Mike Walbridge

A highly sought-after jazz tuba player, Mike Walbridge was born in Los Angeles in 1937. Thanks to his father's extensive classic jazz record collection, Walbridge fell in love with the genre as a child and took up the trumpet. After joining his high school band, he was persuaded to switch to the sousaphone, and his life's course as a musician was set. Following his graduation he joined the Chicago Stompers, and after a stint in the military service, he became a member of the Original Salty Dogs in the 1960s (he still continues to play with the group) as well as heading up his own large band specializing in swing music from the 1920s and 1930s, the Chicago Footwarmers Hot Dance Orchestra. Formed in 1958, the Footwarmers are also still an active band under Walbridge's direction. Along the way Walbridge has worked with an impressive list of jazz performers, including Bob Helm, George Brunis, Hal Smith, Art Hodes, Clancy Hayes, Eddy Davis, Wally Rose, Turk Murphy, Albert Nicholas, Bill Reinhardt, Floyd O'Brien, Ted Butterman, and Ernie Carson, among others. Delmark Records released Crazy Rhythm, credited to Mike Walbridge's Chicago Footwarmers, in 2007. The CD included two mid-'60s sessions originally released by Blackbird Records along with tracks from a 2007 session. Walbridge continues to base himself in the Chicago area. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide