From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Herb Pomeroy
Herb Pomeroy
Herb Pomeroy played in Carnegie Hall and established series such as the
Newport Jazz Festival on the same bill with Benny Good-
Born April 15, 1930 man, Ellington, and other major jazz figures. Pomeroy al-
Origin Gloucester, Massachusetts so backed up several singers, including Mel Torme, Tony
Bennett, Irene Kral, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. He
Died August 11, 2007 (Aged 77 years, 3 months,
became noted as a master of music theory and musical
and 26 days)
form. Pomeroy’s playing exhibited a limited upper range
Genres Jazz on the trumpet, but his extraordinary improvisational
Instruments trumpet, flugelhorn resources counteracted that limitation. Gradually during
the mid-1990s, as Pomeroy performed more frequently
Associated Charlie Parker with small groups, he abandoned the trumpet for the
acts
flugelhorn.
Although Herb Pomeroy is generally remembered as
Irving Herbert "Herb" Pomeroy, III (15 April 1930,
a music educator, his first love was performing as a trum-
Gloucester, Massachusetts – 11 August 2007) was an influ-
peter. He ranked leading a band and teaching music sec-
ential swing and bebop jazz trumpeter and educator. He
ond and third, respectively, in his hierarchy of passions.
played with musicians such as Charlie Parker and Lionel
He was not enthusiastic about recordings, always empha-
Hampton as well as his own jazz bands for over half a
sizing that jazz is a music that must be witnessed in per-
century.
son. A good example of such an incident can be found in
the Berklee video archives. The video documents an Oc-
Early life tober 31, 2005 Friend Hall panel session on jazz in Boston
at mid-century. At one point the panel was asked what
Herb Pomeroy began playing trumpet at an early age,
the best recordings of jazz in Boston in the 1950s are.
and in his early teens started gigging in the greater Bos-
Several people offered suggestions. Finally, in apparent
ton area, claiming inspiration from the music of Louis
frustration, Herb told everyone to take all of the recom-
Armstrong. In 1946, at age 16, he became a member of
mended recordings (most which featured Pomeroy) "and
the Musicians Union in Gloucester after the union didn’t
throw them away." Instead, he suggested that all people
have enough members to conduct a meeting. After high
in attendance go out to clubs and "see live jazz."
school, he studied music at the Schillinger House in Bos-
ton, which is now the Berklee College of Music, and began
to develop his interest in bebop. Teaching career
In addition to his performing career, Herb Pomeroy also
Performing career enjoyed an active teaching career. He helped found the
Jazz Workshop on Stuart Street — under the leadership of
Herb Pomeroy studied dentistry at Harvard University
Charlie Mariano - which included such musician/teach-
for a year but dropped out to pursue his jazz career.
ers as Varty Haroutunian, Ray Santisi, Serge Chaloff, Dick
Charlie Parker liked Pomeroy’s playing and hired him
Twardzik and Pomeroy on the faculty. Later Pomeroy
frequently when the alto saxophonist performed at Bos-
joined the faculty of the Berklee School of Music in Bos-
ton’s Hi-Hat and Storyville clubs. Pomeroy also played
ton where he taught for 41 years. In 1963 Pomeroy was
with Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, Stan Kenton, and
enlisted to revitalize the Techtonians big band at MIT.
Serge Chaloff, among other jazz musicians. After his ex-
It was renamed the Festival Jazz Ensemble, and he con-
perience as a sideman in the big bands of Hampton and
tinued as its director for 22 years. During his time as di-
Kenton (separated by a five-month stint at leading his
rector he helped the FJE perform throughout the US as
own 13-piece band in the early 1950s), Pomeroy put to-
well as abroad, even helping them become the first col-
gether a big band that drew national attention in the
lege ensemble to appear at the Swiss Montreux Jazz Fes-
late 1950s in a Boston club called the Stable. He led the
tival. His contribution to Music at MIT is well known and
band from 1957 through the mid-1960s and intermittent-
on May 10, 2008 the university had a memorial concert
ly until 1993. During that time, and afterward, he led ad-
for him in the Kresge Auditorium.[1] He also taught at
ditional small groups ranging typically from duo (usu-
the Lenox School of Music, where he conducted a full or-
ally with bassist John Repucci) to quintet. His big band
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Herb Pomeroy
chestra of his own students. After his retirement, Herb • Live at Café Beaujolais - The Herb Pomeroy Trio Weller
Pomeroy gave his time helping people study jazz in the Records
Greater Boston area. In the later part of Pomeroy’s life he • Jazz in a Stable - Transition Records LP TRLP 1
did several workshops for local Middle and High School • Big Band Saturday Night Ted Herbert LP
aged students, most notably with the Gloucester Educata-
tion Foundation.
See also
• Pomeroy scale
Accolades
Herb Pomeroy was recognized as the Boston Musician’s
Association 2004 Musician of the Year and received an
Sources
honorary degree from Berklee after he retired in 1995. • http://web.mit.edu/fje/www/bios/herb.html
His final concert with the Berklee Jazz Ensemble was at- • http://www.newenglandconservatory.edu/faculty/
tended by well-noted musicians from around the world. pomeroyH.html
In 1996 Pomeroy was inducted into the International As-
sociation of Jazz Educators (IAJE) Hall of Fame, and in
1997 he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Education
References
Hall of Fame. [1] MIT Tech article: Herb Pomeroy, founder of MIT
Festival Jazz Ensemble, dies. August 14th 2007.
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/obit-
Former students pomeroy-0814.html
Former students include diverse players such as Gary
Burton, Alan Broadbent, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mika Pohjola,
Gary McFarland, Franck Amsallem, Duško Gojković, Den-
External links
nis Wilson (trombone), Lee Allen (piano) and Miroslav • Herb Pomeroy solos and interview with Studio 3
Vitouš. Musicians who played in his big bands run the • Jazz Portraits from the WGBH Archives: Herb
gamut from Boots Mussulli to Sam Rivers and include Pomeroy a radio documentary from WGBH Radio
such influential musicians as Alan Dawson, Jaki Byard (as Boston
saxophonist and arranger), Phil Wilson, Ray Santisi, Greg Persondata
Hopkins, Dick Johnson, Charlie Mariano, Michael Gibbs, Name Pomeroy, Herb
John LaPorta, Lennie Johnson, Serge Chaloff, Ryan Shore,
Alternative names
Mike Nock, Bill Berry, Hal Galper, Joe Gordon, Michael D.
Palma, Richard Festinger and many others. Short description
Date of birth April 15, 1930
Select discography Place of birth
• Walking On Air - with Donna Byrne Arbors Records Date of death August 11, 2007
• Life is a Many Splendored Gig - The Herb Pomeroy Place of death
Orchestra Roulette Records LP R-52001
• Band in Boston - The Herb Pomeroy Orchestra United
Artists Records LP UAS 5015
• The Band and I - Irene Kral and the Herb Pomeroy
Orchestra United Artists Records LP UAS 5016
• Pramlatta’s Hips - The Herb Pomeroy Orchestra Shiah
Records LP HP-1
• Charlie Parker at Storyville - Charlie Parker with
ensemble including Herb Pomeroy on tracks 5, 6, 7,
8, 9 Blue Note Records LP BT-85108
• Here’s to Joe - Paul Broadnax with ensemble including
Herb Pomeroy Brownstone Records CD BRCD 9611
• Rara Avis - Charlie Parker with Bostonians Herb
Pomeroy, Bernie Griggs, and Baggy Grant on tracks 8,
9, 10 Stash Records CD ST-CD-21
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Herb_Pomeroy&oldid=457721066"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Herb Pomeroy
Categories:
• 1930 births
• 2007 deaths
• People from Gloucester, Massachusetts
• American jazz trumpeters
• Harvard University alumni
• Bebop trumpeters
• Berklee College of Music faculty
• Jazz bandleaders
• Jazz trumpeters
• People from Greater Boston
• Swing trumpeters
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