[JPL] dick twardzik biography

[Eric Jackson]

Freeman and Resch wrote:

> I am new to this Jazzpro list but am sending this out there and hope it lands somewhere.  My late husband, Russ Freeman, shared a recording with Twardzik in 1956 on Pacific Jazz called "Trio".  Russ had such admiration for Dick and often spoke of him.
> It was recorded at Rudy Gelder's studio in New Jersey.  
> Carolyn Freeman, Peacockentertainment at earthlink.net


Hi Carolyn,

Welcome to the JPL! Thank you for passing along the information. And 
incidentally, you are no longer a newcomer now that you've posted! You 
are a veteran!

Again, welcome.


Eric Jackson
Monday - Thursday 8 pm - mid.
WGBH 89.7
www.wgbh.org/jazz


>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eric Jackson" eric-jackson at comcast.net
>>> To: <jazzproglist at jazzweek.com>
>>> Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:56 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [JPL] dick twardzik biography
>>>
>>>
>>>> Tom Reney wrote:
>>>>> I want to draw your attention to a new biography of pianist Dick 
>>>>> Twardzik by Jack Chambers entitled Bouncin' With Bartok, The 
>>>>> Incomplete Works of Richard Twardzik. The Danvers, Massachusetts 
>>>>> native died of a drug overdose in 1955 at the age of 24 when he was 
>>>>> in Paris playing with Chet Baker.  He left behind a miniscule 
>>>>> discography, including just one date as a leader for Pacific Jazz, 
>>>>> studio sessions with Charlie Mariano, Serge Chaloff and Baker, and 
>>>>> airchecks from Boston nightclub appearances with Charlie Parker and 
>>>>> Allen Eager.  Despite this small output, Twardzik's legacy was 
>>>>> considerably enhanced by the five, highly distinctive compositions he 
>>>>> produced, and his playing which everyone from Baker to Herb Pomeroy 
>>>>> to Cecil Taylor attests was ahead of its time. Chambers has done an 
>>>>> exemplary job of pulling Twardzik's story together.  The book 
>>>>> features a colorful array of relatives, musicians and artists who 
>>>>> peopled the Boston scene in the '30's-'50's, and includes a folio of 
>>>>> his father Henryk's paintings, several of which were portraits of his 
>>>>> son. Secondarily, the book serves as an excellent primer on the 
>>>>> Boston jazz scene during these years.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's published by the Mercury Press in Toronto.  www.themercurypress.ca
>>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the tip, Tom. I'll try to track down a copy soon.
>>>>
>>>> I remember recording some comments from Herb Pomeroy about Dick. He 
>>>> commented on how much of a loss it was. He said Twardzik was trying to 
>>>> clean himself up in Boston when he got the offer to travel with Chet 
>>>> to Europe. Baker was a known to be a drug user and Twardzik's friends 
>>>> in Boston urged him not to take the gig, according to Herb.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Eric Jackson
>>>> Monday - Thursday 8 pm - mid.
>>>> WGBH 89.7
>>>> www.wgbh.org/jazz
>>>>
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