Ron Dewar
Encyclopedia
Ron Dewar is a jazz tenor saxophone
player in the Chicago
area. He has toured and recorded with many well-known musicians, including Elvis Presley
, Clark Terry
, Sarah Vaughan
, and Louis Bellson. In the 1970s, Dewar was the leader of the traditional jazz band The Memphis Nighthawks
. Memphis Nighthawks recordings include the albums Jazz Lips on Delmark Records
and Live at the Stabilizer.
Dewar began his career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ron was a featured soloist the U of I Big Band led by John Garvey which travelled to the USSR on a State Department sponsored tour. Musical associations from that time include trumpeter/composer Jim Knaap, drummers Charlie Brougham and Joel Spencer, bassist Kelly Sill, pianist/composer Jim McNeely, the Bridgewater family, pianists Denny Zeitlin and Donny Heitler, trumpeter Art Davis, drummer George Marsh, saxophonist Ed Petersen and many more.
In the 1970's, while playing with traditional jazz players in Chicago such as Doc Kittrell (trumpet) and Roy Rubenstein (trombone), Ron developed a passion for the music of New Orleans. He studied the New Orleans clarinetists Omer Simeon, Johnny Dodds, Barney Bigard and Sydney Bechet and incorporated their styles in his playing, sometimes even playing an older style Albert system clarinet. He delved deeply in the recordings of Jelly Roll Morton and the early King Oliver sides with Louis Armstrong on second cornet. He arranged many of these tunes for the Memphis Nighthawks and inspired many other players to pursue this music.
In the eighties, Ron and drummer Phil Gratteau, joined Brazilian artists Breno and Neusa Sauer and Paulinho Garcia in a Chicago group called Made in Brazil. In 1984 they recorded "Tudo Joia" for Pausa records, a wonderful record of contemporary bossa and samba with a jazz flavor.
Dewar may also be heard as soloist on recordings such as "In a Mellow Tone
" with the Thomas Gunther Trio and as an ensemble member on recordings by modern composer-conductor Salvatore Martirano
. He is currently active as player and teacher in the Chicago area.
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
player in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. He has toured and recorded with many well-known musicians, including Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Clark Terry
Clark Terry
Clark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award...
, Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, and Louis Bellson. In the 1970s, Dewar was the leader of the traditional jazz band The Memphis Nighthawks
Memphis Nighthawks
Memphis Nighthawks were a traditional jazz band based in Champaign, Illinois during the 1970s.-History:Founded and led by Ron Dewar, from the School of Music at the University of Illinois, the Nighthawks performed compositions from the early days of jazz....
. Memphis Nighthawks recordings include the albums Jazz Lips on Delmark Records
Delmark Records
Delmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
and Live at the Stabilizer.
Dewar began his career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ron was a featured soloist the U of I Big Band led by John Garvey which travelled to the USSR on a State Department sponsored tour. Musical associations from that time include trumpeter/composer Jim Knaap, drummers Charlie Brougham and Joel Spencer, bassist Kelly Sill, pianist/composer Jim McNeely, the Bridgewater family, pianists Denny Zeitlin and Donny Heitler, trumpeter Art Davis, drummer George Marsh, saxophonist Ed Petersen and many more.
In the 1970's, while playing with traditional jazz players in Chicago such as Doc Kittrell (trumpet) and Roy Rubenstein (trombone), Ron developed a passion for the music of New Orleans. He studied the New Orleans clarinetists Omer Simeon, Johnny Dodds, Barney Bigard and Sydney Bechet and incorporated their styles in his playing, sometimes even playing an older style Albert system clarinet. He delved deeply in the recordings of Jelly Roll Morton and the early King Oliver sides with Louis Armstrong on second cornet. He arranged many of these tunes for the Memphis Nighthawks and inspired many other players to pursue this music.
In the eighties, Ron and drummer Phil Gratteau, joined Brazilian artists Breno and Neusa Sauer and Paulinho Garcia in a Chicago group called Made in Brazil. In 1984 they recorded "Tudo Joia" for Pausa records, a wonderful record of contemporary bossa and samba with a jazz flavor.
Dewar may also be heard as soloist on recordings such as "In a Mellow Tone
In a Mellow Tone
"In a Mellow Tone", also known as "In a Mellotone", is a 1939 jazz standard composed by Duke Ellington, with lyrics written by Milt Gabler. The song was based on the 1917 standard "Rose Room" by Art Hickman and Harry Williams...
" with the Thomas Gunther Trio and as an ensemble member on recordings by modern composer-conductor Salvatore Martirano
Salvatore Martirano
Salvatore Giovanni Martirano was an American composer of contemporary classical music.Born in Yonkers, New York, he taught for many years at the University of Illinois...
. He is currently active as player and teacher in the Chicago area.