Harold "Geezil" Minerve was a Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

n-born 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...

 alto saxophonist and flautist.

Minerve was raised in Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 and began playing music at age 12. He played with Ida Cox

Ida Cox

Ida Cox was an African American singer and vaudeville performer, best known for her blues performances and recordings...

 early in his career, then worked as a freelance musician in New Orleans. Following stints with Clarence Love

Clarence Love

Clarence Eugene Love is a former American football defensive back who played in the National Football League. Love attended college at the University of Toledo and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 4th round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played with the Eagles , the Baltimore Ravens , and...

 and Ernie Fields

Ernie Fields

Ernie Fields was an African American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leading the Royal Entertainers, which were based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and toured along a circuit stretching from Kansas City, Kansas, to Dallas, Texas.-Early life and career:Fields was born...

, Minerve 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...

 from 1943-46, then returned to play with Fields for a short time. He worked with Buddy Johnson

Buddy Johnson

Not to be confused with Budd Johnson.Buddy Johnson was an American jazz and New York blues pianist and bandleader, active from the 1930s through the 1960s...

 from 1949-1957, then with Mercer Ellington

Mercer Ellington

Mercer Kennedy Ellington was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger.Ellington was born in Washington, DC, the son of famous composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington...

 (1960), Ray Charles

Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...

 (1962-64), and Arthur Prysock

Arthur Prysock

Arthur Prysock was an American jazz singer best known for his live shows and his baritone influenced by Billy Eckstine....

. In 1971 he joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra, filling Johnny Hodges

Johnny Hodges

John Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges was an American alto saxophonist, best known for his solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years, except the period between 1932–1946 when Otto Hardwick generally played first chair...

's spot after Hodges's death. Minerve remained with the Ellington Orchestra until 1974, then returned to play with Mercer Ellington. He did further freelance work later in the 1970s.