JIGGS WHIGHAM

Hayden ‘Jiggs’ Whigham was born in Cleveland Ohio on 20th August 1943. He acquired the nickname ‘Jiggs’ from his grandfather who was fascinated by cartoon characters Jiggs and Maggie in a children’s comic. The name Jiggs has remained with him to this day.

Jiggs became interested in music at an early age listening to the bands on the radio and during his early teens started on trombone in high school, graduating in 196 I when he was offered a job with the Ray McKinley/Glenn Miller band. Whigham has always maintained that Ray was a good leader to work for and that the band was a well-drilled unit but after two years it became a little monotonous playing the same numbers night after night in precisely the same way, and in 1963 Don Jacoby mentioned that Bob Fitzpatrick was leaving the Stan Kenton band, so there would be a vacancy for a lead trombone player and Whigham was delighted to accept the position.

During an engagement in Florida with the Kenton band, Jiggs, being in high spirits alter having drunk too much alcohol decided to throw the bands mellophoniums into the hotel’s swimming pool much to the delight of the other trombonists and trumpet players. The main cause of the trouble was that the mellophonium section often overpowered the other brass players performance.

At this time Jiggs recorded an album entitled ‘Voices and Brass’ which featured the Kenton brass section, rhythm section and an 18 piece mixed choir with the inclusion of soprano Gloria Wood of whom one may remember utilised her voice as a ‘trumpet’ with Pete Candoli supplying the genuine trumpet solos on a 78 rpm record of the 1950s entitled ‘Hey Bellboy’.

On the ‘Voices in Brass’ album Mrs Henry Mancini was also a member of the Kenton choir. The titles include ‘Night Song’ (Artistry in Rhythm), ‘Flame’ (Artistry in Bolero), ‘Concerto of Love’ (Concerto to end all Concerto’s), ‘Moonlove’ (Collaboration) plus several other compositions. The original instrumental titles are given in brackets.

Jiggs was also present on the Jean Turner/Stan Kenton album recorded in September 1963. Personnel: Tommy Porrello, Buzzy Mills, Ronnie Ossa, Bob Behrendt, Ron Keller-trumpets. Jiggs Whigham, Edwin Baker, Robert Cumow, Jim Amlotte, Dave Wheeler& trombone and tuba. Tony Scodwell, Bob Crull, Robert Faust, David Horton-mellophoniums. Cabe Baltazar-alto sax, Steve Marcus, Ray Florian-tenor sax, Dale Norris-baritone sax, Joel Kaye-baritone sax, bass sax, alto flute and piccolo. Stan Kenton,-piano, John Worster-bass, Dee Bartonarums, and of course vocalist Jean Turner. Numbers included ‘Day Dream’, ‘You’re The Tops’, ‘Love Walked In’, ‘A Lot Of Livin’ To Do’, ‘Sleepy Lagoon’, :Our Love Is Here To Stay’.

After a few months with Kenton Jiggs received a call from New York. It was from Richard Rodgers' agent, saying he was interested in Whigham for a Broadway stage show. When Jiggs arrived in New York he was greeted by Richard Rodgers himself who wanted Jiggs to arrange the music for his shows. Later Jiggs handed in his notice to Stan Kenton and by 1965 was living in New York. There he recorded with Maynard Ferguson, Johnny Richards and Larry Elgart.

Towards the end of 1965 Jiggs joined the Kurt Edelhagen orchestra in Germany at the Westdeutscher Runfunk in Cologne. Whigham was now qualified in harmony, composing, arranging and teaching. In 1966 Jiggs won an award at the International Jazz competition in Vienna, Austria, and about this time took up residency in Germany and appeared and recorded on many occasions with the Kurt Edelhagen orchestra including the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1967.

Jiggs was nominated as Director of Jazz Studies at Cologne University where he received his professorship. Whigham embarks on regular seminars throughout the world. Has played with many bands throughout the 1960s and 1970s including Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band, Maynard Ferguson, George Gruntz, Werner Muller, Bert Kaempfert and others. In 1971 Jiggs broadcast with the Kurt Edelhagen Big Band in Cologne. The guest star was Stan Getz. Remainder of the personnel is as follows: Shake Keene, Rick Kiefer, Hanne Wilfert, Mecki Schanning-trumpets, Jiggs Whigham, Manfred Gatjens, Helmut Hauck, Peter Herbolzheimer-trombones, Heinz Kretzschmar-alto sax, Wilton Gaynair- tenor and soprano sax, Karl Drewo-tenor sax, Kurt Alderhold-baritone sax, Bora Rokovic-piano, Peter Trunk-bass, Ron Stephenson-drums (the only Britisher amongst them). Numbers include ‘Con Alma’, ‘Windows’, and ‘Nica’s Dream’,recorded on the Vantage label.

A few years later Whigham appeared at a similar live concert with Peter Herbolzheimer's Big Band, on this occasion from Hanover. And again, the guest star was Stan Getz. Rest of the personnel: Rick Kiefer, Ron Simmonds, Derek Watkins, Ack Van Rooyen, Art Farmer-trumpets, Jiggs Whigham, Slide Hampton, Otto Bredl, Albert Mangelsdorf-trombones, Herb Geller, Ferdinand Povel-alto saxes, Johnny Griffin, Wilton Gaynair-tenor saxes, James Towsey-baritone sax, Wolfgang Dauner- piano, Volker Kriegel-guitar, Niels Orsted Pedersen-bass, Grady Tate-drums, Alex Riel-percussion.

That same year 1976, Jiggs recorded with a small band consisting of himself on trombone and an ancient form of trombone called a trombonium. The rest of the personnel consist of Ferdinand Povel-tenor, alto and soprano saxophones. Rob Franken-piano, Niels Orsted Pedersen- bass, Grady Tate-drums. This recording was not released until 1994 on the Mons label. Jiggs continued to work with the Peter Herbolzheimer Big band and recorded a Jazz Gala concert in Germany in 1979. It is available on a CD on the Rare Bid label.

When composer, arranger, Bill Holman visited Germany in 1982 to conduct the West German Radio Big Band he became acquainted with Jiggs. I believe they had met previously although were not in the Kenton band at the same time, but did appreciate each others work. The title of the CD is ‘The Third Stone’.

During 1983, Jiggs appeared on a VI-IS video with the Louie Bellson big band. The personnel was Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Benny Bailey, America Bellotto, Ack Van Rooyen-trumpets, Tom Malone, Jiggs Whigham, Hermann Breuer, Rudi Fuesers-trombones. Herb Geller, Andre Villeger-alto saxes, Michael Brecker, Thomas Grunwald-tenor saxes, Howard Johnson-baritone sax, Cil Coldstein- piano, Dean Brown-bass, Tom Landers- drums. Numbers include ‘The Drum Squad’, ‘Miles Ahead’, ‘We’ve Come A Long Way Together’, ‘Blues For Freddy’, ‘Samantha’, and ‘Explosion’.

That same year ‘83, Jiggs recorded with Peter Herbolzheimer’s Rhythm Combination and Brass, entitled Big Band Bebop on the Koala label CD. A host of be-bop tunes are included such as Charlie Parker’s ‘Scrapple From the Apple’, Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round Midnight’, Denzil Best’s ‘Move’, who some may remember as George Shearing’s drummer during the late forties, early fifties. Also on this CD are some originals composed by Rob Pronk, Herbolzheimer and Jerry Van Rooyen. Solo’s from Jiggs and fellow trombonist Bart Van Lier, tenor saxist Heinz von Hermann and pianist Rob Franken who died three days after the recording was completed in December. Other soloists are Karl Drewo-alto sax, and trumpet player Allan Botschinsky.

During 1984 the drummer Klaus Weiss formed an all-star line-up consisting of both top American and German musicians including Jiggs, and another ex Kenton trombonist Bob Burgess, trumpeters Don Rader (ex Maynard Ferguson) and Benny Bailey (ex Quincy Jones, Francy Boland and others). Apart from Too Close For Comfort, all the other compositions are by Bill Holman, Francy Boland, Bob Mintzer and Don Menza. The title of the CD ‘Lightnin’ composed by Holman available on the Jetson label.

On one particular visit to Britain Whigham recorded with BBC Big Band. On this occasion conducted by Vic Lewis. Recorded on the Concept label. Tide ‘Tea Break’ and included in the album is the lovely ‘Sunday Girl’ number which featured trombonist Jimmy Wilson, and alto saxist Ronnie Chamberlain. Here, it features Jiggs and alto saxist Bud Shank.

The mid to late 1980s proved to be a busy time for Whigham. 1987, in particular, collaborating with fellow trombonists Bill Watrous, Carl Fontana, Ian McDougall, plus a rhythm section. This group recorded a compilation of originals and standards including ‘Samantha’, ‘Song For A Special Lady’, ‘Airegin’, ‘When Your Lover Has Gone’, ‘Get Out And Stay Out‘, and others. The title of the Alliance CD ‘Brass Connection’.

This same year, 1987, was the first Stan Kenton Convention held in this country, organised by Amie Chadwick and Vic Lewis who was responsible for inviting several ex Kenton alumni including Jiggs, fellow trombonist Bob Burgess, tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins, alto saxists Bud Shank and Charlie Mariano, trumpet and flugelhorn player Shorty Rogers, bass player John Worster, and the last drummer to play forStan in 1978, Jay Cummings. The musicians were featured in panel discussions and were guest soloists with the Shades Jazz Orchestra.

Shortly after this event in Oldham, Lancashire, Whigham embarked on a brief tour of Britain. He took Master Classes at the British Trombone Society, Guildhall London, the Farrer Theatre, Eton, Berkshire, also seminars at colleges in Scotland, and Wales.

Jiggs returned to the States (although he was still based in Germany) to record a CD titled ‘The Jiggs Up’ on the Capri label with cohorts Bud Shank-alto sax, George Cables-piano, John Clayton-bass, Jeff Hamilton, drurns. When the Shades Jazz Orchestra recorded their first cassette entitled ‘I remember Stan’, in June 1990, it was Jiggs who guested with this combo and he can be heard on five tracks including ‘Frank Speaking’ a Bill Russo composition originally written for the late Frank Rosolino, plus ‘Summer Samba’ and a tribute to Carl Fontana (composed by Bill Holman) simply entitled ‘Carl’.

Whigham returned to the States in the late Spring of 1991 to participate in the ‘Back to Balboa’ event which took place in Newport, California to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the music of Stan Kenton. Due to Whigham’s popularity he appeared alongside other ex Kenton compatriots, Bud Shank-alto sax, Bill Perkins-tenor sax, Bill Holman- composer, arranger and Birmingham born Roy Reynolds who has lived in the States since the 1970s. The prestigious event was the Rendezvous in Britain 1994 and their guest of honour, Vic Lewis.

Jiggs recorded in Germany with the Mom German Jazz Orchestra under his leadership. Title of the CD ‘First Take’.

The 1996 Rendezvous in Britain took place again in Daventry, Northamptonshire, and the guests were Jiggs Whigham, Buddy Childers, Milt Bernhart, Bill Russo, Lee Konitz and Roy Reynolds plus the BBC Big Band directed by Barry Forgie, the Trinity College Big Band directed by Bobby Lamb, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra directed by Bill Ashton and the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra directed by John Ruddick. Whigham enjoys living and working in Germany where he resides with his wife, Diane and two daughters. At present Jiggs is director of the RIAS big band in Berlin.