Ron Dewar

Last updated
Ron Dewar photo by Laurie Solomon Ron Dewar photo by Laurie Solomon.jpg
Ron Dewar photo by Laurie Solomon
Ron Dewar
Birth nameRonald Bruce Dewar
BornJuly 22, 1941
Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJanuary 4, 2024
Blanding, Utah, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, educator
Instrument(s) Saxophone, clarinet, bassoon
Years active1959 - 2023

Ron Dewar (July 22, 1941 - January 4, 2024) was an American saxophone, clarinet, and bassoon player who grew up in Plainfield, Illinois and worked in the Chicago area. His father, Robert Dewar, worked in a bowling alley. His mother, Ruth Jahneke Dewar taught music. [1] His younger brothers Roger and Randy grew up to perform and teach music.

Contents

Career

Dewar started playing saxophone when he was 15. [2] After hearing Joe Farrell at a Joliet club, Dewar decided to attend college where Farrell studied. [3] Dewar began studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and joined the Jazz Band led by John Garvey from 1959 to 1962. [4] Dewar rejoined the band from 1968 to 1972. Dewar played in the band again as adjunct faculty from 1980 to 1981. [5]

In March 1968 he was awarded "top tenor saxophone" at the Collegiate Jazz Festival at Notre Dame with judges Oliver Nelson, Ray Brown, Robert Share, Gerald Wilson, and Dan Morgenstern. Freddy Hubbard and Wayne Shorter were scheduled to adjudicate but both had to cancel. Willis Conover was MC. [6] Saxophonist Michael Brecker from Indiana University won "outstanding musician." [7]

He was a featured soloist of the University of Illinois Jazz Band in 1968 during a two month State Department sponsored tour to Ireland, Romania, Yugoslavia, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Czechoslovakia. [8] The band consisted of Don Smith (vocals/flute); Ken Ferrantino, Jim Darling, Jerry Tessin (trumpet); Cecil Bridgewater, Jim Knapp (trumpet/flugelhorn); Dave Sporny, Larry Dwyer, Frank Harmantas (trombone); Rich Rousch (bass trombone/baritone horn); John Prendergast (tuba); Howie Smith, John Wonsowicz, Ron Dewar, Larry Cangelosi, Bill Feldman (saxophone); Ron Elliston (piano); Fred Atwood (bass); Chuck Braugham (drums); Bill Fries (percussion).

On March 14 1969, Dewar performed at the Collegiate Jazz Festival in the University of Illinois Jazz Band and his own quartet with Jim Knapp, John Monaghan, and Chuck Braugham. [9] He was awarded a special plaque for his saxophone playing. [10] The judges were Clark Terry, Ernie Wilkins, Dan Morgenstern, Thad Jones, Gary McFarland, and Sonny Stitt.

In June 1969, the University of Illinois Jazz Band performed at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Recordings were made of the band backing Sarah Vaughan and Gerry Mulligan. Dewar can be heard briefly on a solo with Sarah Vaughn on "There Will Never Be Another You."

From November 11 to December 23, 1969, the University of Illinois Jazz Band toured USSR. Ron Dewar wrote a fanfare for two saxophones based on Uzbek themes. [11]

On July 31, 1971, the University of Illinois Jazz Band performed at Town Hall in New York City with Gary Burton on vibraphone. Dewar was featured soloist on several pieces. [12]

In the 1970s, while playing with The Chicago Hot Six with Ed "Doc" Kittrell (trumpet) and Roy Rubinstein (trombone), Ron developed a passion for the music of New Orleans. He studied the New Orleans clarinetists Omer Simeon, Johnny Dodds, Barney Bigard and Sydney Bechet and incorporated their styles in his playing, sometimes even playing an older style Albert system clarinet. He delved deeply in the recordings of Jelly Roll Morton and the early King Oliver sides with Louis Armstrong on second cornet. He arranged many of these tunes for the Memphis Nighthawks and inspired many other players to pursue this music.

In the eighties, Dewar and drummer Phil Gratteau, joined Brazilian artists Breno and Neusa Sauer and Paulinho Garcia in a Chicago group called Made in Brazil. In 1984 they recorded "Tudo Joia" for Pausa Records, a blend of contemporary bossa and samba with a jazz flavor. Ron performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1986. [13]

Dewar appeared at the first Chicago Jazz Festival and frequently in the years that followed.

Chicago Jazz Festival Appearances
YearGroup
1979Little Brother Montgomery and the State Street Ramblers
1981Jazz Members Big Band
1982Made in Brazil and Mike Ferro Quintet
1985New Memphis Nighthawks
1986Kelly Brand Quartet
1987Ellington Dynasty
1990The Champaign Connection featuring Rachael Lee
1991Kelly Brand Quartet
1994Fletcher Basington Orchestra
1996John Brumbach/Ron Dewar Quintet
2008Ron Dewar Quintet
2021John Brumbach/Ron Dewar Quintet
Discography [14]
ArtistAlbumLabelYear
University Of Illinois Jazz BandCollegiate Jazz Festival – 1967Not On Label1967
Salvatore MartiranoL's GA – Ballad – OctetPolydor1969
University Of Illinois Jazz BandOrchestra De Jazz A Universității Din IllinoisElectrecord1969
University Of Illinois Jazz BandIn Stockholm, SwedenCentury Records1969
University Of Illinois Jazz BandUniversity Of Illinois Jazz Band And Dixie BandCentury Records1969
Sarah VaughnJazzfest MastersScotti Bros. Records1969
Gerry MulliganJazzfest MastersScotti Bros. Records1969
University Of Illinois Jazz BandThe University Of Illinois Jazz Band With Don SmithMark Records1970
University Of Illinois Jazz BandThe University Of Illinois Jazz Band And The Hot 7 At CJFMark Records1970
Edwin London / George CrumbPortraits Of Three Ladies (American) / Madrigals, Books I-IVAcoustic Research1971
Peter Berkow & FriendsThesisNot On Label1975
The ShipTornadoSaturday Night Records1976
The Memphis NighthawksJazz LipsDelmark Records1977
The Memphis NighthawksLive At The StabilizerGolden Crest1977
VariousBix Lives (Volume 12)Not On Label1977
The Chicago Hot SixIn Concert: The Chicago Hot SixBlackbird1979
Thom BishopThe Wireless WonderStuff Records1981
Duke Tumatoe And The All Star FrogsBack To ChicagoTrouserworm Tunes Records1982
University Of Illinois Jazz BandCloseoutDancing Bear Records1982
ChampaignModern HeartCBS1983
Little Brother Montgomery And The Jazz AllstarsLittle Brother Montgomery And The Jazz AllstarsFM Records1983
The Chicago Hot Six Special Guest Leon OakleyStomping At The Good TimeG.H.B.1983
Made In BrasilTudo JoiaPausa Records1984
Judy RobertsYou Are TherePausa Records1985
Classic Jazz EnsembleClassic BluesDelmark Records1989
Laurel MasséAgainDisques Beaupré1990
Emily HaddadEmily HaddadSharp 5 Productions1991
Andre Williams With The El DoradosGreasyNorton Records1996
Salvatore MartiranoO, O, O, O, That Shakespeherian RagNew World Records1998
Steve Rashid And The Woodside Avenue All-StarsFidgety FeetWoodside Avenue2001
Bob DoganSalishanBig Foot Jazz2001
Sons Of The Never WrongNuthatch SuiteGadfly Records2005
W. A. MathieuGhost Opera - Improvised Ensemble Music 1971Cold Mountain Music2006
VariousRomanian Jazz: Jazz From The Electrecord Archives 1966-1978Sonar Kollektiv2007
ChampaignModern Heart / Woman In FlamesColumbia2012
Thomas Gunther TrioSwingin' Big At WillowbrookNot On LabelUnknown
Johnny Rinaldo His Trumpet And OrchestraFrom Out Of The MidwestJ And D RecordsUnknown

References

  1. "1940 Census". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  2. Merli, Melissa (2008-08-24). "UI Jazz Band veteran to play local gigs with quartet". The News Gazette. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  3. Rashid, Steve. "Chicago Jazz Live". PRX.org. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  4. "Jazz-U-Like-It". Daily Illini. 1959-11-12.
  5. "John Garvey and the University of Illinois Jazz Band". garveyband.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  6. Carey, Joseph (1986). Big Noise from Notre Dame. Joseph Kuhn Carey. p. 69.
  7. Carey, Joseph (1986). Big Noise from Notre Dame. Joseph Kuhn Carey. p. 72.
  8. Walters, E.E. (1968-10-01). "University of Illinois Jazz Band - a hit on the U.S. scene - off to try Europe". The Montreal Gazette. p. 23.
  9. "Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival Program" (PDF). p. 20. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  10. "Third Year in a Row: Illinois Jazz Group Cops Top Honor at CJF" (PDF). The Observer: 2. 17 March 1969. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  11. Morgenstern, Dan. "Cultural Confluence: The University of Illinois jazz Band in Russia". John Garvey and the University of Illinois Jazz Band. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  12. "May Day". YouTube. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 2024-01-14.
  13. "Chicago Jazz Festival Set". Toledo Blade. Knight News Service. 1986-07-13. p. 60.
  14. "Ron Dewar Credits". Discogs. Retrieved 2024-01-08.

"RonDewarJazz.com"