Big Chief Russell Moore

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Big Chief Russell Moore
Born(1912-08-13)August 13, 1912
Traditional jazz
Instrument(s)Trombone
Years active1920s–1980s

"Big Chief" Russell Moore (August 13, 1912 – December 15, 1983)

Pima tribe member, grew up on a Native American reservation before moving to Chicago and then Los Angeles where he learned to play various instruments, eventually settling on trombone. Throughout his career, Moore worked with an array of artists including Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton, Alberta Hunter and Pee Wee Russell as well as recording under his own name. He is best remembered for his work as a member of Louis Armstrong's
band.

Life and career

Early life

Moore was born in

Pima tribe.[3][4] He was one of five children born to mother Amy Bending Moore and father José Newton Moore. Musical performances were important to community life on the reservation particularly due to the inaccessibility of record players and radios. Moore's exposure to music from local school bands as well as traditional Pima music sparked an interest in music from a young age.[4]

Following the death of his father in 1924, Moore and his brother Everett moved to Blue Island, Illinois where they lived with their uncle and aunt, William and Marie Moore.[4] William was a bandleader who taught the brothers trumpet, French horn, trombone, piano, bass, euphonium, and drums.[2][4] In 1929, Moore left Blue Island and moved to Chicago's South Side where he worked odd jobs. It was there that Moore heard Louis Armstrong play for the first time as he stood outside the Savoy Ballroom. Moore eventually returned to his uncle's home in Blue Island, where his uncle bought him a train ticket to Arizona where Moore was to continue his schooling. Moore enrolled at Tucson High School at the end of 1929 and played trombone in the school band. In 1930, he attended Sherman Indian High School in California and again performed in the school band as well as in local acts. In 1933, Moore graduated and was named "up and coming jazz man of the year."[4]

Music career

After graduating, Moore moved to Los Angeles and was a freelance musician playing trombone with artists such as

A.J. Piron, Paul Barbarin and Ernie Fields.[2]

In the early 1940s, Moore played with Alberta Hunter, Harlan Leonard, and Noble Sissle. At the end of 1944, some musicians from Louis Armstrong's orchestra saw Moore performing in the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra and asked him to meet Armstrong in New York.[4] Following this meeting, Moore played lead trombone with Armstrong's last big band for three years.[2][4] After the dissolution of Armstrong's orchestra, Moore joined Sidney Bechet's quartet with whom he toured in Europe.[4]

Moore continued his relentless touring in the 1950s with

Wild Bill Davison, Jimmy McPartland, Tony Parenti, Mezz Mezzrow, Frank Sinatra and Buck Clayton.[2][4] In 1964, Moore re-joined Armstrong, taking Trummy Young's place in the All Stars.[2] With this line-up, Moore appeared on some famous Armstrong recordings such as Hello Dolly.[5] Moore toured across Europe, Asia, and the Pacific with the All Stars. After leaving the All Stars, Moore played with Lester Lanin’s Society Orchestra, including at the inaugural presidential balls of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon. With Lanin, he also played at events in the United Kingdom for Diana Spencer and Prince Charles's wedding.[4] According to Pee Wee Erwin, Moore once met the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, who asked him where they could see him play when they next visited New York. Moore obliged by inviting them to see him play at the Central Plaza, a catering hall with raucous crowds, in the Lower East Side.[6]

Moore released two albums under his own name in the 1970s: Russell “Big Chief” Moore’s Pow Wow Jazz Band and Russell Moore Volume II. Both of these albums had extremely limited pressings.

Dixieland band and toured Canada with Cozy Cole and England with Keith Smith.[2] Poor health prevented him from touring any further.[4]

Later life and death

Among Moore's final performances was an appearance on the "Night of the First Americans", a televised performance at the Kennedy Centre, in 1982. He played his own composition called "Chant for Wounded Knee".[5]

Moore died in Nyack, New York after a lengthy illness associated with diabetes in December 1983.[7][8] His funeral was held at a Presbyterian church in Nyack and featured a six-piece jazz band. Moore was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.[8]

The New York Times published an obituary for Moore, making him the only member of the Pima tribe to receive one.[7][3] In 1998, the Russell Moore Music Fest was established at the Gila River Reservation.[9]

Personal life

Moore met Ida Powlas, a member of the Oneida Nation and schoolteacher, in the 1950s. The couple married in 1956 and adopted two children.[4]

Moore was proud of his Native American identity and his "Big Chief" nickname. He often participated in events for the Native American community and encouraged Native American youth to embrace their heritage.[4]

Discography

  • Russell "Big Chief" Moore's Powwow Jazz Band (Jazz Art, 1973)
  • Russell "Big Chief" Moore, Vol. 2 (Jazz Art, 1975)[9]

References

  1. ISBN 0-85112-939-0
    .
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Yanow, Scott. "Big Chief Russell Moore". AllMusic. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
  3. ^
    ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Yeo, Douglas (July 2017). "An Appreciation of Russell Moore" (PDF). ITA Journal. 45 (3): 18–33.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-1-5381-5967-5
    .
  6. ISBN 978-0-8108-1945-0
    .
  7. ^
    JSTOR 24459881
    .
  8. ^ a b Hitzig, Michael (December 20, 1983). "Musical farewell given jazz trombonist "Big Chief"". The Journal News. p. 14.
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8165-2447-1
    .
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