Bday Blessings. Wilton 'Bogey' Gaynair, 1927-1973
Updated: Jan 17, 2025
Born January 11, 2027, Gaynair spent much of his career outside of the international spotlight, building a small but dedicated body of critical approval for his work.
A fluent improviser of hard-bop, Wilton “Bogey” Gaynair was a jazz tenor saxophonist who entered the European jazz scene when he arrived in London in 1955. He frequently performed with long-time friend and Alpharian Dizzy Reece in London before traveling to Germany, where he expanded his musical expertise by studying composition and arrangement. During this time, he performed with the Kurt Edelhagen Radio Orchestra on several occasions, including the opening ceremony of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, and he was a guest musician on Alfred Haurand's Third Eye (LP, 1977). Prior to the early 1990s, Gaynair collaborated with many notable German musicians as well as visiting jazz luminaries from the US and UK.
Gaynair spent much of his career outside of the international spotlight, building a small but dedicated body of critical approval for his work. He recorded only three albums in his lifetime. All three for the British Tempo label. His first was the self-titled Blue Bogey album in 1959 with pianist Terry Shannon, double-bassist Kenny Napper, and drummer Bill Eyden. His second was Africa Calling recorded in 1960 but went unreleased until 2005 due to label and rights issues. His third was another self-titled album, Alpharian in 1982. The first two of his albums were recorded in London during his visits, and the third in Cologne, Germany.
The original pressings of "Blue Bogey" have become a rare collectors prize, and with the re-release of "Africa Calling," Gaynair received recognition that eluded him during his lifetime, including several long-time advocates such as jazz writer Val Wilmer and Jamaica Music Museum director Herbie Miller.
