Gene Estes had a richly varied and successful musical career as a drummer, vibraphonist, composer and arranger, writing for and performing equally well with small groups or big bands. He was born in Amarillo, Texas, on October 3, 1931, and from 1945 grew up in Los Angeles. He came from a musical family, which included his father, Ace Estes, a drummer who played in various bands in the late 1920s and 1930s (most notably Buddy Rogers), and a successful younger brother, jazz and studio musician, Alan.

Before he was in junior high school, Gene was sitting in on piano and drums with Jack Teagarden, Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman and others of the swing era. He played drums in the official Air Force dance band, the Airmen of Note in Washington, D.C. in the early 50’s. Afterwards, he settled in Los Angeles and played with Jack Teagarden and Tex Beneke before becoming known as the drummer of the Harry James orchestra in 1955. He remained with James for a little over two years, and when he left it was to concentrate more on studio work, exploring several percussion instruments—mainly vibes and drums, but also marimba, tympani, xylophone and bongoes among others. From 1957 until 1965, his multitalented skills were put to good use in records by Si Zentner, Bob Florence, Skip Martin, Lyle Ritz, John Pisano, Fred Katz, Shorty Rogers, Paul Weston, Barney Kessel, Paul Horn, Jerry Fuller, Bobby Troup, Pete Rugolo, Gary Crosby, Billy May, Dick Cathcart, Louis Bellson, Les Brown, Shelly Manne, Irene Kral, et al.

During the late Fifties, he also became very active with club jobs around Los Angeles. Early in the spring 1958, Gene joined the trio of gifted but underrated pianist Joyce Collins on vibes and drums, along with bassist Russ Philips, who was later replaced by Bob Berteaux. They appeared semi-regularly at the Lark club on Third Avenue, and also at the Desert Inn in Palm Springs. When summer arrived, he joined bassist Harry Babasin’s Jazzpickers as their full time vibraphonist, and started a friendship with the leader that would last through their lifetimes.

In February 1959, Gene recorded his first album as a leader for the Hollywood Carlton label. He was featured in two groups, one including Joyce Collins, Bob Bertaux and Jerry Williams on drums; and a second one with John Pisano, guitar, and Mel Pollan, bass, replacing Collins and Berteaux, and with John Bambridge featured on bass clarinet on two of the tracks. That same month, Gene was playing drums and vibes at the club Renaissance with Paul Horn’s quartet, with the leader on alto sax, flute and clarinet, together with John Pisano, guitar and Lyle Ritz, bass. In October he found himself as vibist of the Contemporary Jazz Trio, with John Pisano once again, and bassist Chuck Berghofer, at Hollywood’s night club Moulin Rouge. But from 1960 on he became busy again free-lancing on records, TV and motion picture recording dates, as well as jazz albums.

The following years saw several stages in his career, not the least of which was his attempt to keep a big band going in Hollywood between 1964 and 1968. He decided to organize it in the fall of 1964, to play his own compositions and arrangements. The band, like so many others, began as a rehearsal group, which in his case included some of the top Hollywood musicians, most of them steadily employed in studio work: Johnny Audino, Jules Chaikin, Lee Katzman, trumpets; Bob Enevoldsen, valve trombone; Bob Edmonson, Vern Friley, trombones; John Bambridge, Johnny Setar, alto saxes; Bob Hardaway, John Newsome, tenor saxes; Bill Hood, baritone sax; Herb Ellis, guitar; Jim Hughart, bass; Bob Neal, drums. With this particular personnel, he played a concert for the student body at the Los Angeles Virgil Junior High School under the musicians’ union trust fund plan.

This first iteration stayed together for just under a year. In February 1966, Gene reorganized the band, and started rehearsals each Sunday at the Disabled American Veterans Hall Center, in Canoga Park. Over time, the band went through some changes, but continued to play weekly. Estes was happy with their efforts, and wanted to record the band’s work, so he talked to trumpeter Jules Chaikin, who was as well a orchestra contractor, to coordinate a recording date with his company, Auspex Records. It took place in two sessions at MGM Studios in Culver City, on March 23, 1968, with no label assigned. The recordings remained in the Auspex vaults until 1976, when Gene’s friend Harry Babasin released them on his label Nocturne Hollywood, in an LP album titled “Westful.”

This was their only album, and the sole chance we have to listen to this admirable band, playing their splendid book. Estes approaches writing with honest craftsmanship that pits section against section. The flavor of Estes’ music draws from the swing era, with a modern approach using to good advantage tonal blends, full ensemble voicings, giving jazz tunes as Big “P” and Pot Luck, and popular standards such as Bésame mucho and Goodbye a pleasing new sound and making Estes’ work stand out amid the stagnation of ideas that was current at the time. Some of the best moments in the set were provided by the soloists, notably Conte Candoli, who handles with the bulk of trumpet solo spots; trombonist Herbie Harper, whose solos at all times are vigorous and well sculptured.

Throughout the set, Estes made good use of the versatility of the reed players, and every member of the section had something to offer as a soloist. Tom Scott and Med Flory both shining on their solo appearances on alto sax, and tenor saxophonist Bob Hardaway, a warm swinging player, contributed several good solos with some impressive upper-register work. Joyce Collins was an assertive two- handed pianist who listed Erroll Garner and Bud Powell as major influences—incidentally, she was also the first woman jazz pianist to serve on the board of directors of Los Angeles, Local 47, American Federation of Musicians. Bassist Jim Hughart, confirmed his position as a solid anchor man on his instrument, while Gene was always there to guide the band firmly, displaying his ability to swing. His younger brother Alan, is also heard playing vibes on three tunes.

This album, it is a good example of how Estes created ingenious and changeable big-band scores that can keep things happening behind his soloists. A band that reflects the personality of its leader.

In July 28, 1968, the Gene Estes band appeared successful at the stage of the North Hollywood jazz club Donte’s, as part of their regular big band Sunday concert series, in which other excellent bands also appeared such as those of Clare Fischer, Gary Barone, Don Piestrup, Lennie Stack, Dan Terry, and Dee Barton.

After he disbanded his band in the fall of 1968, he returned full time to the recording studios. Gene was one of the busiest members of the collection of record musicians now known as “The Wrecking Crew.” He had a brilliant career although his name was overshadowed by having spent a lot of time in the Hollywood studios, working as a percussionist and drummer in TV, films, jingles and records with top leaders such as Quincy Jones, Neal Hefti, Henry Mancini, Phil Spector, and Lalo Schifrin, and with a great variety of excellent artists: he also participated in an array of critically acclaimed records, by Peggy Lee, Frank Zappa, Andy Williams, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, Nilsson, et al., and a host in many jazz events including appearances at L.A. Jazz Forum, Playboy Jazz Festival at Hollywood Bowl, Ojai, L.A. Classic Jazz, Queen Mary and others. Gene made many appearances with the groups of Abe Most, Tommy Newsome, Johnny Varro, Dick Cary, the World’s Greatest Jazz Band, Jimmy Rowles, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Joe Pass, Jackie Coon, Jack Sheldon and many others.

He was 64, and living in his North Hollywood home at the time of his death, on March 17, 1996.

—Jordi Pujol (From the inside liner notes of FSRCD 995)