Introduction
Glyn Paque (August 29, 1906—August 29, 1953) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist.
After playing with King Oliver, Benny Carter, Willie Bryant, and others, he relocated to Switzerland in 1939, where he continued to play with European jazz musicians.
Early life and family
Glyn Paque was born Glyn Eric Paque in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on August 29, 1906. He was the uncle of jazz alto saxophonist Bert Curry (Bernadine Curry) who was in the bands of Carroll Dickerson and Louis Armstrong.
Career
Paque moved to New York in 1926 to pursue a music career and worked with The Missourians. The Missourians was a jazz band active in the 1920s that performed at the Cotton Club in New York City and eventually became the backing band for Cab Calloway.
In 1929-30, Paque was in King Oliver Orchestra and played his alto saxophone and clarinet on several of the band's recordings accompanied by Arthur Nipton (tuba); Dave Nelson (trumpet); Charles H. Frazier (tenor saxophone); Henry Allen (trumpet); Clinton Walker (tuba); Jimmy Archey (trombone); Freddie Moore and Edmund Jones (drums); Hilton Jefferson and Bobby Holmes (alto saxophone, clarinet); Carroll Dickerson, Loren L. Watson, and George Rogers (director); Arthur Taylor and Walter Jones (banjo); James P. Johnson, Eric Franker, Hank Duncan, and Don Frye (piano).
He also toured with the King Oliver Orchestra.
In October 1933, Paque recorded "Devil's Holiday" and "Lonesome Nights" with Benny Carter and His Orchestra in New York with Eddie Mallory, Bill Dillard, Dick Clark (trumpet); J. C. Higginbotham, Fred Robinson, Keg Johnson (trombone); Wayman Carver (alto saxophone, flute); Johnny Russell (tenor saxophone); Teddy Wilson (piano); Lawrence Lucie (guitar); Ernest Hill (bass); and Sid Catlett (drums).
From 1934 to 1937, Paque was with Willie Bryant and His Orchestra and made several recordings, playing alto saxophone alongside Richard Clarke, Jack Butler, and Taft Jordan (trumpet); John Haughton and George Matthews (trombone); Stanley Payne (alto saxophone); Charles Frazier and Johnny Russell (tenor saxophone); Roger "Ram" Ramirez (piano); Arnold Adams (guitar); Ernest Hill (bass); and Cozy Cole (drums).
In April 1937, Paque's clarinet was heard on Henry "Red" Allen's recordings of "You'll Never Go To Heaven" and "You'll Never Go To Heaven", alongside Charlie Holmes and Tab Smith (alto saxophone); Paul Barbarin (drums); Danny Barker(guitar); Luis Russell (piano); and Harold Arnold (tenor saxophone).
Later in 1937, Paque played with trumpeter Bobby Martin's and His All-Star Orchestra and recorded the album Crazy Rhythm (Polydor Records, 1938) with Ernest Purce (alto saxophone); Ernest Hill (bass); Johnny Russell (clarinet and tenor saxophone); Kaiser Marshall (drums); Johnny Mitchell (guitar); Roger Ramirez (piano); Billy Burns (trombone); Bill Coleman, and Jack Butler (trumpet).
In 1937, he also toured Switzerland with Martin's band. After the tour, he decided to remain in Switzerland after the outbreak of war in 1939.
Living in Switzerland, he formed his own group, "The Cotton Club Serenaders", and played regularly in all major Swiss cities.
In 1940, he recorded a few titles with Swiss tenor saxophonist Eddie Brunner and His Band alongside clarinetist Ernst Höllerhagen, pianist Fred Böhler, string bassist Fred Jacquillard, and drummer Rene Wegmann.
In 1942, Paque recorded "Daddy" and "Undecided" with Swiss pianist Fred BöhlerAnd His Band, sharing the stage with bassist Clément Rütsche, drummer Adi De Angelis, tenor saxophonist Omer De Cock, and trumpeter Alberto Quarella.
Paque also played with Swiss drummer and bandleader Jerry Thomas, French trumpeter Philippe Brun, and the Swiss jazz band Lanigiro Syncopating Melody Kings with pianist Rio de Gregori.
Personal life
On November 29, 1940, his daughter Florence was born in Basel.
Death
Glyn Paque died of a heart attack in Basel, Switzerland, on August 29, 1953, his 47th birthday.
References
- Richard Cook, Brian Morton: The Penguin Guide of Jazz, Penguin, London 2002, ISBN 0-14-051521-6.