Spiegle Willcox
Encyclopedia
Newell "Spiegle" Willcox (May 2, 1903, Sherburne, New York
- August 25, 1999, Cortland, New York
) was a jazz
trombonist. He was born Newell Lynn Willcox in upstate New York, and learned valve trombone as a youngster under the tuition of his father, Lynn Willcox, an amateur musician and bandleader. He acquired the familiar nickname Spiegle as a student at the Manilus Military Academy (he claimed he could not remember its specific origin), where he played in the school brass band.
He switched to the more familiar slide trombone in his late teens, and joined a group called The Big Four in nearby Syracuse, New York. The band came to the notice of an aspiring young bandleader named Paul Whiteman
, who first joined the group, then took over its leadership as the Paul Whiteman Collegians, and brought them to the bigger stage of New York City
itself in 1923.
Willcox made his first recordings with the Collegians, and remained with Whiteman for three years, building a reputation as a good reader with a full, richly burnished tone which sat well with the leader's preference for a sweet, sophisticated ensemble sound, rather than the more earthy approach of the hot bands. Willcox regarded himself as predominantly a melody player rather than an improvising jazz
soloist.
He returned to Cortland for a time after leaving the band in 1925, but was quickly in demand, and played briefly with the California Ramblers before joining the popular Jean Goldkette
Orchestra, where he replaced Tommy Dorsey
. Shortly after, cornetist Bix Beiderbecke
and saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer
also joined the band, making it one of the stellar ensembles of the day.
In 1927, and with a family to raise, the trombonist opted for the greater certainties of joining his father's coal business rather than pursuing the life of a professional musician. He continued to lead an amateur group in local functions on weekends in the Syracuse
area, and did so for almost half a century.
In 1975, Willcox was invited to take part in a reunion concert for the Goldkette band at Carnegie Hall
, where he renewed acquaintance with violinist Joe Venuti. Venuti persuaded the trombonist, now retired from the coal business, to join him on a series of club engagements, and they worked together until the violinist's death in 1978, by which time Willcox had firmly re-established himself on the music scene.
He began to play regularly in America, including many appearances at the celebrated Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, and was a regular visitor to Europe. In addition, he made some appearances with Vince Giordano
's Nighthawks Orchestra
. He also made a rare venture into the recording studio with a group of Dutch musicians in Amsterdam in 1994. The resulting disc was released under the appropriate title of Jazz Keeps You Young , even though at the age of 91 it probably made him the oldest trombonist ever to record.
In 1995, he won the Benny Carter
Award of the American Federation of Jazz Societies. The trombonist reminisced on his experiences with Biederbecke for the documentary film Bix in 1981, and can be heard discussing his life and music in a major television documentary series on jazz produced by film-maker Ken Burns
. He is survived by a daughter, Cynthia.
Sherburne, New York
Sherburne, New York is the name of two locations in Chenango County, New York:*Sherburne , New York*Sherburne , New York...
- August 25, 1999, Cortland, New York
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
) was a 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...
trombonist. He was born Newell Lynn Willcox in upstate New York, and learned valve trombone as a youngster under the tuition of his father, Lynn Willcox, an amateur musician and bandleader. He acquired the familiar nickname Spiegle as a student at the Manilus Military Academy (he claimed he could not remember its specific origin), where he played in the school brass band.
He switched to the more familiar slide trombone in his late teens, and joined a group called The Big Four in nearby Syracuse, New York. The band came to the notice of an aspiring young bandleader named Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
, who first joined the group, then took over its leadership as the Paul Whiteman Collegians, and brought them to the bigger stage of 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...
itself in 1923.
Willcox made his first recordings with the Collegians, and remained with Whiteman for three years, building a reputation as a good reader with a full, richly burnished tone which sat well with the leader's preference for a sweet, sophisticated ensemble sound, rather than the more earthy approach of the hot bands. Willcox regarded himself as predominantly a melody player rather than an improvising 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...
soloist.
He returned to Cortland for a time after leaving the band in 1925, but was quickly in demand, and played briefly with the California Ramblers before joining the popular Jean Goldkette
Jean Goldkette
John Jean Goldkette was a jazz pianist and bandleader born in Patras, Greece. Goldkette spent his childhood in Greece and Russia, and emigrated to the United States in 1911....
Orchestra, where he replaced Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
. Shortly after, cornetist Bix Beiderbecke
Bix Beiderbecke
Leon Bismark "Bix" Beiderbecke was an American jazz cornetist, jazz pianist, and composer.With Louis Armstrong, Beiderbecke was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s...
and saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer
Frankie Trumbauer
Orie Frank Trumbauer was one of the leading jazz saxophonists of the 1920s and 1930s. He played the C-melody saxophone which, in size, is between an alto and tenor saxophone...
also joined the band, making it one of the stellar ensembles of the day.
In 1927, and with a family to raise, the trombonist opted for the greater certainties of joining his father's coal business rather than pursuing the life of a professional musician. He continued to lead an amateur group in local functions on weekends in the Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
area, and did so for almost half a century.
In 1975, Willcox was invited to take part in a reunion concert for the Goldkette band at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, where he renewed acquaintance with violinist Joe Venuti. Venuti persuaded the trombonist, now retired from the coal business, to join him on a series of club engagements, and they worked together until the violinist's death in 1978, by which time Willcox had firmly re-established himself on the music scene.
He began to play regularly in America, including many appearances at the celebrated Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, and was a regular visitor to Europe. In addition, he made some appearances with Vince Giordano
Vince Giordano
Vince Giordano is a musician, arranger, and leader of the New York-based Nighthawks Orchestra. Giordano specializes in the jazz styles of the 1920s and early 1930s. Giordano and the Nighthawks have contributed to a number of films and he is especially noted for orchestrations featured in the...
's Nighthawks Orchestra
Nighthawks Orchestra
Nighthawks Orchestra is a New York-based musical group, led by music historian Vince Giordano, that concentrates on recreations of the hot jazz and dance music styles of the period between 1919 and the mid-1930s....
. He also made a rare venture into the recording studio with a group of Dutch musicians in Amsterdam in 1994. The resulting disc was released under the appropriate title of Jazz Keeps You Young , even though at the age of 91 it probably made him the oldest trombonist ever to record.
In 1995, he won the 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...
Award of the American Federation of Jazz Societies. The trombonist reminisced on his experiences with Biederbecke for the documentary film Bix in 1981, and can be heard discussing his life and music in a major television documentary series on jazz produced by film-maker Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
. He is survived by a daughter, Cynthia.