Teddy Charles
Encyclopedia
Teddy Charles is an American jazz
pianist
, drummer
and vibraphone
musician. Born Theodore Charles Cohen in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts
, he began his musical career studying at Juilliard School of Music as a percussionist. Later he started recording and making personal appearances as Teddy Cohen with bands as a vibraphonist, writing, arranging and producing records in 1951 changing his last name to Charles.
Charles was one of many jazz musicians who hung out at an apartment building at 821 Sixth Avenue in New York City
known as the Jazz Loft
rented by photographer and artist
David X. Young who in turn sublet two apartments to Hall Overton
(Charles' mentor) and Dick Cary
. Known as an innovator, his main work was recorded in the 1950s. Charles also did session work with musicians and singers as varied as Miles Davis
and Dion
. He released a live album "Live at the Verona Jazz Festival" on the Italian Soul Note label in 1988.
Charles is the Captain of the Skipjack Pilgrim out of Greenport, New York (on the North Fork of Long Island) and performs music locally. Teddy has recently began performing again after spending years at sea. A previously unreleased recording of Teddy and Max Roach at the Rovigo Italy, Jazz Festival, 1988 is due out soon (2008).
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
musician. Born Theodore Charles Cohen in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts
Chicopee, Massachusetts
Chicopee is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in...
, he began his musical career studying at Juilliard School of Music as a percussionist. Later he started recording and making personal appearances as Teddy Cohen with bands as a vibraphonist, writing, arranging and producing records in 1951 changing his last name to Charles.
Charles was one of many jazz musicians who hung out at an apartment building at 821 Sixth Avenue in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
known as the Jazz Loft
Jazz Loft Project
"This is gold as far as the history of the music goes. This is one of the missing pieces of the jazz puzzle.” -trombonist Roswell RuddThe Jazz Loft Project, directed by Sam Stephenson at the Center for Documentary Studies in cooperation with CCP and the Smith estate, is devoted to preserving and...
rented by photographer and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
David X. Young who in turn sublet two apartments to Hall Overton
Hall Overton
Hall Franklin Overton was an American composer, jazz pianist, and music teacher. He was born in Bangor, Michigan...
(Charles' mentor) and Dick Cary
Dick Cary
Dick Cary was an American jazz pianist, trumpet and alto horn player, and prolific arranger and composer....
. Known as an innovator, his main work was recorded in the 1950s. Charles also did session work with musicians and singers as varied as Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and Dion
Dion DiMucci
Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....
. He released a live album "Live at the Verona Jazz Festival" on the Italian Soul Note label in 1988.
Charles is the Captain of the Skipjack Pilgrim out of Greenport, New York (on the North Fork of Long Island) and performs music locally. Teddy has recently began performing again after spending years at sea. A previously unreleased recording of Teddy and Max Roach at the Rovigo Italy, Jazz Festival, 1988 is due out soon (2008).