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Houser, Allen

April 23, 2020 By Michael Fitzgerald Leave a Comment

Trumpeter. Born David Allen Houser on February 1, 1941 in Washington, D.C.; died May 29, 2014 in Washington, D.C.

His father, Harold Houser, was a naval officer and governor of the island of American Samoa, where Houser lived from 1945-1947. A trumpet-playing uncle in San Francisco encouraged him in music.

He attended Alice Deal Junior High School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and was in the first graduating class of Walter Johnson High School in north Bethesda. He attended Dartmouth College as a pre-med student (1958-1962) and was leader and trumpeter of the campus band the Modern Men, “a sort of Gerry Mulligan-type group.” This group participated in the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival in March 1960 and was one of the finalists.

In the early 1960s following college, Houser spent time in Berkeley, California, working as a bank teller but playing in the ensemble of baritone saxophonist Trevor Koehler, which also included drummer Smiley Winters. During this time he also spent time with tenor saxophonist Gentry Baker, participating in jam sessions led by Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes, including a session that featured Philly Joe Jones. Houser returned to Washington in 1966.

Houser’s quintet had a regular weekend gig at Bertha’s in Baltimore for more than a decade beginning in the 1980s.


Bibliography

7756 AllenHouser items 1 chicago-fullnote-bibliography author asc https://jazzmf.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/zotpress/
Dupont, David. “Allen Houser: Looking Back.” Cadence, July 1995.
Houser, Allen. Interview. Interview by W. Royal Stokes, January 23, 1983. W. Royal Stokes Collection. Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Houser, Allen. Interview. Interview by W. Royal Stokes, November 16, 1985. W. Royal Stokes Collection. Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Houser, Allen. Interview. Interview by W. Royal Stokes, November 22, 1981. W. Royal Stokes Collection. Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Houser, Allen. Interview. Interview by W. Royal Stokes, January 31, 1988. W. Royal Stokes Collection. Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Houser, Allen. Interview. Interview by W. Royal Stokes, February 22, 1986. W. Royal Stokes Collection. Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Joyce, Mike. “‘Trumpet Summit.’” Washington Post, December 7, 1981.
Joyce, Mike. “Allen Houser.” Washington Post, October 19, 1987.
Rusch, Bob. “The Questionnaire.” Cadence, November 1995.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Allen Houser.” Washington Post. June 16, 1984.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Keeping Ahead.” Washington Post. January 15, 1984.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Allen Houser.” Washington Post. July 21, 1979.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Jazz from the ’40s.” Washington Post, March 9, 1986.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Off-the-Cuff Teamwork.” Washington Post. November 24, 1985.
Stokes, W. Royal. “Allen Houser’s Trumpet Triumphs.” Washington Post. January 28, 1983.
Cadence. “Speaking Their Piece,” December 1978.
Cadence. “Speaking Their Piece...,” February 1976.

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