[Dixielandjazz] Jazz Pianist Eddie Bigham Passes away

[Steve Barbone]

Francis Edward "Eddie" Bigham is not a national name. Yet he was a great
OKOM pianist and a great man. And well known in the Philadelphia area. He
was 87 years old.

He interrupted his studies at St Joseph's College in 1942 to enlist in the
US Army and after a brief time in England, was sent to North Africa. In
1943, he was drafted to play piano in a USO show starring Martha Raye. (Her
regular pianist had been injured) After the show, she said to him "Pack you
bags Eddie, you are going on tour with me."

He told her she didn't understand, he was an infantryman. She replied; "You
don't understand Eddie, I'm friends with the general." Later that year,
Margaret Bourke-White photographed Ms. Raye entertaining the troops and
there at the piano was Eddie. The photo made Life Magazine.

After the war, he returned to St Joseph's, got his degree and wrote the
School's Alma Mater.

He also played with Fred Waring, but was best known in this area for working
at Jazz joints like that owned by clarinetist Billy Kretchmer and other
nightclubs. He also accompanied some very famous touring jazz stars when
they visited Philadelphia. In the 1960s, he organized his own bands and was
sought after on the "Society" circuit. Those were the days/nights of some
legendary "Main Line" Society events and he did lots of them both jazz, and
dance in Bryn Mawr, Merion, Haverford, et al.

He had an enormous repertoire, a strong sense of swing and flawless
technique.

We did some gigs together from 1992 to 2005. (He stopped playing in 2005)
Couple of neat ones were; (1) A fund raiser at Portrait Artist George
"Frolic" Weymouth's Brandywine River Estate to raise money for Ms. Lisa
Singer's trip to Europe to compete in the World Pair Carriage Driving
competition. Her main horses were named "Maple" and "Leaf". I asked him if
he could play Maple Leaf Rag. "Haven't done it in 40 years he said but I'll
practice it." He showed up at the gig with the music (difficult version) and
proceeded to play it like he wrote it.

(2) A University of Pennsylvania Fraternity Party held at the First Troop
Armory in Philadelphia in 2005. I wanted him to play it because I knew he
was going to stop playing, and this was a neat gig surrounded by college
kids, like he was used to in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. He loved it, the 400 or
so kids loved him even though they gave him a good natured Booo when I
mentioned that the St. Joe's (rivals) Alma Mater was his creation.

Francis Edward "Eddie" Bigham. Rest in Peace for both you and your music
made the world a better place.

Steve Barbone