Bertie King
Encyclopedia
Albert "Bertie" King was a Jamaica
n jazz
and mento
musician.
King, a saxophonist, was born in Panama, and raised in Kingston
, where he attended Alpha Boys' School; where he was taught by Sister Mary Ignatius Davis
, a remarkable woman who nurtured the talents of many of the leading Jamaican musicians of the era. During the 1930's he led his own band, Bertie King and his Rhythm Aces, described at the time as 'Jamaica's Foremost Dance Orchestra'. In 1936 he left for England, sailing on the same ship as his friend Jiver Hutchinson
. In London
he joined Ken Snakehips Johnson
's West Indian Dance Band, and later played with Leslie Hutchinson's band. He also worked with visiting American musicians such as Benny Carter
, George Shearing
and Coleman Hawkins
. In 1937 he recorded 4 sides in Holland with Benny Carter
, and in 1938 he recorded with Django Reinhardt
in Paris
. In 1939 he joined the Royal Navy
. He left the Navy in 1943 and formed his own band, also working and recording with Nat Gonella
. He returned to Jamaica in 1951, where he started his own band, known as the Casa Blanca Orchestra, playing in the mento style. Since there were no Jamaican record labels at this time, King arranged for his recordings to be pressed in a plant in Lewisham
, England owned by Decca Records
. He returned a number of times to England, working and recording with Kenny Baker
, George Chisholm
, Chris Barber
, Kenny Graham and Humphrey Lyttelton
, and also toured in Asia and Africa with his own band. During this period he also played and recorded in London with some of the leading Trinidadian calypsonians. He was noted for his impassive demeanour on stage, which belied an expressive playing style.
King led the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
's house band in the 1950s; his sidemen included Ernest Ranglin
and Tommy Mowatt. He recorded extensively with this outfit. In 1965 he moved to the USA. His last known public performance was at Jamaican Independence Day celebrations in New York
in 1967. He died in the USA in 1981.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n jazz
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...
and mento
Mento
Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that predates and has greatly influenced ska and reggae music. It has its roots in calypso and other Jamaican folk music. Mento typically features acoustic instruments, such as acoustic guitar, banjo, hand drums, and the rhumba box — a large mbira in the...
musician.
King, a saxophonist, was born in Panama, and raised in Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, where he attended Alpha Boys' School; where he was taught by Sister Mary Ignatius Davis
Sister Mary Ignatius Davis
Sister Mary Ignatius Davis was a Jamaican nun and inspirational musician.Born in Innswood, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica, Davis was baptised at the St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Spanish Town, and went to the St. Catherine Elementary School. After her family moved to Kingston, she...
, a remarkable woman who nurtured the talents of many of the leading Jamaican musicians of the era. During the 1930's he led his own band, Bertie King and his Rhythm Aces, described at the time as 'Jamaica's Foremost Dance Orchestra'. In 1936 he left for England, sailing on the same ship as his friend Jiver Hutchinson
Jiver Hutchinson
Leslie George "Jiver" Hutchinson was a Jamaican jazz trumpeter and bandleader.Hutchinson played in the band of Bertie King in Jamaica in the 1930s, then moved to England, where he played with Happy Blake's Cuba Club Band. In 1936 he played in Leslie Thompson's Emperors of Jazz and in 1938 with Ken...
. In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
he joined Ken Snakehips Johnson
Ken Snakehips Johnson
Ken 'Snakehips' Johnson was a jazz band leader and dancer.Born Kenrick Reginald Hymans Johnson, and originally from British Guiana, Johnson's parents sent him to the UK at the age of 15, where he attended Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, before studying medicine at Edinburgh University...
's West Indian Dance Band, and later played with Leslie Hutchinson's band. He also worked with visiting American musicians such as Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
, George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
and Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
. In 1937 he recorded 4 sides in Holland with Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
, and in 1938 he recorded with Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1939 he joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He left the Navy in 1943 and formed his own band, also working and recording with Nat Gonella
Nat Gonella
Nathaniel Charles Gonella was an English jazz trumpeter, bandleader, vocalist and mellophonist born in London, perhaps most notable for his work with the big band he founded, The Georgians....
. He returned to Jamaica in 1951, where he started his own band, known as the Casa Blanca Orchestra, playing in the mento style. Since there were no Jamaican record labels at this time, King arranged for his recordings to be pressed in a plant in Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, England owned by Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
. He returned a number of times to England, working and recording with Kenny Baker
Kenny Baker (trumpeter)
Kenny Baker was born on 1 March 1921 in Withernsea, East Riding of Yorkshire and died 7 December 1999. He was an accomplished player of jazz trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn, and a composer.-Biography:...
, George Chisholm
George Chisholm
George Chisholm may refer to:* George Chisholm , British geographer* George Chisholm , British trombone player and bandleader*George Chisholm...
, Chris Barber
Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist. As well as scoring a UK top twenty trad jazz hit he helped the careers of many musicians, notably the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and vocalist/banjoist Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with...
, Kenny Graham and Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Richard Adeane Lyttelton , also known as Humph, was an English jazz musician and broadcaster, and chairman of the BBC radio comedy programme I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue...
, and also toured in Asia and Africa with his own band. During this period he also played and recorded in London with some of the leading Trinidadian calypsonians. He was noted for his impassive demeanour on stage, which belied an expressive playing style.
King led the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
The Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation was a public broadcasting company in Jamaica founded in 1959 by Prime Minister Norman Manley with the aim of emulating the success of other national broadcasting companies such as the BBC and CBC.-History:...
's house band in the 1950s; his sidemen included Ernest Ranglin
Ernest Ranglin
Ernest Ranglin O.D. is a Jamaican guitarist and composer. Best known for his session work at the famed Studio One, Ranglin helped give birth to the ska genre in the late 1950s...
and Tommy Mowatt. He recorded extensively with this outfit. In 1965 he moved to the USA. His last known public performance was at Jamaican Independence Day celebrations in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1967. He died in the USA in 1981.