Roger "Ram" Ramirez (September 15, 1913 – 11 January 1994) was a Puerto Rican jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-composer of the song " Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)"
Ramirez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 15, 1913. [1] He grew up in New York and started playing the piano at a young age. [1]
Ramirez's first professional performances were in the early 1930s. [1] In 1933 he played with Monette Moore, then with Rex Stewart and Sid Catlett in New York. [1] He joined Willie Bryant in 1935, and toured Europe with Bobby Martin in 1937. [1] During the first half of the 1940s Ramirez played with Ella Fitzgerald, Frankie Newton, Charlie Barnet, John Kirby, and Catlett, in addition to leading his own band. [1]
Ramirez wrote " Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" in 1942, [2] which became a jazz standard following Billie Holiday's recording of it two years later. [1] He was a freelance into the mid-1950s, when he added electronic organ to his instruments. [1] In 1953 he was in one of Duke Ellington's small groups, as a substitute. [3]
Ramirez again toured Europe in 1968, this time with T-Bone Walker. [1] In 1979 and 1980 he was part of the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, including for appearances in Germany. [1] He also freelanced after this, [1] and retired for health reasons in 1987. [2] Ramirez was married to Marcy and had a daughter. [2] He died of kidney failure in Queens, New York City [2] on January 11, 1994. [1]
Roger "Ram" Ramirez (September 15, 1913 – 11 January 1994) was a Puerto Rican jazz pianist and composer. He was a co-composer of the song " Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)"
Ramirez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 15, 1913. [1] He grew up in New York and started playing the piano at a young age. [1]
Ramirez's first professional performances were in the early 1930s. [1] In 1933 he played with Monette Moore, then with Rex Stewart and Sid Catlett in New York. [1] He joined Willie Bryant in 1935, and toured Europe with Bobby Martin in 1937. [1] During the first half of the 1940s Ramirez played with Ella Fitzgerald, Frankie Newton, Charlie Barnet, John Kirby, and Catlett, in addition to leading his own band. [1]
Ramirez wrote " Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" in 1942, [2] which became a jazz standard following Billie Holiday's recording of it two years later. [1] He was a freelance into the mid-1950s, when he added electronic organ to his instruments. [1] In 1953 he was in one of Duke Ellington's small groups, as a substitute. [3]
Ramirez again toured Europe in 1968, this time with T-Bone Walker. [1] In 1979 and 1980 he was part of the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, including for appearances in Germany. [1] He also freelanced after this, [1] and retired for health reasons in 1987. [2] Ramirez was married to Marcy and had a daughter. [2] He died of kidney failure in Queens, New York City [2] on January 11, 1994. [1]