Richard Twardzik

[Big Beat Steve]

Thanks, that's an interesting story.

Like you, I wouldn't have been surprised if Littman had been reported dead before the end of the 50s. I remember reading a story about the tragic days in Paris in 1955 (cannot recall the source; this was well before the publication of Jack Chambers' book). The author claimed that one major reason why Twardzik fell back into his habit was that Peter Littman, an (I quote from memory) "incurable addict", was the worst possible travel companion for Dick Twardzik (even more so than Chet Baker, it seems) - as he made it all too easy for Twardzik to score again and get high and into the habit again. With the results we know ...

So ... time to listen to the CD of the Holland Concerts by the Chet Baker quartet (of 17 and 18 Sept. 1955) now ...

Edited December 5, 2024 by Big Beat Steve

[Gheorghe]

I think the only recorded example of Dick Twardzik (how hard to pronouce that name) is a version of "April" on the Musidisc LP "Happy Bird". But it´s Bird who really shines on this , and the strong bass of Mingus. Maybe I heard another example too, but I am not sure. In any case, the West Coast part is missing in my discography, I fear to say. 

Somehow, from the short listening experiences his playing seems to have some directions that remind me of mostly Tristano (whom I like more, if he does not do that overdubbing crap) and maybe from that film I saw about Joe Albany. 
It sounds a bit like if Dick Twardzik would have listened to some 12 tone things, that kind of classical music of the 20th century. 

I got to hear Chet Baker for the first time in 1978, before that, with all the Giants of Jazz I had seen until then, Chet was a completly uncommon name for me. But from 1978 on, when I saw him live for the first time, I liked him and saw him dozens of times. I even have some of his records from the 70´s or 80´s ........But the reason may be that Baker in his last 10 years sounded much more like let´s say early Miles, or Kenny Dorham...