Joe Wilder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Wilder
Left to right: John Webber, Joe Wilder and Lewis Nash
Background information
Born	(1922-02-22)February 22, 1922 Colwyn, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	May 9, 2014(2014-05-09) (aged 92) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, Swing music
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Trumpet, flugelhorn
Years active	1940s – 2014
Labels	Savoy, Columbia, Evening Star
Associated acts	Lionel Hampton Dizzy Gillespie Benny Goodman Benny Carter Billie Holiday Lena Horne Johnny Mathis Harry Belafonte Tony Bennett

Joseph Benjamin Wilder, known as Joe Wilder, was a talented American jazz musician. He played the trumpet and flugelhorn. Joe was also a bandleader and composer. He was born on February 22, 1922, and passed away on May 9, 2014.

Joe Wilder received important awards for his jazz music. These included the Temple University Jazz Master's Hall of Fame Award in 2006. The National Endowment for the Arts gave him their highest jazz honor, the NEA Jazz Masters Award, in 2008.

Biography

Growing Up with Music

Joe Wilder was born into a family that loved music. His father, Curtis, was a bassist and bandleader in Philadelphia. Joe started performing very young. He was on a radio show called "Parisian Tailor's Colored Kiddies of the Air." He and other young musicians played with famous bands. These included Duke Ellington's and Louis Armstrong's bands. They played at the Lincoln Theater.

Joe studied music at the Mastbaum School of Music in Philadelphia. But he chose jazz because he felt there were more chances for African-American jazz musicians. When he was 19, Joe joined his first big touring band, Les Hite's band.

Serving His Country

Joe Wilder was one of the first thousand African Americans to join the Marines. This was during World War II. He first worked with Special Weapons. Later, he became the Assistant Bandmaster for the headquarters' band.

A Busy Musician

After the war, in the 1940s and early 1950s, Joe played in many famous orchestras. These included bands led by Jimmie Lunceford, Dizzy Gillespie, and Count Basie.

From 1957 to 1974, Joe worked in studios for ABC-TV in New York City. He also played in the orchestras for Broadway musicals. During this time, he became well-known as a solo artist. He released albums with Savoy (1956) and Columbia (1959). His album Jazz from Peter Gunn (1959) featured songs from the "Peter Gunn" TV show.

Joe was also a regular sideman, meaning he played with other musicians. He played with NEA Jazz Masters like Hank Jones and Benny Goodman. Many singers loved working with him. He played for Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Johnny Mathis, Harry Belafonte, and Tony Bennett.

In 1953, Joe earned a music degree. He studied classical trumpet at the Manhattan School of Music. He also played principal trumpet with the school's symphony orchestra. In the 1960s, he performed several times with the New York Philharmonic. He also played lead trumpet for the Symphony Of The New World from 1965 to 1971.

Later Career and Acting

Joe Wilder appeared on The Cosby Show in an episode called "Play It Again, Russell" (1986). He also played the trumpet in the Malcolm X Orchestra in Spike Lee's movie "Malcolm X" (1992).

After 1991, he started leading his own groups again. He recorded three more albums for Evening Star. Joe Wilder passed away on May 9, 2014, in New York City. He died from heart failure.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

Joe Wilder played as a sideman on many albums with other famous musicians. Some of these artists include:

• Count Basie
• Ruth Brown
• Benny Carter
• Al Cohn
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Gil Evans
• Johnny Hartman
• Coleman Hawkins
• Johnny Hodges
• J. J. Johnson
• Hank Jones
• Quincy Jones
• Yusef Lateef
• John Lewis
• Herbie Mann
• Les McCann
• Oliver Nelson
• David Newman
• Houston Person
• Oscar Pettiford
• Shirley Scott
• Sonny Stitt
• Anita O'Day
• Donna Hightower