Chester Zardis
Encyclopedia
Chester Zardis was an American jazz
double-bassist.
Zardis played bass from a young age, and studied under Billy Marrero of the Superior Orchestra. In his teens he was involved in a fistfight at a New Orleans theater, which resulted in his being sent to the Jones Waif Home. While there he began playing with another of the Home's residents, Louis Armstrong
. He joined Buddy Petit's orchestra at age 16, and worked as a bassist in nightclub
s and a tubist in brass band
s in New Orleans in the 1920s, playing with Kid Rena
, A.J. Piron, Punch Miller
, Kid Howard
, Jack Carey
, Fate Marable
, and Duke Dejan's Dixie Rhythm Band.
He was given the nickname "Little Bear" by Fats Pichon
, a bandleader with whom Zardis played on the riverboat
S.S. Capital in the 1930s. During that decade he also played with Count Basie
in New York City
, and recorded with George Lewis
and Bunk Johnson
. During the Second World War Zardis served in the Army
, then worked briefly as a sheriff
in the Western United States. Upon his return to New Orleans he played with Andy Anderson
, but quit music between 1954 and 1964.
When he returned to active performance, Zardis played often at Preservation Hall
with Lewis and Percy Humphrey
among many others. He continued to be a fixture of the New Orleans jazz
scene up until his death in 1990, including several international tours.
Zardis was regularly featured in documentaries
; he is himself the subject of three of them, Liberty Street Blues, Chester Zardis: Spirit of New Orleans, and Three Men of 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...
double-bassist.
Zardis played bass from a young age, and studied under Billy Marrero of the Superior Orchestra. In his teens he was involved in a fistfight at a New Orleans theater, which resulted in his being sent to the Jones Waif Home. While there he began playing with another of the Home's residents, Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
. He joined Buddy Petit's orchestra at age 16, and worked as a bassist in nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s and a tubist in brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s in New Orleans in the 1920s, playing with Kid Rena
Kid Rena
Henry "Kid" Rena was an American jazz trumpeter who was an early star of the New Orleans jazz scene....
, A.J. Piron, Punch Miller
Punch Miller
Ernest Miller aka Punch Miller or Kid Punch Miller , was a Dixieland jazz trumpeter.Miller was born in Raceland, Louisiana. He was known in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was based from 1919 to 1927 when he moved Chicago...
, Kid Howard
Kid Howard
Avery "Kid" Howard was an American jazz trumpeter associated with the New Orleans jazz scene....
, Jack Carey
Jack Carey
Jack Carey was a United States trombonist, the leader of the Crescent City Orchestra. The authorship of the famous Tiger Rag tune is attributed to him by some.-References:...
, Fate Marable
Fate Marable
Fate Marable was a jazz pianist and bandleader.Marable was born in Paducah, Kentucky, and learned piano from his mother. At age 17, he began playing on the steam boats plying the Mississippi River...
, and Duke Dejan's Dixie Rhythm Band.
He was given the nickname "Little Bear" by Fats Pichon
Fats Pichon
Walter "Fats" Pichon was a jazz pianist, singer, bandleader, and songwriter.Pichon was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and began playing piano in his childhood...
, a bandleader with whom Zardis played on the riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
S.S. Capital in the 1930s. During that decade he also played with Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
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...
, and recorded with George Lewis
George Lewis (clarinetist)
George Lewis was an American jazz clarinetist who achieved his greatest fame and influence in the later decades of his life.-Ancestry:...
and Bunk Johnson
Bunk Johnson
Willie Gary "Bunk" Johnson was a prominent early New Orleans jazz trumpet player in the early years of the 20th century who enjoyed a revived career in the 1940s....
. During the Second World War Zardis served in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, then worked briefly as a sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
in the Western United States. Upon his return to New Orleans he played with Andy Anderson
Andy Anderson
Andy Anderson is a drummer, notably for the band The Cure. He was born in West Ham, East London, England on 30 January 1951.-Life and work:Anderson worked on Hawkwind's Nik Turner's Sphynx album in 1978...
, but quit music between 1954 and 1964.
When he returned to active performance, Zardis played often at Preservation Hall
Preservation Hall
Preservation Hall is a noted jazz performance hall located at 726 St. Peter Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It hosts nightly concerts featuring a rotating roster of bands. The bands of Preservation Hall typically perform jazz in the New Orleans style.Despite the fame of the...
with Lewis and Percy Humphrey
Percy Humphrey
Percy Gaston Humphrey was a jazz trumpet player and bandleader in New Orleans, Louisiana.In addition to his own jazz band, Percy Humphrey and His Crescent City Joymakers, for more than thirty years he was leader of the Eureka Brass Band. He also played in the band of the pianist Sweet Emma Barrett...
among many others. He continued to be a fixture of the New Orleans jazz
New Orleans Jazz
New Orleans Jazz may refer to:*Dixieland, a style of jazz music*New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park*Utah Jazz, a professional National Basketball Association franchise that was previously based in New Orleans and known as the New Orleans Jazz, in recognition of the jazz music of New Orleans*A...
scene up until his death in 1990, including several international tours.
Zardis was regularly featured in documentaries
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
; he is himself the subject of three of them, Liberty Street Blues, Chester Zardis: Spirit of New Orleans, and Three Men of Jazz.