Biography Teddy Charles

Teddy Charles (Theodore Charles Cohen, Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, April 13, 1928 - April 16, 2012) was an American jazz musician and composer whose instruments were the vibraphone, piano, and drums.

He studied at Juilliard School of Music as a percussionist. Later he began to record and made personal appearances as Teddy Cohen with bands as a vibraphonist, writing, arranging and producing records, in 1951 changing his last name to Charles.

Charles was one of many jazz musicians who hung out at an apartment building at 821 Sixth Avenue in New York City known as the Jazz Loft rented by photographer and artist David X. Young who in turn sublet two apartments to Hall Overton (Charles' mentor) and Dick Cary. Known as an innovator, his main work was recorded in the 1950s. Charles also did session work with musicians and singers as varied as Miles Davis and Dion. He recorded an album, Live at the Verona Jazz Festival, for the Italian Soul Note label in 1988.

Charles was the Captain of the Skipjack Pilgrim out of Greenport, New York (on the North Fork of Long Island) and performs music locally. In his last years, Charles began performing again after spending some years at sea.

Charles died in 2012, just three days after his 84th birthday.

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