Bob Thiele

Bob Thiele was a significant voice within the music market for nearly 6 years. Something of a kid prodigy, Thiele began hosting a jazz radio display when he was 14. As an adolescent, he discovered clarinet and led a large music group locally in the brand new York region. From 1939-1941, he was editor of Jazz Journal, and at age 17 in 1939, he founded the Personal label. Because the head from the label and its own producer, Thiele documented Artwork Hodes, Yank Lawson, Lester Adolescent, Errol Garner, numerous Chicago jazz-style organizations, and, especially in 1943, a vintage program by Coleman Hawkins. After Personal folded in 1948, Thiele freelanced and became a member of Decca in 1952, where he created sessions for his or her Coral and Brunswick brands. Although associated with some jazz, Thiele also caused Teresa Brewer (his upcoming wife), the McGuire Sisters, Lawrence Welk, and many notables whose professions he helped start: Pal Holly (whom Thiele generally uncovered), Henry Mancini, Steve & Eydie, and Jackie Wilson. Then turned to Dot for an interval in 1959. With Steve Allen, Thiele going the short-lived Hanover-Signature label (which acquired a big strike with Ray Bryant’s “Small Susie”), and he also freelanced for various other labels. Most likely his proudest fulfillment was teaming up Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong for the classic established on Roulette. From 1961-1969, Thiele was the primary manufacturer at ABC/Impulse! He provided John Coltrane authorization to record as thoroughly as he wished, and Thiele also created a lot more than 100 various other albums, including pieces by Charles Mingus, Oliver Nelson, Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Earl Hines, Johnny Hodges, Coleman Hawkins (including a time with Duke Ellington), Quincy Jones, Count number Basie, and many more. He began ABC’s Bluesway subsidiary, which highlighted blues in the past due ’60s (highlighted by schedules from B.B. Ruler, T-Bone Walker, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, and Big Joe Turner) and created a number of pop performers for ABC. After departing ABC/Impulse!, Thiele founded some short-term brands, including Traveling Dutchman, Blues Period, Dr. Jazz, and lastly Crimson Baron. Thiele composed a whole lot of music for his performers over time, with “Just what a Great World” being conveniently his biggest achievement. At musicians he created during his last 2 decades had been such favorites as Gato Barbieri, David Murray, Lonnie Liston Smith, Clark Terry, and Teresa Brewer, whom he teamed with Count number Basie, Duke Ellington, Stéphane Grappelli, Earl Hines, Ruby Braff, and also Murray. As enthusiastic in his old age about music as he previously been as an adolescent, Bob Thiele was energetic until his loss of life. His 1995 memoir, Just what a Great World, is multi-colored, if way too brief.