Jazz research on the Internet: a continuing saga
Lyricist, booking manager, saxophonist. Malaku Emanuel Bayen, Jr. born July 17, 1932 in Washington, D.C.; died June 3, 1994 in Washington, D.C.
Bayen was a royal prince, the son of the nephew (and personal physician) of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie. His father had been sent by the emperor to study medicine at Howard University, where he met his future wife, Dorothy Hadley of Evanston, Illinois.
Bassist. Merton Alexander Oliver born January 28, 1917 in Herndon, Virginia; died April 19, 1965 in Washington, D.C.
Led group at Log Tavern. Worked with Ralph Hawkins band (1942). Played in Washington sessions organized by Nesuhi Ertegun (1943). Worked with Sonny Dunham (1943-1944), Teddy Powell (1944), Boyd Raeburn (1944), Woody Herman (1949-1950), Elliot Lawrence (1950-1951), Tommy Dorsey (1952).
Bandleader. William Baldwin born January 13, 1898 in Washington, D.C.; died May 25, 1943.
Played for proms, weddings, and parties. Worked steadily at Lincoln Colonnade, Suburban Gardens, and Murray Casino in 1937-1943 with regular radio broadcasts on WWDC. Also played for chartered cruises on the Potomac River.
Drummer and bandleader. Thomas Henry Myles born February 11, 1900 in Washington, D.C.; died October 21, 1945 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Played with Claude Hopkins in Atlantic City, N.J. in 1925. Was residing in Newark, N.J. in 1930.
Myles was a member of the White Brothers orchestra and later assumed its leadership.
Drummer. William Frank Reichenbach, III born December 18, 1923 in Washington, D.C.; died May 16, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
Father of trombonist Bill Reichenbach, Jr. and singer Kurt Reichenbach.
Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Toured with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and with Art Mooney (1948).
Manager, promoter, booking agent. Anthony Elias Taylor born November 16 [some sources say 22], 1927 in Washington, D.C.; died March 1, 1981 in Washington, D.C.
Attended Armstrong High School and then Dunbar High School. Served in U.S. Army. Studied at Corcoran School of Art and George Washington University.