Arguably the first and possibly the only female Vibraphonist of her generation Margie Hyams died yesterday (June 16).Hyams recorded and toured with the great Woody Herman First Herd that included Sonny Berman, Pete Candoli, Flip Phillips, Billy Bauer, Ralph Burns, Bill Harris and Dave Tough - fast company. She appeared on several of the band's classic tracks such as Apple Honey and North West Passage.
Later Hyams joined the first George Shearing Quintet taking part in many recording sessions including the most famous of them all - September in the Rain.
Pictured with Shearing on the Down Beat cover opposite the story inside read: "...They have a freshness and cleanness--mostly due to Margie Hyams' vibes. Margie gets more shading and tone colour with her vibes than we've ever heard from that instrument before ..."
Pictured with Shearing on the Down Beat cover opposite the story inside read: "...They have a freshness and cleanness--mostly due to Margie Hyams' vibes. Margie gets more shading and tone colour with her vibes than we've ever heard from that instrument before ..."
However, in 1950 she married and retired from public performance preferring instead to teach and play locally in Chicago.
Read this great interview on JazzWax by Marc Myers done only last year. There's also The Continental by Shearing with Hyams on vibes.
Margie Hyams was 91.
Sadly missed.
Lance.
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