Teagarden's early career was as a sideman with the likes of Paul Whiteman and lifelong friend Louis Armstrong. According to critic Scott Yannow of Allmusic, Teagarden was the preeminent American jazz trombone player before the bebop era of the 1940s and 'one of the best jazz singers too'. Few people realize that Teagarden, known as Tea or simply T, lived his last years in South Florida. But their music, and their lifelong friendship, rose above the bigotry. His father, an amateur cornet player, worked in the oilfields, and his mother was a local piano instructor and church organist. He was the son of Charles and Helen (Geinger) Teagarden. In segregated America, their friends feared it would damage the two men’s careers. Jack Teagarden, jazz musician, was born Weldon Leo Teagarden, in Vernon, Texas, on August 20, 1905.
Ill find time, my neighbours might not appreciate it but Im going to try. Weldon Leo 'Jack' Teagarden was an American jazz trombonist and singer. Trombonist Jack Teagarden, right, records with Louis Armstrong, left, in 1948. Titles include "Misery & The Blues", "Bad Acting Woman", "Meet Me Where They Play The Blues", "Music To Love By", and "High Society". My ambition is to learn to play the trombone. Most arrangements are by Cary – and Jack sings just a bit, in that wonderfully raspy style of his. In 1921, he joined Peck Kelleys band at the age of only sixteen years old Instead of focusing on the tailgate style of playing that was traditional with the style of dixieland, he treated the trombone as a lyrical instrument.
The album definitely lives up to the title, and features the mighty Jack Teagarden in a number of small group settings – all with a straight ahead punch that gets away from some of the gimmicks of his other 50s sessions! Teagarden's trombone is still one of the sharpest instruments of his generation of jazz – and Jack works here with a mix of players that includes Jimmy McPartland on trumpet, Edmond Hall on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, Walter Page on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. Born in Vernon, Texas on August 20th, 1905, Weldon Leo 'Jack' Teagarden was a jazz trombonist and a singer.