Eddie Bert, that remarkable jazz trombonist, was
recently interviewed by Bill Crow in "Allegro", the
monthly publication of Local 802, American Federation
of Musicians, a well deserved recognition.
Eddie has been a friend since the mid 1960's which was
years into his career which started in the late 1930's.
Born in 1922, Eddie jumped into jazz early and stayed.
He is still very active - playing, recording and travelling
the planet with trombone at the ready.
Eddie remembers having heard a radio broadcast of the
Basie band in the late 1930's and being seized with
wonder at the solos of Lester Young. "Wow" he thought,
"listen to what he's doing. I gotta meet him."
In 1938 Eddie made his way to fifty-second street, the
place to hear jazz and meet jazz players. Basie's band
was playing at the Famous Door and outside on the
sidewalk was this jazz-struck, desperate youngster
anxious to meet Lester Young and the guys in the band.
Being a teenager, too young to get into the club, Eddie
hung around during the afternoon when he knew the
band would be rehearsing.
Soon, out came trombonist Benny Morton and Eddle
pounced –"would you give me lessons?" "Sure kid. Come
to rehearsal and afterward I’ll teach you." "Really?" asked
Eddle. Of course that was the answer he had been
trolling for.
That meeting, more than sixty years ago was just the
beginning. Four years later Eddie Bert was nineteen
years old and asked to join and become the trombone
soloist with Red Norvo's big band. That was the
beginning of a long career. Along the way he has played
almost every kind of music while continuing to speak his
personal, warm and melodic style of jazz. He has played
and recorded with musicians who cover the gamut from
traditional to swing to avant-garde - Red Norvo, Charlie
Barnett, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw , Woody Herman, Gene
Krupa,Buddy Rich,Benny Carter, Stan Kenton, Pete Rugolo,
Thelonius Monk, Char1ie Mingus and so many others.
In 1989 Eddie toured the world with Gene Harris and
the Phillip Morris Superband, an itinerary that included
Morocco, Hungary, Egypt, France, Turkey, Russia,
Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Korea, the Philippines.
Australia, Taiwan and the U.S.A. and a band that Included
jazz stars Frank Wess, James Moody, Urbie Green, Harry
"Sweets" Edison, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis and many others.
In Eddie's words "What a band and what a trip."
An interesting event in a long, still busy life playing jazz,
Eddie's Life-force:
Music Masters Records released two CD's in 1992. One
was "Benny Carter's Harlem Renaissance" recorded in
February, 1992. The other was "Red Norvo Live from
Blue Gardens" recorded off the radio on January 4, 1942
by Eddie's wife Mollie. Eddie plays solos on both CD's -
recorded fifty years apart.
Eddie is still going strong as he approaches his 76th
birthday, one of the busy players on the New York
scene. And, oh yes, he is still travelling. Last month
Eddie went to Europe with an all-star group for a three-
week tour playing Thelonius Monk's music. In his words
"I still love to play and I still love to travel and I'm still
doing them both."
Eddie, don't stop , even though there's no chance
they'11 catch up.
Sid Weinberg