TAYLOR BAND, CHARLIE
Charlie Taylor band, YMCA dance, 1947, photo courtesy of Quincy Jones.
Homebase: Seattle / Garfield High School
Stats: 1947-1948
Misc Notes: Formed by Quincy Jones (trumpet, 2nd from left); Oscar Holden Jr. (sax); Charlie Taylor Jr. (sax); Major Pigford (trombone); Waymond Jones (drums); Grace Holden (piano). Later, with a new drummer, and a manager, they were recast as the Bumps Blackwell Junior Band. Taylor went on to serve as an anthropology professor at the University of Washington.
QUINCY JONES 9.29.2017: " “I met a kid named Charlie Taylor (C.T) in the band room at Garfield High & after instantly becoming best friends over our love for music, we decided to start the official Charlie Taylor Band. We took it seriously & elected a pres, vp, & secretary/treasurer (me!)...We had fines for drinking, being late to rehearsal, & even for not looking COOL! And if you didn't look cool, you paid a huge fine...I'm talking' twenty-five cents!! ((:0)) This pic is from our very 1st gig at the YMCA in 1947 w/ myself on trumpet (front row, 2nd from left), Oscar Holden, Jr. on sax, his sister Grace on piano, C.T. also on sax, Major Pigford on trombone, & my brother Waymond on drums (who we had to fire because if he got tired in the middle of a song, he'd just stop & say "shit! I'm tired!"...Gotta love my bro!) We made SEVEN dollars each at this 1st gig, but it didn't stop us from doing what we loved...And I'm glad we didn't because it just so happened that Bumps Blackwell saw us play & later asked to become our frontman! And that's how we became the Bumps Blackwell Junior Band...As I always say, never be underprepared for a great opportunity!”
ALSO SEE:
1.) Blackwell Junior Band, Bumps
2.) Jones, Quincy
3.) Holden Jr., Oscar
4.) Holden, Grace