Joe Guy

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Joe Guy was an American jazz trumpeter, born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1920. He began as a young, forward-looking bebop musician and played with more important names, until a drug addiction brought his career to a halt. Much of his early life is unclear. It is known that he began his career in New York and played in Fats Waller's backing band in the late 1930s.

Music and breakthrough

In 1938 he succeeded Dizzy Gillespie in Teddy Hill's orchestra and modelled his playing on that of his predecessor. In 1941 and 1942 he played regularly in the after-hours band at Minton's Playhouse, together with Nick Fenton, Kenny Clarke and Thelonious Monk. There, in jam sessions, the first forms of bebop emerged. In that period he also took part in recordings by Jerry Newman and played on tracks by Charlie Christian.

Influence

Guy struggled with a heroin addiction for most of his short career. In 1945 and 1946 he was connected with Billie Holiday both professionally and personally. When they were both arrested for drug possession, they broke with each other. He then returned to Birmingham and withdrew from music. He died in 1962, at the age of forty-one. Guy is above all an example of the young players who helped shape bebop at Minton's.

Listening

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• After Hours: Session 2^NL Reader