Garland, Ed Montudi(e) (actually, Edward Bertram)

Garland, Ed Montudi(e) (actually, Edward Bertram), bassist; b. New Orleans, La., Jan. 9, 1885; d. Jan. 22, 1980. He worked in parade marching bands, first as a drummer, then on tuba and mellophone. He added double bass to his repertoire and worked with the Imperial Orch. and with John Robichaux in that capacity, while continuing on brass bass in parade work with the Eagle, Security, Excelsior, and Superior bands. He moved to Chicago in 1914. He led his own band on the Orpheum Circuit accompanying Mabel Lee Lane, then returned to Chicago, working with Manuel Perez, Lawrence Duhe, and Freddie Keppard. He joined King Oliver in Chicago and moved to the West Coast with the band (1921); remaining in Calif., he joined Kid Ory, with whom he would play at subsequent intervals over the years (1921–23, 1924–25, 1944–55). He worked with the Black and Tan Orch. (1923–24) and with Mutt Carey (1925–27). From c. 1927 he led his own band in a lengthy residency at the 111 Dance Hall, L.A. He gigged with Jelly Roll Morton in one of the pianist’s last performances (1940). Garland continued leading his own groups until rejoining Ory in 1944. He abruptly left to join Andrew Blakeney (1955), then played with Earl Hines in San Francisco (1955–56). He worked with Turk Murphy and Joe Darensbourg, freelanced in Los Angeles (from 1960), and appeared regularly with Blakeney in the mid-1960s. He appeared in the films Hotel (1966) and Young Men of New Orleans (1969). He continued to play regularly during the 1970s, touring internationally with the Legends of Jazz.

—John Chilton/Lewis Porter