in an apartment fire which limited his cornet playing for a year or
more.
He was always promising to get back in the business with a new band, but
it was not to be. He died in 2012 in
Portland, Oregon. He was considered one of the top classic jazz cornetists and
there are few to take his place.
(Compiled and edited from jazzology.com., Wikipedia & All Music)
Here’s a clip from the mid seventies showing Ernie Carson
and his Quartet in a performance of Cakewalkin' Babies Back Home in Altanta.
Next to Ernie on cornet we see Herman Foretich clarinet, Michael Milton
"Peanuts" Fitch banjo and Hal "Shorty" Johnson tuba.
1 comment:
For ^Ernie Carson And The Castle Jazz Band – At The Hookers' Ball (1980)” go here:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/33ce57s858zlvl4/Ernie%20Carson.rar
1 The Smiler
2 Poor Little Bird
3 Give Me The Sultan's Harem (Vocals – Ernie Carson)
4 Jazzin' Babies Blues
5 That’s What Reminds Me Of You
6 Livin' High
7 There's A Lot Of Blue-Eyed Mary's In Maryland (Vocals – Ernie Carson)
8 At The Hookers' Ball (Vocals – Ernie Carson)
9 A Summer Idyl (Hiawatha)
10 Melon Time In Dixieland (Vocals – Bill Rutan)
11 My Cherokee Maiden (Vocals – Bill Rutan)
12 Minstrels Of Annie Street
13 Hey, Engineer (Vocals – Bill Rutan, Ernie Carson)
14 Hey, Engineer (Alternate Take) (Vocals – Bill Rutan, Ernie Carson)
15 Wocka The Fish (15 -17 bonus tracks added to 1999 CD)
16 Onion Vendor's Lament
17 Don't Monkey With This
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