Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rh… Read Full Bio ↴Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American jazz and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist.
Bostic was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He turned professional at age 18 when he joined Terrence Holder's band. He made his first recording with Lionel Hampton in 1942 where he played along with Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, Sid Catlett, Teddy Wilson and Hampton. Before that he performed with Fate Marable on New Orleans riverboats. Bostic graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. He worked with territory bands as well as Arnett Cobb, Hot Lips Page, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and other jazz luminaries. He formed his own band in 1945, and turned to rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. His biggest hits were "Temptation," "Sleep," "Flamingo," "You Go to My Head" and "Cherokee." At various times his band included Jaki Byard, John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine, Keter Betts, Sir Charles Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Tony Scott, Benny Carter and other musicians who rose to prominence in jazz. Bostic held his musicians to a high standard and demanded that they read music faultlessly. He was influenced by the great Sidney Bechet. John Coltrane in turn was influenced by Earl Bostic. James Moody said that Bostic was the chief influence on John Coltrane. Moody mentioned that "Bostic knew his instrument inside out, back to front and upside down."
His virtuosity is documented in records such as Up There In Orbit, Earl's Imagination, Apollo Theater Jump, All On, Artistry by Bostic, Telestar Drive, Liza, Lady Be Good and Tiger Rag. Bostic was a master of the blues and he used this skill in a variety of musical settings. Although Bostic recorded many commercial albums, some notable jazz based exceptions on the King label include Bostic Rocks Hits of the Swing Age, Jazz As I Feel It and A New Sound.
Bostic's King album titled Jazz As I Feel It featured Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Pass on guitar and Groove Holmes on organ. Bostic recorded the King Album "A New Sound" about one month later again, featuring Holmes and Pass. These recordings allowed Bostic to stretch out beyond the 3 minute limit imposed by the 45 RPM format. Bostic was pleased with the sessions which highlight his total mastery of the blues but they also foreshadowed musical advances that were later evident in the work of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.
He wrote arrangements for Paul Whiteman, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden and Alvino Rey.
Bostic's signature hit, "Flamingo" was recorded in 1951 and remains a favorite among followers of Carolina Beach Music in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Their style of Beach Music is heavily influenced by Rhythm-and-Blues music from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Bostic recorded for Cincinnati-based King Records, a small label that was well known for releasing "R and B" and Bluegrass records. In fact, the biggest star on the King label was "the Godfather of Soul", James Brown. Bostic was also popular among R&B and jazz followers in the United Kingdom, thanks to his records that were released on the Parlophone label.
Bostic died from a heart attack in Rochester, New York, while performing with his band in 1965. His widow, Hildegarde, was still living in San Francisco as of the mid-1990s.
Bostic was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He turned professional at age 18 when he joined Terrence Holder's band. He made his first recording with Lionel Hampton in 1942 where he played along with Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, Sid Catlett, Teddy Wilson and Hampton. Before that he performed with Fate Marable on New Orleans riverboats. Bostic graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. He worked with territory bands as well as Arnett Cobb, Hot Lips Page, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and other jazz luminaries. He formed his own band in 1945, and turned to rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. His biggest hits were "Temptation," "Sleep," "Flamingo," "You Go to My Head" and "Cherokee." At various times his band included Jaki Byard, John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine, Keter Betts, Sir Charles Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Tony Scott, Benny Carter and other musicians who rose to prominence in jazz. Bostic held his musicians to a high standard and demanded that they read music faultlessly. He was influenced by the great Sidney Bechet. John Coltrane in turn was influenced by Earl Bostic. James Moody said that Bostic was the chief influence on John Coltrane. Moody mentioned that "Bostic knew his instrument inside out, back to front and upside down."
His virtuosity is documented in records such as Up There In Orbit, Earl's Imagination, Apollo Theater Jump, All On, Artistry by Bostic, Telestar Drive, Liza, Lady Be Good and Tiger Rag. Bostic was a master of the blues and he used this skill in a variety of musical settings. Although Bostic recorded many commercial albums, some notable jazz based exceptions on the King label include Bostic Rocks Hits of the Swing Age, Jazz As I Feel It and A New Sound.
Bostic's King album titled Jazz As I Feel It featured Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Pass on guitar and Groove Holmes on organ. Bostic recorded the King Album "A New Sound" about one month later again, featuring Holmes and Pass. These recordings allowed Bostic to stretch out beyond the 3 minute limit imposed by the 45 RPM format. Bostic was pleased with the sessions which highlight his total mastery of the blues but they also foreshadowed musical advances that were later evident in the work of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.
He wrote arrangements for Paul Whiteman, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden and Alvino Rey.
Bostic's signature hit, "Flamingo" was recorded in 1951 and remains a favorite among followers of Carolina Beach Music in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Their style of Beach Music is heavily influenced by Rhythm-and-Blues music from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Bostic recorded for Cincinnati-based King Records, a small label that was well known for releasing "R and B" and Bluegrass records. In fact, the biggest star on the King label was "the Godfather of Soul", James Brown. Bostic was also popular among R&B and jazz followers in the United Kingdom, thanks to his records that were released on the Parlophone label.
Bostic died from a heart attack in Rochester, New York, while performing with his band in 1965. His widow, Hildegarde, was still living in San Francisco as of the mid-1990s.
Earl Blows a Fuse
Earl Bostic Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Earl Bostic:
Ain't Misbehavin No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
Aint Misbehavin No one to talk with All by myself No one to walk…
Be My Love Be my love, for no one else can end this…
Beyond the Blue Horizon Blue horizon Waits a beautiful day Goodbye to things that bo…
Blue Moon Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Bugle Call Rag You're bound to fall for the bugle call; You're gonna brag…
Deep Purple Woo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo When the…
Deep Purple (Remastered) Woooo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo When the …
Does Your Heart Beat For Me Is the moonlight tonight enchanted, It fills me with longing…
Embraceable You Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you! Embrace me, you irrepl…
Flamingo (2003 Remastered Version) Flamingo, like a flame in the sky Flying over the island To…
Goodnight Sweet Heart Good night sweetheart, till we meet tomorrow Good night sw…
Goodnight Sweetheart Good night sweetheart, till we meet tomorrow Good night swe…
I Can'T Give You Anything But Love Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gettin…
Lady Be Good Listen to my tale of woe, It's terribly sad but true, All…
Lover Come Back To Me You went away I let you We broke the ties that bind I…
Melancholy Melancholy serenade every time I hear it played Right out of…
Melancholy Serenade Melancholy serenade every time I hear it played Right out o…
Moonglow It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue It…
September Song Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December But…
Serenade Melancholy serenade every time I hear it played Right out of…
Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
Sleep Sleep, sleep, sleep How we love to sleep At the close of…
Smoke Rings Where do they go, the smoke rings I blow each…
Song Is Ended My thoughts go back to a heavenly dance A moment of…
Song of the island Islands of Hawaii Where skies of blue are calling me Where b…
Stairway to the Stars Let's build a stairway to the stars And climb that stairway…
Sweet Lorraine Everything is set, skies are blue, Can't believe it yet, but…
Temptation You came, I was alone I should have known you were…
The Man I Love Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
The Sheik of Araby "I'm the Sheik of Araby, Your love belongs to me. At…
The Song Is Ended My thoughts go back to a heavenly dance A moment of…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
Third Man Theme When a zither starts to play You'll remember yesterday In it…
Tiger Rag Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! Where's that tiger! …
Time Is on My Hands When the day fades away into twilight The moon is my…
Where or When It seems we stood and talked like this before We looked…
You Go to My Head You go to my head And you linger like a haunting…
Your Cheatin Heart Is the moonlight tonight enchanted, It fills me with longing…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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wyndhl eodumegwu
What I call Happy Jazz or Festive Jazz, one that swings with passion and emotion.
wordsmith52
+wyndhl eodumegwu Agreed - he put all he had into this one!
wyndhl eodumegwu
+wordsmith52 Yes, he does; you're correct.
Eddie Cesc
Great
wordsmith52
Thanks. Very much then.
Music Selection
Just swinging Steve .. been raiding your closet lol :) ms
wordsmith52
+Music Selection U never know who will turn up - glad to see yer here man!
Music Selection
wordsmith52 Thought I better before I get closed down , now that Jane Rutter has been shut down its only a matter of time before we all get switched off ... dont think she is gonna come back after all them years .. and it wasn't for new uploads but old ones that had been approved ,, so you never know what is gonna be the bad apple in the cart ..
wordsmith52
Music Selection ...yes - makes you think!
Music Selection
wordsmith52 Yes .. get your life belt ready lol