Bill Chase facts for kids

Bill Chase was an American trumpet player and the leader of a cool jazz-rock band called Chase. He was born on October 20, 1934, and passed away on August 9, 1974.

Bill Chase's Life Story

Early Life and Musical Start

Bill Chase was born William Edward Chiaiese in Squantum, Massachusetts. His family was Italian-American. His parents changed their last name to Chase because "Chiaiese" was hard to say. Bill's father played the trumpet in a marching band. He encouraged Bill's love for music. Bill tried playing the violin and drums first. But in his teenage years, he decided to focus on the trumpet. He went to a concert by famous trumpeters Conte Candoli and Maynard Ferguson. This show inspired him greatly.

Learning to Play the Trumpet

After high school, Bill studied classical trumpet at the New England Conservatory. Later, he moved to the Schillinger House of Music. This school is now known as the Berklee College of Music. He learned from great teachers like Herb Pomeroy and Armando Ghitalla.

Playing with Big Bands

Bill Chase became a lead trumpet player for several famous bands. In 1958, he played with Maynard Ferguson. In 1959, he joined Stan Kenton's band. During the 1960s, he was part of Woody Herman's "Thundering Herd." One of his own songs, "Camel Walk," was even featured in Downbeat magazine in 1963.

From 1966 to 1970, Bill worked as a freelance musician in Las Vegas. He played with stars like Vic Damone. He also led a six-piece band at the Dunes and Riviera Hotel. He helped arrange music for a show called Vive Les Girls.

Starting the Band "Chase"

In 1971, Bill Chase started his own band, also called "Chase." This band was special because it mixed different music styles. It blended pop, rock, and blues with jazz. What made them unique was having four trumpets!

Their first album, also named Chase, came out in April 1971. Bill was joined by three other talented trumpet players: Ted Piercefield, Alan Ware, and Jerry Van Blair. These musicians could also sing and arrange music. The band's rhythm section included Phil Porter on keyboards, Angel South on guitar, Dennis Johnson on bass, and John "Jay Burrid" Mitthaur on drums. Terry Richards was the main singer on their first album.

The album featured their most famous song, "Get It On." This song became a hit single in May 1971 and stayed on the music charts for 13 weeks. A music critic from Downbeat magazine described the trumpets in "Get It On" as "complex cascading lines; a literal waterfall of trumpet timbre and technique." The band was even nominated for a Best New Artist Grammy. However, they lost to the popular singer Carly Simon.

Later Albums

The band "Chase" released their second album, Ennea, in March 1972. The title "Ennea" is a Greek word meaning "nine." This referred to the nine members of the band. During the recording of this album, some band members changed. Gary Smith became the new drummer, and G. G. Shinn took over as the lead singer.

Their third album, Pure Music, came out in 1974. This album moved the band more towards a jazz sound. Two of the songs were written or co-written by Jim Peterik from the band Ides of March. Jim Peterik also sang on the album, along with singer and bassist Dartanyan Brown.

Tragic Plane Crash

Bill Chase was working on his fourth album in 1974. But his work came to a sudden end on August 9, 1974. He was traveling to a concert at the Jackson County Fair. The small plane he was on crashed in Jackson, Minnesota. Bill Chase was only 39 years old. The pilot, co-pilot, keyboardist Wally Yohn, guitarist John Emma, and drummer Walter Clark also passed away in the crash.

How Bill Chase Practiced

Bill Chase had special ways of practicing to become such a great trumpet player. He believed in holding long notes to make his lips and mouth muscles stronger. He said this helped him play the high notes on the trumpet. He also kept himself in good physical shape. He lifted weights and did stretching exercises. He learned these routines from dancers in New York City.

Bill Chase's Albums

• Chase (Epic, 1971)
• Ennea (Epic, 1972)
• Pure Music (Epic, 1974)
• Live Forever (The Hallmark Chase Group, 1998)
• The Concert Series Volume 1 (The Hallmark Chase Group 2001)
• The Concert Series Volume 2 (The Hallmark Chase Group 2001)
• The Concert Series Volume 3 (The Hallmark Chase Group 2001)