Musicians - Earl Bostic

Home > Listing Index > Musicians > Earl Bostic

	Musicians - Earl Bostic

Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist.

Bostic began his career in jazz, making his first recording with Lionel Hampton in 1939.Before that he performed with Fate Marable on New Orleans riverboats. Bostic graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. He worked with territory bands as well as Arnett Cobb, Hot Lips Page, Rex Stewart,Don Byas, Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and other jazz luminaries. He formed his own band in 1945, and turned to rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. His biggest hits were "Temptation," "Sleep," "Flamingo," "You Go to My Head," and "Cherokee." At various times his band included Jaki Byard, John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, and other musicians who rose to prominence in jazz. Bostic held his musicians to a high standard and demanded that they read music faultlessly. He was influenced by the great Sidney Bechet. John Coltane was clearly influenced by Earl Bostic. The hit song "Duke of Earl" was named after him.

His virtuosity is documented in records such as Up There In Orbit, Earl's Imagination, Liza, Apollo Theater Jump, Fast Track, and Tiger Rag.

In the early 1950's Bostic headed the house band at Minton's and was famous as a peerless jammer and held his own against the great Charlie Parker. Bostic was noted for his mastery of the horn by Art Blakey. He was able to control the horn from low B flat up into the altissimo range years before other saxophonists dared to stray. Bostic could play wonderfully in any key at any tempo over any changes.

Bostic's signature hit, "Flamingo" was recorded in 1951 and remains a favorite among followers of Carolina Beach Music in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Their style of Beach Music is heavily influenced by Rhythm-and-Blues music from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Bostic recorded for Cincinnati-based King Records, a small label that was well known for releasing "R and B" and Bluegrass records. In fact, the biggest star on the King label was "the Godfather of Soul", James Brown. Bostic was also popular among R&B and jazz followers in the United Kingdom, thanks to his records that were released on the Parlophone label.

Bostic was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and died in Rochester, New York while performing with his band in 1965. :

Bostic,Earl Bostic,Earl Bostic, Earl Bostic,Earl Bostic, Earl Bostic, Earl Bostic, Earl

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Earl Bostic ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Earl Bostic; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Searches on eBay