Wilton Gaynair
Encyclopedia
Wilton 'Bogey' Gaynair was a jazz musician, whose primary instrument was the tenor saxophone
. He was raised at Kingston’s famous Alpha Boys School
, where fellow Jamaican musical legends Joe Harriott
, Harold McNair
and Don Drummond were also pupils of a similar age.
He began his professional career playing in the clubs of Kingston, backing such notable visitors as George Shearing
and Carmen McRae
before travelling to Europe
in 1955, deciding to base himself in Germany because of the plentiful live work on offer. He recorded very seldom, only three times as a bandleader in his lifetime. Two of those recordings came during visits to England, 1959’s Blue Bogey on Tempo Records
and 1960’s Africa Calling, also recorded for Tempo but unreleased until 2005 on account of that label’s demise.
Soon after recording these sessions, he returned to Germany, where he remained based for the rest of his life. He concentrated on live performance with such bands as the Kurt Edelhagen
Radio Orchestra – including playing at the opening ceremony of the 1972 Munich Olympics, also taking much anonymous session work. He was regular guest artists of Ali Haurand's Third Eye (LP 1977) but only recorded one more jazz album under his own name, 1982’s Alpharian. Other artists he played with included Gil Evans
, Freddie Hubbard
, Shirley Bassey
, Manhattan Transfer
, Horace Parlan
, Bob Brookmeyer
, Mel Lewis
and many others. In September 1983 he suffered a stroke during a concert, and from that time until his death in 1995 he was unable to play the saxophone.
Wilton is survived by a younger brother Bobby Gaynair, who like his brother is an Alpha Boys School alumnus & fantastic sax player. Bobby was involved in the early Jamaican recording industry, recording alongside Dizzy Moore & Roland Alphonso in the legendary group Clue J & His Blues Blasters
. Bobby Gaynair has performed most recently at The Legends Of Ska concert series in Toronto during the summer of 2002.
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
. He was raised at Kingston’s famous Alpha Boys School
Alpha Boys School
Alpha Cottage School is a school on South Camp Road in Kingston, Jamaica, run by Roman Catholic nuns...
, where fellow Jamaican musical legends Joe Harriott
Joe Harriott
Joseph Arthurlin 'Joe' Harriott was a Jamaican jazz musician and composer, whose principal instrument was the alto saxophone....
, Harold McNair
Harold McNair
Harold McNair was a renowned saxophonist and flautist.-Background:...
and Don Drummond were also pupils of a similar age.
He began his professional career playing in the clubs of Kingston, backing such notable visitors as 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 Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae
Carmen Mercedes McRae was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable...
before travelling to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1955, deciding to base himself in Germany because of the plentiful live work on offer. He recorded very seldom, only three times as a bandleader in his lifetime. Two of those recordings came during visits to England, 1959’s Blue Bogey on Tempo Records
Tempo Records (UK)
Tempo Records was a British record label. This independent label specialized in jazz recordings, and was started in 1949 by Colin Pomroy Jack Clough, and R.E.G. [Ron] Davies . This label had two periods of activity. In the late 1940s and early 1950s musicians working in the revivalist idiom...
and 1960’s Africa Calling, also recorded for Tempo but unreleased until 2005 on account of that label’s demise.
Soon after recording these sessions, he returned to Germany, where he remained based for the rest of his life. He concentrated on live performance with such bands as the Kurt Edelhagen
Kurt Edelhagen
Kurt Edelhagen, born 5 June 1920 in Herne, died 8 February 1982 in Köln, was a major European big band leader throughout the 1950s.After having studied clarinet and piano in Essen, he set up his multicultural big band, which over the years would include many big names in jazz in Europe, including...
Radio Orchestra – including playing at the opening ceremony of the 1972 Munich Olympics, also taking much anonymous session work. He was regular guest artists of Ali Haurand's Third Eye (LP 1977) but only recorded one more jazz album under his own name, 1982’s Alpharian. Other artists he played with included Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
, Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard
Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
, Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
, Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer
The Manhattan Transfer is an American vocal music group. There have been two manifestations of the group, with Tim Hauser being the only person to be part of both...
, Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan is an American hard bop and post-bop piano player.He is noted for his contributions to the classic Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots....
, Bob Brookmeyer
Bob Brookmeyer
Robert Brookmeyer is an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer.-Biography:Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Gerry Mulligan's quartet from 1954 to 1957. He later worked with Jimmy Giuffre...
, Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis was an American drummer, jazz musician and band leader. He was born Melvin Sokoloff in Buffalo, New York to Russian immigrant parents....
and many others. In September 1983 he suffered a stroke during a concert, and from that time until his death in 1995 he was unable to play the saxophone.
Wilton is survived by a younger brother Bobby Gaynair, who like his brother is an Alpha Boys School alumnus & fantastic sax player. Bobby was involved in the early Jamaican recording industry, recording alongside Dizzy Moore & Roland Alphonso in the legendary group Clue J & His Blues Blasters
Clue J & His Blues Blasters
Clue J & His Blues Blasters were a Jamaican band of the late 1950s and early 1960s led by Cluett Johnson, who were one of the first bands to play ska...
. Bobby Gaynair has performed most recently at The Legends Of Ska concert series in Toronto during the summer of 2002.