Gallery — Duke Heitger

After 40 years in the music business I have had the privilege of working with some legends. Below is a partial list of these luminaries who influenced me tremendously and whom I had the pleasure of working with. I wish the photo gallery included all of my friends and acquaintances. Enjoy the photos I could put my hands on. More to come.

Jay McShann, Franz Jackson, Arvell Shaw, Bucky Pizzarelli, Joe Muranyi, Danny Barker, Milt Hinton, Dick Hyman, Al Grey, Freddy Cole, Bob Wilber, Joe Wilder, Doc Cheetham, John Bunch, George Masso, Houston Persson, Johnny Varro, Butch Miles, Roy Williams, Jake Hannah, Jerry Jerome, Leonard Gaskin, Marty Gros, Kenny Davern, Johnny Blowers, Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen, Becky Kilgore, Tom Baker, Dan Barrett, Bob Havens, Butch Thompson, Warren and Allen Vaché, Howard Alden, Ken Peplowski, Rossano Sportiello, Topsy Chapman, Catherine Russell, Lillian Boutte, Mark Shane, Scott Robinson, Jon-Erik Kellso, Randy Reinhart, John Allred, Joe Ascione, Alan Barnes, Eiji Hanaoka, Paolo Alderighi, Evan Christopher, John Gill, Banu Gibson, Steve Pistorius and Jason Marsalis to name a few.

Performing at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with Jay McShann, Franz Jackson, Arvell Shaw, and Lucian Barbarin. (Jay MacShann was the Grammy winning jazz/blues pianist who worked with Charlie Parker and Ben Webster, Franz Jackson took Ben Webster’s place in both Fletcher Henderson’s and Roy Eldridge’s orchestras, Arvell Shaw played bass in Louis Armstrong’s All Stars, and Lucian Barbarin was a favorite in Harry Connick Jr’s band).

At home (every day if not on tour) on The Steamboat Natchez.

At Tony Packos Café with the Cakewalkin’ Jass Band (CJB). That of course is Dad looking on.

With the Cakewalkin’ Jass Band in the 1980’s. The CJB was formed by my father in 1967 and is still playing regularly making it one of the longest established bands in jazz. I “cut my teeth” in this band. Those years were invaluable.

The Creole Rice Jazz Band led by Jacques Gauthe is the band I moved to New Orleans to play with. Jacques was a student of Claude Luter and Sidney Bechet. Here we are with the great Bob Helm. Bob was the clarinetist with Lu Watters’ Yerba Buena Jazz Band.

Looking on as Jacques plays his heart out. He always did.

On tour with Banu Gibson’s band in the mid 1990’s. Pictured with me are David Sager and Tom Fischer.

Here we are with Banu rehearsing with the Boston Pops Orchestra for the millennial NYE celebration.

And here is Banu’s band again with the tap-dancing legend Fayard Nicholas of the famous Nicholas Brothers.

My quartet played the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland three years in a row. I am with my pals John Gill, Tom Saunders and Evan Christopher.

At the Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland with Lars Edegran’s band.

Mardi Gras 1990 on the Rex float with Jacques and the great George Finola.

Here I am with the New Orleans cornet legend Connie Jones. Connie was a musician’s musician as we say. He played so beautifully. He played with many greats including Jack Teagarden.

On the bandstand at the Palm Court Jazz Café with Freddie Lonzo, Franz Jackson and Joe Murayni. Joe was the clarinetist in Louis Armstrong’s All Stars from 1967-1971.

Pictured here on the same evening are Arvell Shaw and Lars Edegran.

Dinner after the concert hosted by George Buck. George was a tireless supporter of jazz through his record labels and the Palm Court Jazz Café which was started by his wife Nina Buck.

Pictured here with Swiss bandleader, trumpeter and vibraphonist Hazy Osterwald. He was a European film and TV star as well.

Avell Shaw and his wife in Ascona Switzerland.

With my pal piano player and drummer Jeff Hamilton when we were younger and dared to get on skis.

In the studio with some of my favorite New Orleans musicians. Steve Pistorius, James Singleton, John Gill, John Parker, the late Brian Ogilvie, and Evan Christopher

With a couple of Chicago based legends. Kim Cusack and Tom Bartlett.

Lunch in Italy with Evan, Joel Forbes and Scott Robinson.

At the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with New Orleans trumpet greats John Brunious, Leroy Jones and Jamil Sharif.

This was my introduction to the great Kenny Davern at the Bunny Berigan tribute concert held at my dear friend’s Joe and Loretta DiBenedetto’s home. That’s Johnny Blowers on drums! He played with everyone including Frank Sinatra, Louis, Bing, Ella, Billie and Mel Tormé.

On a tour of Hungary in the early 1990’s with Steve Pistorius’s trio including John Gill.

When Jazz parties still existed, this was one of the great ones. That’s the wonderful Eddie Erickson on guitar.

In New Orleans with my friends Lucian, Brian and two other giants, Chuck Badie on bass and Ernie Ellie on drums.

Evan and I have appeared often together through the years.

After my first appearance at the Ascona Jazz Festival 15 plus years ago, I made some lasting relationships both musical and personal with some of the top European jazz musicians. Here are two of them, Frank Roberscheuten and Engelbert Wrobel.

And the New Orleans musical family: Tim Laughlin, Steve Pistorius, Tom Fischer, Debbie Fagnano, Eddie Bayard and Amy Sharpe.

With one of my dearest friends and master of early New Orleans style jazz piano, Steve Pistorius.

Speaking of legends, Warren Vaché, Harry Allen, and Antti Sarpilla.

Really nice times with an early version of the International Hot Jazz Quartet. Engelbert Wrobel (leader), Bernd Lhotzky, and Oliver Mewes.

Sharing a meal with my great friend Engelbert.

Here are a couple of heroes of mine. The wonderful Rebecca Kilgore and Butch Thompson.

Jeff Hamilton (our Jeff), Charlie Devore, Orange Kellin and Vince Giordano. The contributions each of these musicians have made to the world of jazz can’t be overstated. Not enough room here to give them justice.

With my pal Butch. Butch did a lot for my career. Because of Butch I appeared somewhat regularly on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” We also toured the United States extensively together for years playing community concert halls from east to west.

Butch and I are pictured here with the great Jimmy Mazzie. We toured together for years as a trio. It was wonderful.

With my Dad and my sister Nicole Shetterly. Although Nicole works full time in social work, she embraced music early on and became a wonderful singer. She is a member of the CJB and is often featured with other groups. I have two other sisters, Renée Heitger, a partner at Hamberger & Weiss law firm in NY and Andrea Milner, vice president of Adrian College.

In Buenos Aires Argentina playing with the world famous Porteña Jazz Band.