This month’s edition of The Syncopated Times includes an article I wrote about reed player and bandleader Nelson Argueso. He’s an obscure name (even compared to some other musicians I’ve covered), but his story as a working sideman fascinated me.
By many accounts, Argueso was an incredibly talented musician who worked for Vincent Lopez and Paul Whiteman among others, led his own bands, and boasted an impressive salary to boot. Yet for most of his life, he worked as an accountant who collected clocks in his free time.
What did Argueso leave behind? Why the career change? It’s not entirely a musician’s biography, but I thought this story shed more light on a sideman’s life and some hard choices they sometimes make. I hope you enjoy it.
You can read the article—and more great content in The Syncopated Times—here.
The Pop of Yestercentury 
Another good read.
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div>Maybe someone (Rob Rothberg?) will be inspired to dive into the Rothphone
Thanks for reading, Phil! I actually just came across an article mentioning that Ross Gorman also played it.
Marvelous research, Andrew !
Yes, Jazz/Dance musicians quitting their profession at some point was common during the 1920s, 30s & 40s. Trombonist Moe Gappell’s daughter Millicent for instance told me in detail about her father’s resignation in the early 1940s from being a professional musician …
Hey, Ralph! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and sharing that background.