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Nat Towles (August 10, 1905 – January 1963) was an African-American musician, jazz and big band leader popular in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, North Omaha, Nebraska and Chicago, Illinois. He was also music educator in Austin, Texas.〔 The Nat Towles band is considered one of the greatest territory bands of all time by musicians who played in it and by others who heard it.〔Becker, B. (1985) ("Til The Cows Come Home: Rock n Roll Nebraska," ) 64Dances.com. Retrieved 1/1/08.〕〔(Peter Townsend, ''Pearl Harbor Jazz: Changes in Popular Music in the Early 1940s'', p. 93 )〕 ==Early life== The son of string bassist Phil "Charlie" Towles, Nat was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 10, 1905.〔 Starting his musical career as a guitarist and violinist at the age of 11, Towles switched to the bass at the age of 13. He performed in New Orleans through his teenage years with Gus Metcalf's Melody Jazz Band, eventually playing with a number of bands, including those of Buddie Petit, Henry "Red" Allen, Jack Carey, and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra.〔Chadbourne, E. ("Nat Towles" ), Answers.com. Retrieved 1/1/08.〕 In 1923 he formed The Nat Towles' Creole Harmony Kings. This jazz band became one of the prominent territory bands in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. In 1925 he played bass for Fate Marable, and reformed his own band the next year. In 1934, Towles organized a band of young musicians studying music at Wiley College in Austin, Texas.〔〔 Towles also worked a club circuit in Dallas during this period, reportedly working for a gangster who owned 26 nightclubs throughout the city. During this period T-Bone Walker and Buddy Tate worked for Towles.,〔Dance, S. (1985), ''The World of Count Basie.'' Da Capo Press, p. 120.〕 In the 1930s Towles transformed his band into The Nat Towles Dance Orchestra, signed with the National Orchestra Service, and focused on swing music through the 1930s and 1940s. In 1934 Towles took up residence in North Omaha, Nebraska, where his band was stationed for the next 25 years. With this outfit Towles dueled with Lloyd Hunter for dominance over the much-contested Near North Side in North Omaha, where he was held over at the Dreamland Ballroom for several weeks. In 1936 and 1937 Towles' band held residence at Omaha's Krug Park.〔 In 1943 he also held a three-month stint at the Rhumboogie Club in Chicago,〔Fullerton, K. "Lots O’Papa”: The Life of Nat Towles and His Orchestra." De-Canonizing Music History Symposium. Retrieved 1/1/08.〕 and later that year took up residency again in Omaha's Dreamland Ballroom. Billy Mitchell played with him during that period. That year Towles also played extensively throughout New York City, including an appearance at the Apollo Theater. Notable players in the dance orchestra included trombonist Buster Cooper〔Dance, S. (2000), ''The World of Duke Ellington.'' Da Capo Press, p. 211.〕 and saxophonists Red Holloway,〔(Reviews ), RedHolloway.com. Retrieved 1/1/08.〕 Buster Bennett and Preston Love. Towles continued leading bands throughout the 1950s. In 1959 Towles retired to California to open a bar.〔 He died in Berkeley, California, of a heart attack in January 1963.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nat Towles」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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