Composer
Bob Wilber
jazz clarinetist, composer and saxophonist from United States
1928–2019
21 works in the index
- Born
- 1928
- Died
- 2019
- Birthplace
- New York City
- Place of death
- Chipping Campden
- Citizenship / historical state
- United States
- Period (estimated from birth year)
- Contemporary
Biography
Robert Sage Wilber (March 15, 1928 – August 4, 2019) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and band leader. Although his scope covers a wide range of jazz, Wilber was a dedicated advocate of classic styles, working throughout his career to present traditional jazz pieces in a contemporary manner. He played with many distinguished jazz leaders in the 1950s and 1960s, including Bobby Hackett, Benny Goodman, Sidney Bechet, Jack Teagarden and Eddie Condon. In the late 1960s, he was an original member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and in the early '70s of Soprano Summit, a band which gained wide attention. In the late 1970s, he formed the Bechet Legacy Band.
Wilber was active in jazz education, including working as director of the Smithsonian Jazz Repertory Ensemble. He wrote for films, including The Cotton Club. In his autobiography, Music Was Not Enough, he recounts his childhood, meeting his mentor Sidney Bechet, in 1946, and his struggles as a musician in the 1950s and 1960s. He died at the age of 91 in 2019.
Biography excerpt from Wikipedia contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting and reference markers have been removed; the introduction may be shortened. View contributors and article history.
Life and musical career
- Occupations
- clarinetist; jazz musician; music arranger; composer; saxophonist
- Education
- Scarsdale High School
- Teachers
- Sidney Bechet
- Instruments played
- clarinet; soprano saxophone; saxophone
- Genres
- jazz
- VIAF ID
- 109864797
- ISNI
- 0000000114970284
- GND ID
- 118886991
- Library of Congress ID
- n80122172
- MusicBrainz ID
- 337f12b9-abc8-4433-abf5-e4b3f883b991
Recorded in Wikidata. Affiliations may refer to earlier stages of the composer's career.
In this catalogue
- Common listed instruments
- Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Voice
- Genres represented
- Blues
- Works with composition dates
- 0 of 21
These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.
Catalogue
Works
Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.
| Work | Year composed | Catalogue / opus | Key in title | Listed instruments | Genre | Editions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Moods for Piano and Winds | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | 7 |
| La Valse Bleue | — | — | — | Voice | Blues | 8 |
| Ballad for Beth | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 7 |
| Soulful Serenade | — | — | — | Voice | Blues | 6 |
| Blue Rhumba | — | — | — | Voice | Blues | 6 |
| Might as Well Be Movin' On | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 4 |
| Pork 'n' Beans | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 4 |
| Century Plaza | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | 1 |
| In an Old Deserted Ballroom | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | 1 |
| A Little Farewell Music | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | 1 |
| Acapulco Princess | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | — |
| The Mighty Hudson | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | — |
| Early Morning Blues | — | — | — | Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone | — | 0 |
| Basie Eyes | — | — | — | Voice | Blues | 1 |
| After Midnight | — | — | — | Voice | Blues | 1 |
| Where Will I go? | — | — | — | Voice | Blues | 1 |
| Countdown | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 1 |
| Waltzing on a Reed | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 1 |
| Freemanition | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 1 |
| Living for Love | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 1 |
| Blues for a Matador | — | — | — | Clarinet | — | 1 |
Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. Authority record: VIAF 109864797. Portrait: René Speur, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.