John Lamb 90th Birthday at The Palladium Hough Hall

Celebrate the 90th Birthday of celebrated jazz bassist, John Lamb. Local jazz favorites join together to honor the former Duke Ellington band bassist.

John Lamb is an American jazz double bassist who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Born in Vero Beach, Florida, Lamb grew up as a child who loved playing music, specializing in the tuba. He left high school to join the United States Air Force as a musician for their military band. He was stationed in Texas and then Montana, where the long winters left him ample time to practice. When the band’s usual string bass player was unavailable for a gig in 1951, the bandmaster asked Lamb if he could play the bass; Lamb immediately said yes, and before long became the band’s new string bassist. He credited his tuba experience for giving him the “feel” to pick up string bass quickly without any prior experience....

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Celebrate the 90th Birthday of celebrated jazz bassist, John Lamb. Local jazz favorites join together to honor the former Duke Ellington band bassist.

John Lamb is an American jazz double bassist who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Born in Vero Beach, Florida, Lamb grew up as a child who loved playing music, specializing in the tuba. He left high school to join the United States Air Force as a musician for their military band. He was stationed in Texas and then Montana, where the long winters left him ample time to practice. When the band’s usual string bass player was unavailable for a gig in 1951, the bandmaster asked Lamb if he could play the bass; Lamb immediately said yes, and before long became the band’s new string bassist. He credited his tuba experience for giving him the “feel” to pick up string bass quickly without any prior experience.
Lamb joined Duke Ellington’s orchestra in 1964, touring with them for three years.
Lamb later moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and taught music in public schools as well as St. Petersburg College. Lamb was awarded the Jazz Club of Sarasota’s “Satchmo Award” for service to jazz.

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