Hep Records, jazz in depth from the 1930's to the present day.


ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES


Nat Pierce (Piano, Arranger) 1925-1992 Nat Pierce was born July 16, 1925 in Somerville a suburb of Boston, Mass. He left high school in 1942 and spent a year at the New England Conservatory. From 1943 to 1946 he played with various local bands as both pianist and then arranger. His first important job was in the bigband led by ex-Kenton trumpeter Ray Borden in late 1947. The Borden band faded and many of the musicians joined the reformed Larry Clinton Orchestra the following year which also failed. In this band was alto sax Charlie Mariano with whom Pierce formed an orchestra in 1949. This band made some reference recordings and briefly toured the New England area but folded in late 1950. Other than the solos of Charlie Mariano this Orchestra featured the singing of Teddi King. The Pierce career is thereafter inextricably linked to the Woody Herman Bands which were current 1951-55 where he functioned as pianist/arranger and rehearsal master. Throughout the rest of the 50's he was active performing or arranging and recording with the very best in New York. In 1960 he formed a rehearsal bigband which included Clark Terry, Paul Quinichette, and Paul Gonsalves and recorded his extended work "Ballad Of Jazz Street". He then rejoined Herman and was largely responsible for the "Swinging Herd" library. He remained with Herman until 1966 when he moved to Los Angeles. There he was active both with small and large jazz units and in 1977 he and drummer Frankie Capp formed Juggernaut Big Band using the best players in Hollywood and was dedicated to keep alive the music of Basie and Herman. Nat Pierce was a wonderfully gregarious man and a comparative rarity amongst top jazz musicians in that he was a keen collector of all styles and schools and generous in praise of other players. He died in Los Angeles on June 10, 1992. Available now on Hep: CD 13 Boston Bust Out 1947-50 CD 2004 5400 North 1978 CD 2009 Ballad Of Jazz Street 1960 Discography: 1954 The Nat Pierce/Dick Collins Nonet (Fantasy) 10-inch album 1955 Nat Pierce Bandstand (Vanguard) 10-inch album 1956 Kansas City Memories (Coral) 1957 The Nat Pierce Octet And Tentette (Keynote) 1957 The Nat Pierce Big Band At The Savoy Ballroom (RCA Victor) 1957 The Real Sound Of Jazz TV soundtrack, various artists 1960 The Ballad Of Jazz Street (Hep) 1977 Juggernaut (Concord) 1978 Juggernaut Live At Century Plaza (Concord) 1978 5400 North... In Concert With Mary Ann McCall (Hep) 1981 Juggernaut Strikes Again (Concord) 1981 Boston Bustout (Hep) 1986 Juggernaut Live At The Alleycat (Concord) Top
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Three labels covering jazz in depth from 1930 to the present.

Hep Jazz, P.O. Box 50, Pitlochry, UK. PH16 5YL