During the 1930s he led his own band, Bertie King and his Rhythm Aces, described at the time as "Jamaica's Foremost Dance Orchestra". In 1936 he left for England, sailing on the same ship as his friend Jiver Hutchinson. In London he joined Ken Snakehips Johnson's West Indian Dance Band, and later played with Leslie Hutchinson's band. He also worked with visiting American musicians including Benny Carter, George Shearing and Coleman Hawkins. In 1937 he recorded four sides in the Netherlands with Benny Carter, and in 1938 he recorded with Django Reinhardt in Paris. In 1939 he joined the Royal Navy. He left the Navy in 1943 and formed his own band, also working and recording with Nat Gonella.
King returned to Jamaica in 1951, where he started his own band, known as the Casa Blanca Orchestra, playing in the mento style. Since there were no Jamaican record labels at this time, he arranged for his recordings to be pressed in a plant in Lewisham, England, owned by Decca Records. He returned a number of times to England, working and recording with Kenny Baker, George Chisholm, Chris Barber, Kenny Graham and Humphrey Lyttelton, and also toured in Asia and Africa with his own band. During this period he also played and recorded in London with some of the leading Trinidadian calypsonians. He was noted for his impassive demeanour on stage, which belied an expressive playing style.
bertie, king, those, similar, name, bert, king, disambiguation, albert, king, disambiguation, edward, george, albert, king, 1912, 1981, known, jamaican, jazz, mento, musician, played, clarinet, saxophone, biography, editking, born, panama, raised, kingston, wh. For those of a similar name see Bert King disambiguation Albert King disambiguation Edward VII and George VI Albert King 1912 1981 known as Bertie King was a Jamaican jazz and mento musician He played the clarinet and the saxophone Biography editKing was born in Panama and raised in Kingston where he attended Alpha Boys School During the 1930s he led his own band Bertie King and his Rhythm Aces described at the time as Jamaica s Foremost Dance Orchestra In 1936 he left for England sailing on the same ship as his friend Jiver Hutchinson In London he joined Ken Snakehips Johnson s West Indian Dance Band and later played with Leslie Hutchinson s band He also worked with visiting American musicians including Benny Carter George Shearing and Coleman Hawkins In 1937 he recorded four sides in the Netherlands with Benny Carter and in 1938 he recorded with Django Reinhardt in Paris In 1939 he joined the Royal Navy He left the Navy in 1943 and formed his own band also working and recording with Nat Gonella King returned to Jamaica in 1951 where he started his own band known as the Casa Blanca Orchestra playing in the mento style Since there were no Jamaican record labels at this time he arranged for his recordings to be pressed in a plant in Lewisham England owned by Decca Records He returned a number of times to England working and recording with Kenny Baker George Chisholm Chris Barber Kenny Graham and Humphrey Lyttelton and also toured in Asia and Africa with his own band During this period he also played and recorded in London with some of the leading Trinidadian calypsonians He was noted for his impassive demeanour on stage which belied an expressive playing style King led the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation s house band in the 1950s his sidemen included Ernest Ranglin and Tommy Mowatt 1 He recorded extensively with this outfit In 1965 he moved to the USA His last known public performance was at Jamaican Independence Day celebrations in New York City in 1967 He died in the USA in 1981 References edit Eugene Chadbourne Bertie King Allmusic External links editEugene Chadbourne Bertie King at Allmusic Discography at British Modern Jazz Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bertie King amp oldid 1174366501, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
