| Wendell Eugene | |
| Birth Name: | Wendell Albert Eugene[1] |
| Birth Date: | 12 October 1923 |
| Birth Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Death Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genre: | Jazz[2] |
| Occupation: | Jazz Musician |
| Instrument: | Trombone[3] [4] |
| Past Member Of: | Olympia Brass Band,[5] Tuxedo Brass Band,[6] Onward Brass Band[7] |
Wendell Eugene (October 12, 1923 – November 7, 2017) was an American jazz musician from New Orleans, Louisiana. He was a popular trombonist on the New Orleans jazz scene[4] and recorded with artists such as Lionel Ferbos,[8] Harold Dejan, and Kermit Ruffins.[9] He was for a time the oldest active jazz musician in New Orleans.
Eugene was born to Homer and Apha Eugene on October 12, 1923, and is the youngest of five brothers. He grew up in a family of musicians including his brother Homer Eugene, his cousin Clement Tervalon,[7] and uncle Albert Burbank.[6] His curiosity about music began at the age of 10 when his parents bought him a graphanola. He said he would wind it up and play The Peanut Vendor and Ramona. He received his first trombone at the age of 13 from his brother Homer after mentioning that he wanted to start playing an instrument.[1] As a kid he learned from other New Orleans musicians, but also listened and learned from Big Band Music as well as trombonist J. J. Johnson. While still in high school, he joined the musician's union at 15 and began playing with a variety of New Orleans Jazz Legends. As a teenager, Eugene performed with Avery "Kid" Howard[10] as well as performers and band leaders such as Papa Celestin, George Lewis, Papa French, Paul Barbarin, Louis Cottrell Jr., Willie Humphrey, Don Albert, and Kid Thomas Valentine.[10]
Eugene joined the United States Navy during World War II and was recruited to play with the U.S. Navy Marching and Concert Band while stationed at Port Chicago, California. He played with the band throughout his four-year enlistment and also played with Louis Armstrong during a 1943 USO event. At the time, Armstrong was short a trombonist and asked Eugene to fill in. Eugene was quoted in The Times-Picayune as saying, "I got up there and did the best I could. I'll never forget it."[1]
Eugene returned to New Orleans after his military career. He began playing with famous bands from New York City and Chicago and also toured with Lucky Millender and Buddy Johnson. Instead of leaving his family to tour, Eugene stayed close to home, working at the United States Post Office.[1] During that time he continued playing with local band leaders such as Papa Celestin and Papa French. Eugene traveled and toured when he could, sometimes joining the Olympia Brass Band,[5] the Tuxedo Brass Band,[6] and the Onward Brass Band.[7] Although limited in travel due to work obligations, Eugene was still able to sit with several renowned musical groups such as Lionel Hampton and The Temptations.[4] He retired from the Post Office in 1979 and began to pursue his music career full-time.
Eugene is also a writer and composer. In 1978, he wrote, produced, and recorded the album West Indies Blues which was initially released by 504 Records and re-released by the Louisiana Music Factory in 2005. Eugene has played and taught music for more than 72 years, including teaching trombone and dance orchestra instruments at the Grunewald School of Music.[11] Some of his most notable performances include playing at Super Bowl IV in New Orleans in 1970 with the Onward Brass Band.[12] He also played at the first New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1970. In 2012 he played with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for their 50th anniversary performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival,[13] He also played at 2012 New Orleans Jazz Festival with then 100-year-old Lionel Ferbos.[14]
Wendell Eugene died on 7 November 2017.[15]
Eugene had four daughters, one grandchild, and three great grandchildren. He was Catholic.
| Year | Title | Label | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | If I Had My Life To Life Over | GHB Records | Special anniversary edition – 75 years as a New Orleans Jazz Legend | |
| 2008 | Men's Working | GHB Records | Trombone and vocals on album from Seva Venet[16] | |
| 2007 | City of Dreams: A Collection of New Orleans Music | Rounder Records / Universal Music Group | Trombone[17] | |
| 2002 | Big Easy | Basin Street Records | Trombone on album with Kermit Ruffins | |
| 2002 | Place of My Dreams | GHB Records | Trombone on album by Lionel Ferbos | |
| 2001 | Mardi Gras in New Orleans | Rounder Records | Compilation CD of various jazz artists with recordings from 1985 through 1997[18] | |
| 2000 | Paul Barbarin's Onward Brass Band in Concert 1968 | Jazz Crusade | Trombone[19] | |
| 1998 | Kickin' Some Brass | Trombone on compilation CD with various artists including The Dirty Dozen, ReBirth, Coolbone, New Birth, and Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy[20] | ||
| 1998 | Louisiana 2: Live from the Mountain Stage | Blue Plate | Trombone on compilation CD[21] | |
| 1997 | Best of Bourbon Street Blues | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone on CD by Magnificent Seventh's Brass Band featuring Big Al Carson[22] | |
| 1995 | New Orleans Jazz Preservation | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone with the Olympia Brass Band[23] | |
| 1995 | New Orleans Jazz, Vol. 3: Jazz Party | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone[24] | |
| 1995 | The Best of Bourbon Street Jazz | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone with Mardi Gras Brass Band[25] | |
| 1994 | Authentic New Orleans Jazz Funeral | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone with the Magnificent Seventh's Brass Band[26] | |
| 1994 | Best of New Orleans Bourbon Street Jazz: After Dark | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone with the Magnificent Seventh's Brass Band[27] | |
| 1993 | Barry Martyn's Down Home Boys | Sackville Records | Trombone and vocals on album by Barry Martyn[28] | |
| 1993 | Fess: The Professor Longhair Anthology | Rhino Entertainment | Trombone on album with Professor Longhair[29] | |
| 1993 | On Bourbon Street | Compendia Music Group | Trombone on album by Harold Dejan[30] | |
| 1992 | Fallen Heroes: A Jazz Funeral | Pro-Arte Records | Trombone on album by Harold Dejan[31] | |
| 1991 | New Orleans: Mardi Gras | Compendia Music Group / Pro-Arte Records | Trombone with the Olympia Brass Band[32] | |
| 1990 | Basin Street Blues | Compendia Music Group / Pro-Arte Records | Trombone and group member on album by Harold Dejan and Olympia Brass Band[33] | |
| 1989 | New Orleans Brass Bands: Down Yonder | Rounder Records | Trombone[34] | |
| 1987 | Mardi Gras in New Orleans (Mardi Gras) | Mardi Gras Records | Trombone[35] | |
| 1978 | West Indies Blues | 504 Records | Writer, producer, primary artist, and trombonist[36] |