Tommy McQuater
Encyclopedia
Thomas Mossie "Tommy" McQuater (4 September 1914 – 20 January 2008) was a Scottish
jazz
trumpeter.
, Ayrshire
, McQuater was most notable for his work in the United Kingdom
with Bert Ambrose in the 1930s, and also for some recordings done with George Chisholm
and Benny Carter
.
McQuater showed musical talent from an early age. Largely self taught, he began on the cornet
and by the age of 11 was a regular member of the Maybole Burgh Band – a brass band that won several competitions in the late 1920s – and played at local events and dances. McQuater turned professional in his teens and got a regular position with Louis Freeman's Band, which played at Greens Playhouse in Glasgow
.
In 1934, aged 20, McQuater was offered a job with one of London's most renowned bands: the Jack Payne
Orchestra, which played in London and Paris. The following year he joined Lew Stone
's band and made the classic recording of "Pardon Me, Pretty Baby".
In the 1940s, McQuater joined The Squadronaires
, and worked with the BBC Showband in 1945. McQuater often performed with John McLevy
in the 1970s and 1980s. In his later years McQuater concentrated his energy and playing around the Ealing Jazz Festival.
With George Chisholm
With Bert Ambrose & His Orchestra
With Kenny Baker
With Tommy Watt and His Orchestra
With The Vile Bodies Swing Band
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
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...
trumpeter.
Biography
Born in MayboleMaybole
Maybole is a burgh of barony and police burgh of South Ayrshire, Scotland. Pop. 4,552. It is situated south of Ayr and southwest of Glasgow by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. ...
, Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
, McQuater was most notable for his work in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with Bert Ambrose in the 1930s, and also for some recordings done with George Chisholm
George Chisholm (musician)
George Chisholm OBE was a Scottish jazz trombonist.Born in Glasgow to a family of musicians, Chisholm's musical career began in the Glasgow Playhouse orchestra. In the late 1930s he moved to London, where he played in dance bands led by Bert Ambrose and Teddy Joyce...
and 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...
.
McQuater showed musical talent from an early age. Largely self taught, he began on the cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
and by the age of 11 was a regular member of the Maybole Burgh Band – a brass band that won several competitions in the late 1920s – and played at local events and dances. McQuater turned professional in his teens and got a regular position with Louis Freeman's Band, which played at Greens Playhouse in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
In 1934, aged 20, McQuater was offered a job with one of London's most renowned bands: the Jack Payne
Jack Payne
Jack Payne was a British dance music bandleader.-Career:John Wesley Vivian Payne was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, the only son of a music warehouse manager...
Orchestra, which played in London and Paris. The following year he joined Lew Stone
Lew Stone
Lew Stone was a British dance band leader and arranger. He was well known in Britain during the 1930s.Stone learned music at an early age and became an accomplished pianist. In the 1920s, he worked with many important dance bands...
's band and made the classic recording of "Pardon Me, Pretty Baby".
In the 1940s, McQuater joined The Squadronaires
The Squadronaires
The Squadronaires is a Royal Air Force band which began and performed in England during and after World War II. The official title of the band was 'The Royal Air Force Dance Orchestra', but it was always known by the more popular title "The Squadronaires"....
, and worked with the BBC Showband in 1945. McQuater often performed with John McLevy
John McLevy
John McLevy was a Scottish jazz trumpeter.He played in Europe for Benny Goodman in the 1970s, alongside George Masso, Hank Jones and Slam Stewart. McLevy also performed with artists such as Max Bygraves, Roy Williams, accordionist Jack Emblow and later in a duo with veteran trumpeter Tommy...
in the 1970s and 1980s. In his later years McQuater concentrated his energy and playing around the Ealing Jazz Festival.
Select discography
With Johnny Dankworth- Fall Guy (ParlophoneParlophoneParlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
)
With George Chisholm
- Early Days 1935-1944 (Timeless Holland)
With Bert Ambrose & His Orchestra
- When Day Is Done (ASV RecordsASV RecordsASV Records is a London-based record label set up by Harley Usill, founder of Argo Records, Decca producer and former Argo General Manager, Kevin Daly, and producer Jack Boyce, after Argo's parent company Decca was bought by Polygram in 1980. ASV stands for "Academy Sound and Vision"...
)
With Kenny Baker
- Kenny Baker's Dozen Play Not Quite Two Dozen (Jasmine RecordsJasmine Records- History :The label was founded in 1982 as part of Hasmick Promotions. The label began by issuing LPs and cassettes of jazz and popular vocalists, but diversified to country and western in 1985. In 1990, the label released their first compact disc....
)
With Tommy Watt and His Orchestra
- Watt's Cooking (Bethlehem RecordsBethlehem RecordsBethlehem Records was a record label based in New York and Hollywood founded by Gus Wildi in 1953. It was bought by King Records in the early 1960s....
)
With The Vile Bodies Swing Band
- A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (Pickwick RecordsPickwick RecordsPickwick Records was an American record label and distributor known for its budget album releases of sound-alike recordings, bargain bin reissues and repackagings under the brands Design, Bravo , Hurrah, Grand Prix, and children's records on the Cricket and Happy Time labels.The label is also...
)