Morris Nanton R.I.P.
Ron Hearn
Morris Nanton
Morris Nanton, 80, of Perth Amboy passed away peacefully at home
Sunday morning, Nov. 15. A Service of Requiem will be held Friday,
Nov. 20, 2009, at 10 a.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 183 Rector
Street, Perth Amboy. Private cremation will follow. Visiting hours are
on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the church. Arrangements by
Flynn and Son Funeral Homes, 23 Ford Ave., Fords. Condolence messages
to can be forwarded to flynnfuneral.com. Mr. Nanton was born in Perth
Amboy and lived there all his life. He served his country with honor
in the U.S. Armed Forces with the 5th Army Division Band during the
Korean War. He graduated from Perth Amboy High School and Juilliard
Conservatory of Music in New York after attending on full scholarship.
Known throughout the metropolitan area, The Morris Nanton Trio
performed for over 50 years; 53 of those years together with bassist
extraordinaire, Norman Edge. They completed an unprecedented 22-year
stand at the Cove in Roselle, where such jazz greats as Rashan Roland
Kirk, Don Elliott, Sal Nestico, Babs Gonzalez, and Joe Morello shared
the spotlight with the group. They have performed at numerous jazz
festivals and universities, sharing the stage with the Count Basie
Orchestra and Tito Puente. They have accompanied vocalists Jack Jones,
Mel Torme, Nel Carter, and Barbara Streisand, to name a few. Their
recordings include "Flower Drum Song," "Roberta," and "The First Jazz
Piano Trio" on the Warner Bros. label; "Ray Ellis Orchestra and
Chorus," "Big Big Voice of Lovelace Watkins" on the MGM label, and
"Something We've Got," "Preface," and "Soul Fingers" on the Prestige
label. Their most recent recording on CD is "A Christmas Present."
They have performed privately for Walter Cronkite, Eileen Ford,
Architect Robert Moses, The New York Giants, and the Los Angeles
engagement party and New York wedding of Marvin Hamlisch. Their
recording of "Ja Da" was the first music to be heard on outer space,
as the recording came over Apollo's radio during the first orbit
around the Earth. Morris Nanton was inducted into the Perth Amboy High
School Hall of Fame in March 2001, "as one of the School's most
illustrious graduates and acknowledges his exemplary history of
service, leadership and many meritorious accomplishments." The New
York Times covered the Trio's performance at Shanghai Jazz in May
2008, showering their performance with accolades in an article
entitled, "Jazz Survivors." The Morris Nanton Trio has been performing
at Shanghai Jazz in Madison up to and as recently as September 2009,
and as a soloist at the Quay in Sea Bright on Sundays. Morris' last
performance was Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, the day before his 80th
birthday. He was predeceased by his parents, Edward and Elsie, and
beloved sister-in-law, Ena. He is survived by his wife of 27 years,
Lisa Nanton; sons, Seth and Jesse Nanton; brother LeRoy Nanton;
nephews, Dennis and Hugh, and niece, Lori Nanton Harris, and their
families.,. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St.
Peter's Living Memorial Foundation.