23 Facts About Illinois Jacquet

Illinois Jacquet doubled on the bassoon, one of only a few jazz musicians to use the instrument.

Illinois Jacquet's parents were Creoles of color, named Marguerite Trahan and Gilbert Illinois Jacquet, When he was an infant, his family moved from Louisiana to Houston, Texas, and he was raised there as one of six siblings.

At 15, Illinois Jacquet began playing with the Milton Larkin Orchestra, a Houston-area dance band.

Hampton wanted to hire Illinois Jacquet but asked the young Illinois Jacquet to switch to tenor saxophone.

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In 1942, at age 19, Illinois Jacquet soloed on the Hampton Orchestra's recording of "Flying Home", one of the first times a honking tenor sax was heard on record.

The song immediately became the climax for the live shows and Illinois Jacquet became exhausted from having to "bring down the house" every night.

Illinois Jacquet left the Hampton band in 1943 and joined Cab Calloway's Orchestra.

Illinois Jacquet appeared with Calloway's band in Lena Horne's movie Stormy Weather.

In 1944, Illinois Jacquet returned to California and started a small band with his brother Russell and a young Charles Mingus.

Illinois Jacquet appeared at the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert.

Illinois Jacquet wrote the instrumental "Black Velvet" with Jimmy Mundy in 1949 and recorded it the same year.

In 1952, Jacquet co-wrote "Just When We're Falling in Love".

Illinois Jacquet continued to perform in small groups through the 1960s and 1970s.

Illinois Jacquet led the Illinois Jacquet Big Band from 1981 until his death.

Illinois Jacquet became the first jazz musician to be an artist-in-residence at Harvard University, in 1983.

Illinois Jacquet played "C-Jam Blues" with President Bill Clinton on the White House lawn during Clinton's inaugural ball in 1993.

Illinois Jacquet died in the home he shared with his longtime partner, Carol Scherick, in Queens, New York, of a heart attack on July 22,2004.

Illinois Jacquet is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx, New York City.

Illinois Jacquet's honking and screeching emphasized the lower and higher registers of the tenor saxophone.

Illinois Jacquet issued an ultimatum: either allow his all-black orchestra to access the hotel through the main entrance or he would cancel the engagement.

Illinois Jacquet played saxophone, accompanying Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, and Buddy Rich.

Granz and Illinois Jacquet collaborated to eliminate Jim Crow customs from the event.