Natalie Cole, Singer, 1950, Los Angeles, CA
Natalie began her singing career at the age of 11 at the Los Angeles Greek Theater. Growing up in the shadow of her father, Nat, could have opened many doors for Natalie, but she was determined to be a success through her own efforts. She was also determined to keep alive a musical tradition that began with Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and her own father. She actually started in the rhythm-and-blues field, producing several albums that sold well. Even though Natalie was gaining recognition, she was plagued by feelings of inadequacy. She felt her success was because of who she was rather than what she produced. She actually reached a point that forced her to spend six months at Minnesota's Hazeldon Foundation for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery. She bounced back from that ordeal and produced two hit albums in 1987. In 1991 she released "Unforgettable" that earned her 7 grammy awards. Johnny Mandel produced the album with an amazing electronic technique that blended the voice of Natalie and her father, Nat King Cole, performing as a duo. Today, Natalie is a true super-star, performing on records, and making appearances in clubs and on television.
Bernie Glow, Trumpet, 1926, New York, NY
During the mid '40s, Bernie worked as a sideman with several orchestras, most notably Artie Shaw where he was a section player, seldom taking solos. He next worked with Boyd Raeburn's orchestra and then Woody Herman. He worked frequently as a studio musician and performed in numerous sessions with Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Bob Brookmeyer, Manny Albam, Gil Evans, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie. In all, Bernie performed in over 100 recording sessions with the top names in jazz. He continued to work during the '70s with George Benson, Grover Washington Jr., and Gato Barbieri. Bernie Glow died in 1982.
Howard McGhee, Trumpet, 1918, Tulsa, OK
Sam Nestico, Trombone/Arranger, 1924, Pittsburgh, PA
Larry Grenadier, Bass, 1966, San Francisco, CA
Nelson Boyd, Bass, 1928, Camden, NJ
