Frank Teschemacher a.k.a. "Tesch" and "Frankie" Teschemacher was born this day March 13th in 1906 in Kansas City, Missouri to Charles and Charlotte (McCorkell) Teschemacher. However, six years later the family moved to the Chicago area.
Frankie Teschemacher was a great, self taught, jazz clarinetist who was influenced by the styles of cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, and clarenetists Johnny Dodds and Pee-Wee Russel. He took piano lessons as a child, then he took an interest in banjo and began studying the violin when he was ten.
Before entering Austin High School he took up the alto-saxophone. At school he befriended some of the future great Chicago jazz musicians including Jimmy McPartland, Jim Lanigan and Bud Freeman. They formed a band and their musical associations would last for years.
His career playing professionally began in 1925. He played all around the mid-West but mainly around the Chicago area.
In 1928 he made some recordings under his own name. He joined Jan Garber's band and toured with them in 1931. Interestingly, he also played violin during his time with Garber. He then later beccame a member of "Wild Bill" Davison's big band.
Teschemacher tragically died after an auto accident during the early morning hours of March 1, 1932, when the car he was riding in, driven by jazz musician "Wild Bill" Davison, was sideswiped by a taxi cab which was driving without lights on. He died from a fractured skull about four hours later at Ravenswood Hospital in Chicago. Although Davison was driving with what would now be considered a high blood alcohol level, he was cleared of any charges at the time.
He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.
Here is Wailing Blues recorded in Chicago, on January 24, 1930. The record was released as being played by the Cellar Boys. The group consisted of Wingy Mannone, Frank Teschemacher, Bud Freeman, Frank Melrose, Charles Melrose, and George Wettling
