Jack Teagarden: Profiles in Jazz

The Double-Threat One of the most beloved figures in jazz history, Jack Teagarden was a double-threat as a trombonist and a singer. Before he arrived in New York in 1928, most trombonists played in a guttural percussive style that had been pioneered by Kid Ory in New Orleans. The trombone, a potentially witty instrument (which was its main function in vaudeville), was mostly used to fill in ensembles, harmonizing with the lead voice (usually the trumpet or cornet) and taking short rhythmic solos. There were two early exceptions. Miff Mole, who came to prominence with groups led by cornetist Red Nichols, took adventurous solos that featured wide interval jumps and unconventional ideas. And Jimmy Harrison, as a member of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, played in a legato style that hinted at Teagarden’s innovations. They were friends and probably influenced each other a bit. But otherwise, the trombone was largely a secondary instrument in jazz until Teagarden came along. A friendly revolutionary, by the late 1920s Teagarden could play his instrument on the same commanding level as a trumpeter. He was also a superior blues and jazz singer whose charming Texas drawl and swinging placement of notes made him one of the first white Americans to effectively sing the blues on record. Early Years Jack Teagarden was born in Vernon, Texas on Aug. 29, 1905, moving with his family to