Originally from Virginia, Garred moved to Seattle sometime in the ’40s, where he was recruited by Ray Charles to play in his trio at the Rocking Chair, in 1948. A highly-respected time keeper with a fat sound, Garred was an inspiration to young players such as Chuck Metcalf and continued to play in Seattle with the top players, such as Gerald Brashear and Bob Winn, at such venues as the Lake City Tavern and Pete’s Poop Deck. Garred had problems with substance abuse and an uneven career, spending some time in prison. … Continue readingMilt Garred

Along with Frank Waldron, one of the two “patriarchs” of Seattle jazz. A technical virtuoso, Holden was born in Nashville, Tenn. and played on Fate Marable’s riverboats before moving to Chicago, then went to Vancouver, B.C., where in 1919-20, playing clarinet, he led a band that included Jelly Roll Morton, at the Patricia Hotel. Holden played the Blue Rose with Joe Darensbourg and became a fixture at the 908 Club, where he accompanied singers. He played through the 1960s, dying in 1969. His children include five musicians who played roles in Seattle music. … Continue readingOscar Holden

Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Los Angeles, Johnson came to Seattle in 1928 on a boat to play with Elmer Fain at the Maryland Tavern. Pianist Oscar Holden took the sophisticated stylist Johnson “under his wing” and Johnson decided to stay, playing the China Castle, Herman Myers’ Taxi Dance Hall, the Jungle Temple, Doc Hamilton’s and many other venues. In 1934, Johnson went to Shanhai with the Earl Whaley Orchestra and stayed three years. When he returned to Seattle, he became a major figure in the “boogie woogie” craze of the early ’40s, playing the Palomar Theater. In 1943, he took a long-term gig in Alaska and did not return to Seattle until the ’50s, when he wound down his career. … Continue readingPalmer Johnson

After losing everything in the 1929 crash, Moore’s adoptive parents moved from Portland, Ore., to Seattle’s Chinatown International District, where Moore went to work as a pianist for Frank Waldron, at the Chinese Gardens, to help support the family. Moore attended Cornish College and worked in Seattle until 1935, when he moved to Los Angeles. There, he became a vocal coach for movie stars such as Ava Gardner, Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne and Marilyn Monroe and wrote music for films, including the Marx Brothers’ “A Day at the Races.” In the 1940s, Moore formed an influential quartet, the Phil Moore Four and in 1945 became the first black talent director for CBS. … Continue readingPhil Moore

Raised in New Orleans, Poindexter played with Pops Buford in Oakland, Calif., and along with Ernestine Anderson joined Ernie Lewis in 1946 for a tour to Seattle, which landed them at Basin Street. Poindexter ping-ponged between Seattle and San Francisco from 1946-1958. After a stint in the Lionel Hampton band that also featured Ernestine Anderson and Quincy Jones, Poindexter played in an all-star group organized in 1952 by Billy Tolles that included trumpeter Kenny Dorham. Poindexter spent more than a year (1956-57) in the Monroe Reformatory on a charge related to drug addiction but upon release held down a steady gig at the Mardi Gras, then left Seattle in 1958. Known as “Little Pony” — the title of a Neal Hefti tune dedicated to Poindexter that was part of the Count Basie repertorie — Poindexter went on to work with Lambert, Hendrix and Bavan and Annie Ross, and made a series of albums under his own name, living at the end of his life in Europe. … Continue readingPony Poindexter

One of the most widely-recognized musicians in popular music and the winner of 28 Grammy Awards, Jones spent eight formative years in Seattle, where he learned to play trumpet, taught himself to arrange, toured with his first jazz band, wrote his first arrangements and befriended Ray Charles, who helped him with his early arranging. Born in Chicago, Jones came to Bremerton, Wash., with his family in 1943 and to Seattle in 1945, where Jones joined a swing band started by his classmate at Garfield High School, Charlie Taylor. Bumps Blackwell took over the band and got it gigs all over the Northwest, including a night backing up Billie Holiday. After graduating from Garfield in 1950, Jones attended Seattle University for a semester, then went to Boston, where he studied at the Schillinger school and was picked up as a trumpet player and arranger by Lionel Hampton. After forging a career as an arranger in New York, Jones drew upon three of his colleagues from Seattle – Floyd Standifer, trumpet; Buddy Catlett, bass; and Patti Bown, piano — for a big band that would be featured in a new musical in Europe, “Free and Easy.” The show bombed, but Jones stayed in Europe for 10 months, after which he became the first black executive at Mercury Records. Jones went on to write 30+ film scores, starting with the “The Pawnbroker,” in 1964, and including “The Color Purple.” He also produced Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the best-selling pop album of all time. Jones continues to promote young jazz musicians through his record company, Qwest. … Continue readingQuincy Jones

Raised in Chicago, Ralph Davis came to Seattle in 1942 and preceded Vernon Brown in the Al Pierre group. A stint with pianist “Barrelhouse” Smitty was followed by work with old-timer Gerald Wells and souful tenor man Floyd Franklin. Davis went on to play with Al Hickey and “Doc” Wheeler in the Jive Bombers for many years. … Continue readingRalph Davis

Born in Florida, Charles became blind in childhood due to glaucoma. In 1948, he came to Seattle from Tampa, Fla, with a guitar player named Garcia McKee and with bassist Milt Gerrad they got a regular gig as the McSon Trio at the Rocking Chair, on 14th Avenue South. Charles later commemorated the club with one of his first recordings, “Rocking Chair Blues.” In Seattle, he began a lifelong relationship with Quincy Jones, which resulted in, among other collaborations, the landmark album “Genius+Soul=Jazz.” Invited to Los Angeles to become a solo recording act, Charles left Seattle in 1950 and by 1954 had a hit, “I Got A Woman,” followed by the smash “What’d I Say,” in 1959. Charles only spent two-and-a-half years in Seattle but credited the city’s open-minded racial approach as a big influence on his outlook, which included recording everything from country and western music to “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Charles eventually occupied the kind of status Louis Armstrong enjoyed — a black musician untethered to genre or race. … Continue readingRay Charles