Wendell Cull(e)y writes to Milt Buckner

Trumpet man Wendell Cull(e)y (1906–1983) played in Lionel Hampton’s orchestra from 1944 to 1949, a period in which Milt Buckner was Hampton’s pianist. Culley (as his name is mostly written) and Buckner seem to have kept in contact over the years. There is a letter in Otto Flückiger’s files about Milt Buckner that Culley wrote to Buckner in August 1971 (the letter arrived after a longer journey).

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I decided to present this very interesting letter in full, since I think it contains nothing of a too personal nature. In addition I have some very nice other documents to offer here that somehow have a connection to this letter.  But let’s start with a question first: Who is “your former vocalist named Jerald” (??)” on the first page? Although being quite knowledgeable about Buckner’s career, I have no idea.

Count Basie in Zurich 1959

As in 1956, the Count Basie Orchestra also visited Switzerland in 1959. The concert they gave at the Kongresshaus in Zurich on February 6 was filmed – probably for the swiss television company. In Otto Flückiger’s archives I found a VHS tape with the TV broadcast from the Kongresshaus. Since I noticed that “The Midget” from this concert already can be found on youtube, I decided to offer you something else. So here you have the opening part of the TV broadcast. The orchestra starts with Basie Boogie, and after that they play Neal Hefti’s Lil’ Darlin’.  The latter is especially remarkable because it offers the rare opportunity to hear as well as see a solo by  Wendell Culley (1906–1983), as Basie usually gave most of the trumpet solos to Joe Newman or Thad Jones.

The personnel on this date: Wendell Culley, Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Joe Newman (tp); Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell (tb); Marshal Royal (as,cl); Frank Wess (as,ts,fl); Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell (ts); Charlie Fowlkes (bar); Count Basie (p, ldr); Freddie Green (g); Eddie Jones (b); Sonny Payne (dr).

Enjoy!

Count Basie in Geneva 1956

Update (December 16 2011): Meanwhile everybody on these photos has been identified. Thanks to Peter Vacher and Bill Lee!

I had a request from Yvette Porter Moore who was in search for photographs of her Grand Uncle Wendell Culley. Culley (January 8, 1906 – June 1983) played trumpet with Noble Sissle, Lionel Hampton (from 1944 to 1949) and Count Basie (from 1951 to 1959). Indeed I found a photo in the Otto Flückiger archives that showed Wendell Culley and Duke Garrette 1948 in Lionel Hampton’s band. You can see this photo on Yvette’s blog.

When I looked for further photographs of Culley, I discovered a handful of photos showing different members of the Count Basie orchestra when it was touring switzerland in 1956. Most probably these were taken by Ernest Zwonicek in Geneva. It would be nice to know for sure though. I am not really a specialist on Basie, so I could not identify each and everyone. But I had help!

First up is a photo of Basie himself, probably taken at the Geneva train station.

Next up is the man who unwillingly made me look for these photos:

Lionel Hampton at Strand Theatre 1948

UPDATE (August 19, 2012): The handwriting on the Srand Theatre photograph is not by Otto Flückiger, but by Milt Buckner (see comments section).

When I was down at the archives last week looking for documents in relation to Don Redman’s 1946 tour, I accidentally found a batch of gorgeous photos of Lionel Hampton’s band in 1948 and 1949 at New York’s Strand Theatre as well as from  the Howard Theatre Washington 1948.

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The photograph above was taken at the Strand Theatre in N.Y.C, between January 23 and February 1948. Unfortunately the photographer is not known (to me at least). On the edge of the photo Milt Buckner himself noted down the names of the musicians to be seen. I photoshopped the edge just enough to make his handwriting (very pale pencil) readable again. Too make identification easier, I have cut up the photo into several parts below.