J. Geils trumpeter?

markp · Posted: Mon May 14, 2018 4:04 pm Post subject: J. Geils trumpeter?

I have been seeing a lot of trumpets for sale lately listed as part of the J.Geills Collection.

One ad mentioned that the late rock star was a good jazz trumpeter as well as a collector of trumpets.

I find that fascinating and wonder if anyone here knows about Mr. Geils and his background in jazz.

mm55 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1412

John Geils (aka J. Geils, Jay Geils) played trumpet in high school. He became famous as the guitarist in the J Geils Band. He died in the spring of 2017, and his belongings were auctioned off in the fall of 2017. He had collected dozens of cornets and trumpets (and mutes and trumpet cases), and even more guitars. There were also gold records, sound equipment, books, memorabilia, etc. He was also into horses and fast cars. Dick Salwitz, who played harmonica in the J. Geils Band, is also a trumpeter and collector of trumpets.

https://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/auction.php?start=0&limit=30&op=lots&view=30&sort_lot=0&saleno=3062T&display=list&noredir=1

After he became a famous blues/rock guitarist, Geils still kept up his trumpet playing as a hobby, sometimes visiting local jazz jam sessions, but he did not perform publicly on trumpet.
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John Mohan · Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 8:34 am Post subject:

JoseLindE4 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 791

My blood runs cold when I see all those Committees.

falado · Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 1:13 pm Post subject:

I got the J. Geils Benge CG Quinn the Eskimo had on eBay. It’s with Jim Becker at Osmun now. Played okay when I got it, but realized it need some work. It’s getting the remaining silver stripped, new leadpipe, PVA, etc, in other words, the Blueprint treatment. I can’t wait to get it back and put it to use.

Dave
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cheiden · Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 1:44 pm Post subject:

markp · Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 4:01 pm Post subject:

Although, I'm not a fan of the J. Geils Band and have only a passing familiarity with his material, I didn't get the impression that his stuff was at all influenced by jazz, nor do I remember any horns playing prominent roles in his songs.

I guess he kept his genres compartmentalized, content to enjoy each on it's own terms, but not to merge them. It would be fun to hear some of his jazz trumpet playing.

Croquethed · Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 5:15 pm Post subject:

The J. Geils front man called himself "Wubba Gubba with the green teeth."

I believe J kept the horns away from the act so as to avoid red rot (The Uptown Horns played with them quite a bit, actually).

It was a very eclectic collection. He had a couple Ambassadors, a collegiate or two and also a Capri in addition to the Committees.

TrumpetMD · Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 5:56 pm Post subject: Re: J. Geils trumpeter?

Abraxas · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 7:19 am Post subject:

I just bought one of his 80A's. It's in the mail so I can't say much about it. I do recall seeing a video floating around with him giving someone a tour of his horn collection and I wish I could find it again. There is a video of him playing trumpet and I will post the link here. It's pretty modest, to say the most and he might be rolling in his grave to have it circulating. That was quite the horn collection he left behind though and i was surprised that most of the those horns sold pretty cheap. They would have done a lot better putting them on Feebay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s48B7M2hoX0

Abraxas · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 7:26 am Post subject:

Just shy of 4:00 you see a wall of horns ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZe-JZHAW6Q

JetJaguar · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 8:19 am Post subject:

We might need to conduct some kind of welfare check in case any TH'ers fainted seeing that wall of horns.
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Abraxas · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:05 am Post subject:

JetJaguar · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:09 am Post subject:

There was a Super Recording of his on Ebeigh for a while. They were asking either 5k or 6k, I can't remember.
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Abraxas · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:36 am Post subject:

BraeGrimes · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 8:48 pm Post subject:

There were some bargains in there. Someone bought a King Silver Flair and Super 20 for about $1k - lucky. Lots of Committees too... a Couesnon flugel... seems like this guy liked trumpet heaps more than guitar (can't blame him).

Abraxas · Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 10:06 pm Post subject:

jazz_trpt · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:43 am Post subject:

Abraxas · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 9:03 am Post subject:

JetJaguar · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:30 pm Post subject:

For me it was Flamethrower, but at the time, Centerfold and Freeze Frame were getting plenty of air time too. I've only been to two rock concerts. One was Geils in about 1983, and the other was George Clinton's bunch, in maybe 2000.
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1938 Martin Handcraft Imperial #2 bore, 38 bell
Bach 7C mouthpiece

I'm looking for a Connstellation 5C-N or 5B-N mouthpiece
www.jazzscales.org
The Coady Strengthening Exercises: http://coady.coolwarm.com