Bill Chase
Encyclopedia
Bill Chase was an American
trumpet
player and leader of the jazz-rock fusion band Chase.
-American family in Squantum, Massachusetts
; his parents John and Emily changed their name to Chase, realizing Chiaiese was difficult to pronounce. Bill's father had played trumpet in the Gillette Marching Band and encouraged his son's musical interests, which included a flirtation with violin
and drums
. In his mid-teens Bill settled on the trumpet. While still in high school, in 1950 Chase attended his first Stan Kenton
concert—featuring Maynard Ferguson
on high note solos—and Bill was hooked from then on. After graduating from high school, he studied classical trumpet at the New England Conservatory, but soon switched to the Schillinger House Of Music, now known as Berklee School of Music. Chase's primary instructors were Armando Ghitalla
, John Coffey and Herb Pomeroy
.
Chase played lead trumpet with Maynard Ferguson in 1958 and Stan Kenton in 1959, and during the 1960s, played lead trumpet in Woody Herman
's Thundering Herd. Recordings of the Herman band from that time period, including Woody's Winners, Live in Antibes, Encore, 1963, My Kind of Broadway, Blue Flame, Live in Seattle, Somewhere, Live at Newport 1966, Heavy Exposure, Woody Herman & the Fourth Herd, and Jazz Hoot are considered some of the most exciting in the Herman discography. The band also filmed several television appearances for the program Jazz Casual. One of Chase's original charts from this period, "Camel Walk," was published in Downbeat magazine.
Chase (the band) released their debut album Chase in April 1971. Bill Chase was joined by Ted
Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair, three veteran jazz trumpeters who were also adept at vocals and arranging. They were backed up by a rhythm section consisting of Phil Porter on keyboards, Angel South on guitar, Dennis Johnson on bass, and Jay Burrid on percussion. Rounding out the group was Terry Richards, who was featured as lead vocalist on the first album. The album contains Chase's best-known song, "Get It On," released as a single that spent thirteen weeks on the charts beginning in May 1971. The song features what Jim Szantor of Downbeat magazine called "the hallmark of the Chase brass—complex cascading lines; a literal waterfall of trumpet timbre and technique." The band received a Best New Artist Grammy
nomination, but was edged out by rising star Carly Simon
.
Chase released their second album, Ennea
, in March 1972; the album's title is the Greek word for nine, a reference to the nine band members. The original lineup changed midway through the recording sessions, with Gary Smith taking over on drums and G. G. Shinn replacing Terry Richards on lead vocals. Although the first Chase album sold nearly 400,000 copies, Ennea was not as well received by the public. One likely reason was a shift away from trumpet sections. As Bill Chase put it in a Downbeat interview, "I don't want people to be heavily conscious of a trumpet section. They should just hear good things, but not be clobbered over the head with brass." A single, "So Many People," received some radio play, but the side-two-filling "Ennea" suite, with its tightly chorded jazz arrangements and lyrics based on Greek mythology
, was less radio-friendly.
Following an extended hiatus, Chase reemerged early in 1974 with the release of Pure Music
, their third album. Featuring a new lineup, yet keeping the four-trumpet section headed by Bill Chase, the group moved further from the rock idiom, and became more focused on jazz. Variety magazine called Pure Music
"probably Chase's most commercial effort, and their brand of jazz could have a commercial impact." The songs were written by Jim Peterik
of the Ides of March, who also sings on two songs on the album, backing up singer and bassist Dartanyan Brown.
Chase's work on a fourth studio album in mid-1974 came to an end on August 9, 1974. While en route to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair, Chase died in the plane crash of a chartered twin-engine Piper Twin Comanche in Jackson
, Minnesota
at the age of 39. Also killed, along with the pilot and a female companion, were keyboardist Wally Yohn, drummer Walter Clark, and guitarist John Emma.
In 1977 a Chase tribute band (composed primarily of the original lineup, and added Walt Johnson) recorded an album entitled Watch Closely Now.
model 2B trumpet with a custom-made Tottle mouthpiece, then on Woody Herman's band switched to a custom Jet-Tone model. Prior to the release of his album "Chase", Bill Chase started playing on a Schilke
B6LB trumpet. The model 6 has a "medium" bore and a "medium-large" bell, according to the Schilke company. The Schilke company does not release specific bore measurements, primarily because the bores of their trumpets have varying sizes "to assist intonation" but the B6 mainly has bore measurements beginning at .450" and tapering out to .463". The "L" in "B6LB" designates a tunable bell, and the "B" on the end designates a beryllium bell. To go with the Schilke trumpet, Bill Chase had Renold Schilke
make a copy of his Jet-Tone mouthpiece late in 1971; the Schilke 6A4a went on the market in 1973. However, the 6A4a mouthpiece, while marketed as the "Bill Chase mouthpiece", is not the same mouthpiece that Bill Chase himself used, as the Schilke mouthpiece he played was a direct copy of the Jet Tone and had a more of a drop off right below the rim bite than the 6A4a available today. Unfortunately, the Jet-Tone mouthpiece that is called the "Vintage Bill Chase" model is not exactly like the mouthpiece that Bill Chase used either. There are, in fact, no mouthpieces exactly like Bill Chase's that are currently in production. (note: the "Vintage Bill Chase" model mouthpiece is different than the model designated as just "Bill Chase".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player and leader of the jazz-rock fusion band Chase.
Biography
Bill Chase was born William Edward Chiaiese on October 20, 1934 to an ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-American family in Squantum, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
; his parents John and Emily changed their name to Chase, realizing Chiaiese was difficult to pronounce. Bill's father had played trumpet in the Gillette Marching Band and encouraged his son's musical interests, which included a flirtation with violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. In his mid-teens Bill settled on the trumpet. While still in high school, in 1950 Chase attended his first Stan Kenton
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
concert—featuring Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
on high note solos—and Bill was hooked from then on. After graduating from high school, he studied classical trumpet at the New England Conservatory, but soon switched to the Schillinger House Of Music, now known as Berklee School of Music. Chase's primary instructors were Armando Ghitalla
Armando Ghitalla
Armando Ghitalla was an American orchestral trumpeter. He studied at the Juilliard School, and performed in the New York City Opera, the New York City Ballet, and the Houston Symphony. He was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for twenty eight years, and served as principal trumpet for...
, John Coffey and Herb Pomeroy
Herb Pomeroy
Irving Herbert "Herb" Pomeroy, III was an influential swing and bebop jazz trumpeter and educator...
.
Chase played lead trumpet with Maynard Ferguson in 1958 and Stan Kenton in 1959, and during the 1960s, played lead trumpet in Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
's Thundering Herd. Recordings of the Herman band from that time period, including Woody's Winners, Live in Antibes, Encore, 1963, My Kind of Broadway, Blue Flame, Live in Seattle, Somewhere, Live at Newport 1966, Heavy Exposure, Woody Herman & the Fourth Herd, and Jazz Hoot are considered some of the most exciting in the Herman discography. The band also filmed several television appearances for the program Jazz Casual. One of Chase's original charts from this period, "Camel Walk," was published in Downbeat magazine.
Chase (the band) released their debut album Chase in April 1971. Bill Chase was joined by Ted
Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair, three veteran jazz trumpeters who were also adept at vocals and arranging. They were backed up by a rhythm section consisting of Phil Porter on keyboards, Angel South on guitar, Dennis Johnson on bass, and Jay Burrid on percussion. Rounding out the group was Terry Richards, who was featured as lead vocalist on the first album. The album contains Chase's best-known song, "Get It On," released as a single that spent thirteen weeks on the charts beginning in May 1971. The song features what Jim Szantor of Downbeat magazine called "the hallmark of the Chase brass—complex cascading lines; a literal waterfall of trumpet timbre and technique." The band received a Best New Artist Grammy
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
nomination, but was edged out by rising star Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
.
Chase released their second album, Ennea
Ennea
Ennea was the second album by jazz-rock fusion band Chase. It did not repeat the commercial success of their debut album, mostly due to the lack of a top 40 hit and the extended suite to Greek Mythology on side 2, which lacked the "commercial appeal" the first LP had...
, in March 1972; the album's title is the Greek word for nine, a reference to the nine band members. The original lineup changed midway through the recording sessions, with Gary Smith taking over on drums and G. G. Shinn replacing Terry Richards on lead vocals. Although the first Chase album sold nearly 400,000 copies, Ennea was not as well received by the public. One likely reason was a shift away from trumpet sections. As Bill Chase put it in a Downbeat interview, "I don't want people to be heavily conscious of a trumpet section. They should just hear good things, but not be clobbered over the head with brass." A single, "So Many People," received some radio play, but the side-two-filling "Ennea" suite, with its tightly chorded jazz arrangements and lyrics based on Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, was less radio-friendly.
Following an extended hiatus, Chase reemerged early in 1974 with the release of Pure Music
Pure Music
Pure Music was the third and final album by jazz-rock fusion band Chase. The failure to sell the Ennea LP on a mass market forced Bill Chase to re-group several times and come up with a new musical approach, the result was 'Pure Music.' Though much of the music released on the album had been...
, their third album. Featuring a new lineup, yet keeping the four-trumpet section headed by Bill Chase, the group moved further from the rock idiom, and became more focused on jazz. Variety magazine called Pure Music
Pure Music
Pure Music was the third and final album by jazz-rock fusion band Chase. The failure to sell the Ennea LP on a mass market forced Bill Chase to re-group several times and come up with a new musical approach, the result was 'Pure Music.' Though much of the music released on the album had been...
"probably Chase's most commercial effort, and their brand of jazz could have a commercial impact." The songs were written by Jim Peterik
Jim Peterik
Jim Peterik is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the band Survivor and as vocalist and songwriter of the hit song "Vehicle" by The Ides of March...
of the Ides of March, who also sings on two songs on the album, backing up singer and bassist Dartanyan Brown.
Chase's work on a fourth studio album in mid-1974 came to an end on August 9, 1974. While en route to a scheduled performance at the Jackson County Fair, Chase died in the plane crash of a chartered twin-engine Piper Twin Comanche in Jackson
Jackson, Minnesota
Jackson is a city in Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,299 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County.-Geography:...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
at the age of 39. Also killed, along with the pilot and a female companion, were keyboardist Wally Yohn, drummer Walter Clark, and guitarist John Emma.
In 1977 a Chase tribute band (composed primarily of the original lineup, and added Walt Johnson) recorded an album entitled Watch Closely Now.
Equipment
At the beginning of his career, Bill Chase played a Martin CommitteeMartin Committee
The Martin Committee was a line of band instruments, including trumpets, cornets, fluegelhorns, trombones, and saxophones. The name originated in the mid-1930s and was used until 2007...
model 2B trumpet with a custom-made Tottle mouthpiece, then on Woody Herman's band switched to a custom Jet-Tone model. Prior to the release of his album "Chase", Bill Chase started playing on a Schilke
Renold Schilke
Renold Otto Schilke was a professional orchestral trumpet player, instrument designer and manufacturer. He founded and ran Schilke Music Products Incorporated, a manufacturer of brass instruments and mouthpieces.-Youth:...
B6LB trumpet. The model 6 has a "medium" bore and a "medium-large" bell, according to the Schilke company. The Schilke company does not release specific bore measurements, primarily because the bores of their trumpets have varying sizes "to assist intonation" but the B6 mainly has bore measurements beginning at .450" and tapering out to .463". The "L" in "B6LB" designates a tunable bell, and the "B" on the end designates a beryllium bell. To go with the Schilke trumpet, Bill Chase had Renold Schilke
Renold Schilke
Renold Otto Schilke was a professional orchestral trumpet player, instrument designer and manufacturer. He founded and ran Schilke Music Products Incorporated, a manufacturer of brass instruments and mouthpieces.-Youth:...
make a copy of his Jet-Tone mouthpiece late in 1971; the Schilke 6A4a went on the market in 1973. However, the 6A4a mouthpiece, while marketed as the "Bill Chase mouthpiece", is not the same mouthpiece that Bill Chase himself used, as the Schilke mouthpiece he played was a direct copy of the Jet Tone and had a more of a drop off right below the rim bite than the 6A4a available today. Unfortunately, the Jet-Tone mouthpiece that is called the "Vintage Bill Chase" model is not exactly like the mouthpiece that Bill Chase used either. There are, in fact, no mouthpieces exactly like Bill Chase's that are currently in production. (note: the "Vintage Bill Chase" model mouthpiece is different than the model designated as just "Bill Chase".
Discography
- 1971: Chase
- 1972: EnneaEnneaEnnea was the second album by jazz-rock fusion band Chase. It did not repeat the commercial success of their debut album, mostly due to the lack of a top 40 hit and the extended suite to Greek Mythology on side 2, which lacked the "commercial appeal" the first LP had...
- 1974: Pure MusicPure MusicPure Music was the third and final album by jazz-rock fusion band Chase. The failure to sell the Ennea LP on a mass market forced Bill Chase to re-group several times and come up with a new musical approach, the result was 'Pure Music.' Though much of the music released on the album had been...