- Born
- Died
- Birth nameTheodore Charles Cohen
- Teddy Charles was born on April 13, 1928 in Chicopee Falls, Chicopee, Massachusetts, USA. He was married to Diana. He died on April 16, 2012 in Riverhead, New York, USA.
- SpouseDiana(? - 1965) (divorced)
- Jazz musician: played vibraphone, piano and drums.
- He grew up in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts where his brother, a self taught pianist, in the Fats Waller School tutored him. He left the local polka band scene to New York City to study music at Juilliard School.
- He left the music business in the 1960s and took his schooner to the Eastern Caribbean where he became a Charter Boat captain, transporting people and cargo. He lived in Antigua until he returned to New York City in the early 1980s.
- He is survived by his niece, Gail Aronow.
- Leading a boat and leading a band: In both activities, there's only the truth. If you're on the sea, you have your own vessel that only you put together, your own crew. You work with the sea, or you lose. It's the same in art, not just jazz. There's no way you can take it.
- On his island and Charles Mingus: Unlike a band, they have no talent. You can put up with anything from him.
- That stimulated my interest in music again.
- On leaving the music business for sailing: It was nice to make a little money for a change. It was a paid vacation of sun and fun. I had little time for music.
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