Willie Dennis

Willie Dennis (née William DeBerardinis, January 10, 1926 – July 8, 1965) was an American jazz trombonist known as a big band musician but who was also an excellent bebop soloist.

Career After working with Elliot Lawrence, Claude Thornhill, and Sam Donahue, All About Ronnie, in the company of Ted Brown and Kenny Clarke.

Dennis toured with Mingus in 1956. He published an essay, "The History of the Trombone," in Metronome.

Personal life Dennis married singer Morgana King in 1961; the couple had no children. He died in 1965 in an automobile accident in Central Park, New York City.

Discography Four Trombones (Debut, 1957) - with J. J. Johnson, Kai Winding and Bennie Green With Cannonball Adderley Domination (Capitol, 1965) With Manny Albam Jazz Goes to the Movies (Impulse!, 1962) With Al Cohn Jazz Mission to Moscow (Colpix, 1962) With Mundell Lowe Themes from Mr. Lucky, the Untouchables and Other TV Action Jazz (RCA Camden, 1960) With Gary McFarland The Jazz Version of "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying" (Verve, 1962) Point of Departure (Impulse!, 1963) With Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop – Autobiography in Jazz (Debut, 1953) Blues & Roots (Atlantic, 1959) Mingus Ah Um (Columbia, 1959) The Complete Town Hall Concert (Blue Note, 1962 ) With Gerry Mulligan Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band on Tour (Verve, 1960 ) Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard (Verve, 1960 ) Gerry Mulligan Presents a Concert in Jazz (Verve, 1961) Gerry Mulligan '63 (Verve, 1963) With Oliver Nelson Full Nelson (Verve, 1963) With Anita O'Day All the Sad Young Men (Verve, 1962) With Buddy Rich Richcraft (Mercury, 1959) Rich Versus Roach (Mercury, 1959) The Driver (EmArcy, 1960) With Shirley Scott Great Scott!! (Impulse!, 1964) With Zoot Sims Lost Tapes-Baden Baden 1958 (SWR, 2014) With Lennie Tristano Chicago April 1951 (Uptown, 2014) With Phil Woods Rights of Swing (Candid, 1961)