[Dixielandjazz] RIP - Buddy Childers

[Stan Brager]

Mike Vax reports the passing of trumpeter Buddy Childers:

 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