Captain Bacardi
Well-Known Member
Some very sad news here in the Austin jazz scene - trumpeter Martin Banks died late Friday after being taken off life support. He had suffered a heart attack the previous Tuesday. He was 68. I had the pleasure of playing with him in a couple of big bands in Austin during the 80's. From the Austin American-Statesman:
Master of the trumpet played with Count Basie
By Michael Corcoran
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, August 22, 2004
The Austin music community lost a jazz giant Friday with the passing of Martin Banks, who took his trumpet from the old Anderson High School in East Austin to the bands of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, James Brown, Sun Ra, King Curtis, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, David "Fathead" Newman, Larry DC Williams, Freddie King and many more.
Banks suffered a heart attack Tuesday, a family spokesman said. He was taken off life support Friday at South Austin Medical Center. He was 68.
"He was the jazz trumpet player of Austin," said producer/musician Ojito Prevatt, rattling off some of Banks' accomplishments, including a long stint in the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York.
He also played in the backing group on the first Motown revue, bunking with a young singer named Marvin Gaye.
Banks moved from Austin to California in 1953 to play jazz. After playing in several Bay Area and Los Angeles combos, he was hired for Ray Charles' touring band, which took him to New York.
It was in the 1950s and '60s New York bebop scene where Banks' deep and spiritual style really blossomed. He became close to Dizzy Gillespie and other jazz greats during that heyday.
Banks returned to Austin in the mid-1980s and instantly achieved guru status.
"Young musicians used to sit at his feet, quite literally, to watch him play," said Victory Grill manager Eva Lindsey.
Banks' original instrument was the trombone, which his father, Buford, played with great skill in several bands, including an early John Coltrane group. But the younger Banks had arms too short to play the full range of notes on the trombone, so he switched to trumpet in the sixth grade.
One Saturday night in 1950, a 14-year-old Banks was listening to the Dr. Hepcat radio show and heard a trumpet solo that influenced him to take his music into more exploratory areas. The dark-toned solo was by Kenny Dorham, a fellow Anderson High graduate who used to jam with Martin's father.
Years later, Banks jammed with his idol, two native East Austinites of different generations having the time of their lives in Manhattan.
Banks is survived by his wife, Leslie; his mother, Rose Banks; a brother; two sisters; and five children.
A memorial service will be Sept. 12 at the Laguna Gloria Art Museum.
Capt. Bacardi
Master of the trumpet played with Count Basie
By Michael Corcoran
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, August 22, 2004
The Austin music community lost a jazz giant Friday with the passing of Martin Banks, who took his trumpet from the old Anderson High School in East Austin to the bands of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, James Brown, Sun Ra, King Curtis, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, David "Fathead" Newman, Larry DC Williams, Freddie King and many more.
Banks suffered a heart attack Tuesday, a family spokesman said. He was taken off life support Friday at South Austin Medical Center. He was 68.
"He was the jazz trumpet player of Austin," said producer/musician Ojito Prevatt, rattling off some of Banks' accomplishments, including a long stint in the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York.
He also played in the backing group on the first Motown revue, bunking with a young singer named Marvin Gaye.
Banks moved from Austin to California in 1953 to play jazz. After playing in several Bay Area and Los Angeles combos, he was hired for Ray Charles' touring band, which took him to New York.
It was in the 1950s and '60s New York bebop scene where Banks' deep and spiritual style really blossomed. He became close to Dizzy Gillespie and other jazz greats during that heyday.
Banks returned to Austin in the mid-1980s and instantly achieved guru status.
"Young musicians used to sit at his feet, quite literally, to watch him play," said Victory Grill manager Eva Lindsey.
Banks' original instrument was the trombone, which his father, Buford, played with great skill in several bands, including an early John Coltrane group. But the younger Banks had arms too short to play the full range of notes on the trombone, so he switched to trumpet in the sixth grade.
One Saturday night in 1950, a 14-year-old Banks was listening to the Dr. Hepcat radio show and heard a trumpet solo that influenced him to take his music into more exploratory areas. The dark-toned solo was by Kenny Dorham, a fellow Anderson High graduate who used to jam with Martin's father.
Years later, Banks jammed with his idol, two native East Austinites of different generations having the time of their lives in Manhattan.
Banks is survived by his wife, Leslie; his mother, Rose Banks; a brother; two sisters; and five children.
A memorial service will be Sept. 12 at the Laguna Gloria Art Museum.
Capt. Bacardi
