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Peck Kelley

 
Artist: Peck Kelley
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Jack Teagarden
  • Born: October 22, 1898, Houston, TX
  • Died: December 26, 1980, Houston, TX
  • Active: '20s, '30s, '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s
  • Genres: Jazz
  • Instrument: Piano

Biography

For a brief while before the end of the LP era, it was possible for there to be a Peck Kelley section in the jazz section of some record stores. Considering that Kelley avoided leaving Houston throughout his life and went out of his way not to be recorded, it is miraculous that any documentation exists. In the 1920s, Kelley led Peck's Bad Boys in Texas, which featured a young Jack Teagarden and Pee Wee Russell. A talented pianist considered advanced at the time, Kelley was supposed to join Russell, Bix Beiderbecke, and Frankie Trumbauer at a gig in St. Louis, but union problems prevented that and Kelley used the excuse to stay home. He was constantly offered jobs up North by major bandleaders and celebrities (including Bing Crosby), but turned them all down. In 1983 (a couple years after his death), a double-LP was released by Commodore featuring Kelley in 1957 near the end of his career, playing with a sextet. Shortly after, the collector's label Arcadia came out with privately recorded solo and duet performances from 1951 and 1953. On a whole, these rough but very interesting recordings prove that Kelley was advancing with the times, holding onto his roots in stride while showing that he was quite familiar with Lennie Tristano. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Peck Kelley
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Peck Kelley

Background information
Birth name John Dickson Kelley
Born October 22, 1898(1898-10-22)
Origin United StatesHouston, Texas, United States
Died December 26, 1980 (aged 82)
Genres Jazz
Occupations Pianist
Bandleader
Instruments Piano
Labels Arcadia Records
Associated acts Jack Teagarden
Louis Prima
Pee Wee Russell

John Dickson "Peck" Kelley (22 October 1898–26 December 1980) was an American jazz pianist born in Houston, Texas. Kelley was best known for his 1920s band Peck's Bad Boys, which included Jack Teagarden and Pee Wee Russell, among others.

Contents

Early life

John Dickson "Peck" Kelley was born in Houston, Texas on October 22, 1898.[1]

Career

Kelley rarely played anywhere outside of Texas. Early in his career he did perform in Missouri and Louisiana, but the politics of the worker's union at the time combined with the overall hassle of obtaining permits prompted him to return to Texas.[2]

Peck's Bad Boys

During the 1920s Kelley was a popular bandleader who led his own band, Peck's Bad Boys. The group included several jazz musicians that would go on to forge successful recording careers of their own, players like Jack Teagarden, Louis Prima, Terry Shand, Wingy Manone, Leon Roppolo and Pee Wee Russell. Despite the apparent success of this group, no recordings survive from this period.[2][3][1][4]

Throughout his career he repeatedly turned down offers by other musicians of the day to play outside of Texas, offers from artists such as Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey and Paul Whiteman. However, he did perform in St. Louis, Missouri (1925), Shreveport, Louisiana (1927) and New Orleans, Louisiana (1934).[1] Kelley joined the Dick Shannon quartet in 1957, from which the only studio recordings from this musician have survived. They were released by Commodore Records in 1983 as the "Peck Kelley Jam Sessions, Volumes 1 & 2". However, some private recordings of this same period have been released on the Arkadia record label.[2][1]

Personal life

Throughout his career Kelley wished to remain anonymous, a private man who did not wish fame for himself.[2] It is commonly accepted by jazz historians that the 1930s Will Bradley hit "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" is in reference and tribute to Kelley.[1] Eventually Peck became blind and developed Parkinson's Disease, dying on December 26, 1980 at 82.

Discography

Year Album Leader Label
1950s "Peck Kelley" Peck Kelley Arkadia Records
1950s "Out of Obscurity" Peck Kelley Arkadia Records
1957 "Peck Kelley Jam Volumes 1 & 2" Dick Shannon Commodore Records

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Yanow, Scott (2001). Classic Jazz. Backbeat Books. p. pp. 127. ISBN 0879306599. 
  2. ^ a b c d Koster, Rick (2000). Texas Music. St. Martin's Press. p. p. 309. ISBN 0312254253. 
  3. ^ Yanow, Scott (2001). Trumpet Kings: The Players Who Shaped the Sound of Jazz Trumpet. Backbeat Books. p. p. 240. ISBN 0879306084. 
  4. ^ Walker, Leo (1989). The Big Band Almanac. Da Capo Press. p. p. 393. ISBN 0306803453. 
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