[Dixielandjazz] chau Narvin Kimball one of my idol

[luis daniel flores]

Narvin Kimball
Narvin Kimball, born in New Orleans, Louisiana (March 2, 1909 - March 17,
2006) was a jazz musician who played banjo and sang.
Narvin Kimball, the last founding member of the New Orleans Preservation Hall
Jazz Band who was known for his vocal stylings and banjo playing, died Friday.
He was 97.
Kimball died at his daughters' home, where he and his wife Lillian had been
staying since shortly after Hurricane Katrina, according to the band's
publicist and the local coroner.
Kimball's vocal renditions of "Georgia on My Mind" always brought standing
ovations, said hall director Ben Jaffe, whose parents founded the Preservation
Hall in 1961.
"He was really our last connection to a bygone time in the history of New
Orleans," Jaffe said by telephone from New Orleans.
Kimball was the son of bassist Henry Kimball, and he made his first banjo with
a cigar box, stick and string. He began playing professionally in the 1920s on
Mississippi riverboats with the Fate Marable Band. He made his first Columbia
Records recording in 1928.
Kimball formed his own band, Narvin Kimball's Gentlemen of Jazz, and played
around New Orleans for 40 years. He also worked for 37 years with the U.S.
Postal Service. It was on his mail rounds that he broached the idea of his
band playing at the hall.
Kimball last played with the band in 1999 in a PBS performance. Not long
afterward, Jaffe said, he suffered a series of strokes that ended his banjo
playing.
Kimball is survived by his wife, two daughters, four grandchildren and seven
great grandchildren.
The left-handed virtuoso banjo player, son of Henry Kimball (string bass), and
former husband of the pianist Jeannette Kimball (née Salvant) played with Papa
Celestin's Original Tuxedo Orchestra from late 1920s through the Great
Depression.
In the 1930s Kimball switched to string bass in swing bands but music did not
provide enough money; started a brand new career as a mailman.
Thanks to the New Orleans Jazz Revival he was back playing his banjo and since
mid 1950s worked as a bandleader in New Orleans and toured both U.S.A. and
Europe.
Narvin Kimball was the last surviving original member of the Preservation Hall
Jazz Band, started in 1966 as a collection of 120 New Orleans old-time
musicians playing in a French Quarter art gallery. When Narvin Kimball at age
57 joined the original Band, he was its youngest member at the nightly
performances while delivering U.S. mail during the day.
As a mail carrier for thirty-five years, he never missed a single day without
pay and was late only three times. The pride of his tenure with the Post
Office and his professionalism with the PHJB showed as he was immaculately
attired in his appropriate mail or musician uniform with shoes shined and
shirts cleaned and pressed.
Playing professionally since the 1920s, he made his recording debut in 1928 on
Columbia Records with Celestin's band.
Decades later, he was told to "wait his turn" to be the PHJB leader, as senior
band members preceded him in that role. These included Willie and Percy
Humphrey, Dede and Billie Pierce, Jim Robinson, Cie Frasier, Kid Thomas
Valentine, and George Lewis. They, and others, have all passed on, leaving
Narvin Kimball as its sole original practitioner.
During the 1920's while playing with the highly regarded Fate Marable Band on
Mississippi River boats, he established musical relationships with musicians
he would perform with for decades. One was Willie Humphrey, another original
member of the PHJB and with whom Narvin would play for over 60 years before
Willie's passing in 1996.
>From 1935-1960, he played the string bass with popular swing groups including
the Sidney Desvigne orchestra.
In 1960 he returned to his banjo playing. Narvin's playing and singing quickly
became a favorite of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which started a few
years later. With the PHJB he performed throughout the world and with the
country's major symphony orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony.
A virtuoso soloist and an accomplished rhythm man, he was still active and
swinging into his nineties, until his death at age 97.
The banjo player's vocal renditions of Georgia on My Mind always brought
standing ovations, hall director Ben Jaffe said by telephone from New Orleans.
Jaffe's parents founded the Preservation Hall in 1961 at former art gallery in
an 18th century French Quarter building.
Kimball was the son of bassist Henry Kimball, and he made his first banjo with
a cigar box, stick and string. He began playing professionally in the 1920s on
Mississippi riverboats with the Fate Marable Band. He made his first Columbia
Records recording in 1928.
But Kimball delivered more than music. He worked for 37 years with the U.S.
Postal Service. He formed his own band, Narvin Kimball's Gentlemen of Jazz and
played around New Orleans for 40 years. It was on his mail rounds that he
broached the idea of his band playing at the hall.
Jaffe, a bass player in the band, says Kimball gave him his first lesson when
he was 10.
"He drew for me on a piece of paper all of my scales," Jaffe said. "Every week
it was something new. That was my first introduction to music theory."
New Orleans and jazz lovers everywhere have "lost a link to another time - to
another era," Jaffe said. "He was really our last connection to a bygone time
in the history of New Orleans."
Brad Sullivan, 27, who was hanging out a downtown Charleston restaurant
Friday, said he remembered going Preservation Hall while he was a student at
Tulane University.
Kimball "was a part of classical jazz music, the type of jazz you just don't
hear anymore," Sullivan said. "A part of that culture is gone with this (his
death) and with the displacement caused by Hurricane Katrina."
Kimball last played with the band in 1999 in a PBS performance. Not long
afterward, Jaffe said, he suffered a series of strokes that ended his banjo
playing.
Kimball and his wife, Lillian, evacuated their New Orleans home to Baton
Rouge, La., just five hours before Hurricane Katrina bore down on the Crescent
City, Jaffe said.
Kimball is survived by his wife, two daughters, four grandchildren and seven
great grandchildren.
Jaffe says the Preservation Hall Jazz Band will recognize him in a few ways. A
portrait will hang over the chair he used and the band's upcoming release will
be dedicated to him, Jaffe said.
Jaffe also made the rounds to Kimball's favorite places to spread the news and
celebrate his life.
"We celebrate people's memories here. We acknowledge death through the
celebration of people's lives," Jaffe said.
At age ninety, banjoist Narvin Kimball, last surviving original member of the
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, is committed to passing on the music to today's
young musicians to guarantee it is in goods hands as we approach the next
century. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band started in 1966 as a collection of
120 New Orleans old-time musicians playing in a French Quarter art gallery.
When Narvin Kimball at age 57 joined the original Band, he was its youngest
member at the nightly performances while delivering U.S. mail during the day.
As a mail carrier for thirty-five years, he never missed a single day without
pay and was late only three times. The pride of his tenure with the Post
Office and his professionalism with the PHJB showed as he was immaculately
attired in his appropriate mail or musician uniform with shoes shined and
shirts cleaned and pressed.
Playing professionally since the 1920's and making his recording debut in 1928
on Columbia Records, he was told to "wait his turn" to be the PHJB leader, as
senior band members preceded him in that role. These included Willie and Percy
Humphrey, Dede and Billie Pierce, Jim Robinson, Cie Frasier, Kid Thomas and
George Lewis. They, and others, have all passed on, leaving Narvin Kimball as
its sole original practitioner.
Born in New Orleans in 1909 and the son of Henry Kimball, a well-respected New
Orleans bass player who performed in the Crescent City at the turn of this
century, Narvin quickly earned a reputation as a dynamic left-handed banjo
player. During the 1920's while playing with the highly regarded Fate Marable
Band on Mississippi River boats, he established musical relationships with
musicians he would perform with for decades. One was Willie Humphrey, another
original member of the PHJB and with whom Narvin would play for over 60 years
before Willie's passing in 1996.
>From 1935-1960, he played the string bass with popular swing groups including
the Sidney Desvigne orchestra. Today we are seeing a resurgence of swing
music, of which he was an original member.
In 1960, he returned to his banjo playing. Narvin's playing and singing
quickly became a favorite of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which started a
few years later. With the PHJB he has performed throughout the world and with
the country's major symphony orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony.
His vocal rendition of Georgia, a crowd pleaser, is guaranteed to bring a tear
to one's eye.
Whatever Narvin does, he does eloquently. Whether it is his singing, banjo
playing, or dressing - it is always impeccable. He is the consummate
professional.
Now, as the last of the original generation of traditional jazz players and
senior member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, he feels an obligation to
pass the traditional music torch to today's youth who will carry on this
American musical cultural art form into the next century.
These northern California engagements will mark the first time Narvin has
played with a "youth" band where no musician will be over 30 years old. Watch
these youngsters try to keep up with Narvin Kimball while he teaches a few
tricks to these youth.
As a young boy he turned a cigar box into a ukulele.  His parents recognized
his musical ability and started him on banjo lessons.  In the 1920's Narvin
was playing with Fate Marable, one of New Orleans' most prestigious bands that
also included his bass playing father Henry Kimball.
    In the 1930's Narvin switched to bass and played with several swing
groups.  After his fathers death he even played with Louis Armstrong Henry's
former band leader.
    Playing jazz didn't always provide the needed income for Narvin so for 37
years he delivered mail.  At age 52 he began his 39 year career as a performer
with the New Orleans "Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Dr. Luis Daniel Flores FRCOG
www.jazzysentimientos.com.ar
domingos/Sundays 9:30/12:30 GMT