Tag Archives: John Handy

Zakir Hussain

On December 15, 2024, Ustad Zakir Hussain died aged 73. He was musician (tabla, percussion), composer, music producer and film actor, considered as one of the greatest tabla players of all time.Hussain recorded and performed with number of famous musicians, among the others with John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Mickey Hart, Ravi Shankar, Bill Laswell, Shankar Lakshminarayana, Pat Martino, Shakti, John Handy, Pharaoh Sanders, Ali Akbar Khan and Charles Lloyd. For his work he was awarded the “Govt of India’s Sangeet Natak Akademi Award “, “Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship”, “Ratna Sadsya”, and the “United States National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship”. Hussain won four “Grammy Awards”.

Roy Haynes

On November 12, 2024 Roy Owen Haynes died aged 99. He was musician (drums), regarded as one of best and most influential drummers in the history of jazz music. In his career lasting over 80 years he recorded and performed with the best known and most important jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, Lester Young, Kai Winding, Stan Getz, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Wardell Gray, Sarah Vaughan, Cal Tjader, Eddie Shu, Nat Adderley, Milt Jackson, Red Rodney, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Art Farmer, Art Blakey, Dorothy Ashby, John Handy,  George Shearing, Randy Weston, Kenny Burrell,  Phineas Newborn, Jr,  Sonny Stitt, Lee Konitz, Eric Dolphy, Etta Jones, Booker Little, Betty Roché, Tommy Flanagan,  Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Oliver Nelson, Sonny Stitt,  Kai Winding, J. J. Johnson, Lem Winchester, Steve Lacy, Ray Charles, Jaki Byard, Ted Curson,  Bob Brookmeyer, Jackie Paris, Roland Kirk, Willis Jackson, McCoy Tyner, Ted Curson, John Coltrane, Frank Wess, Andrew Hill, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Witherspoon, Gary Burton, Archie Shepp, Chick Corea, Jack DeJohnette, Leon Thomas, Clifford Jordan, Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri, Dave Brubeck, Duke Jordan, Warne Marsh, Mary Lou Williams, Nick Brignola, Dizzy Reece, Johnny Griffin, Alice Coltrane,  Art Pepper,  Sal Nistico, Red Garland, Hank Jones, Stanley Cowell, Joe Albany, Freddie Hubbard, Toshiyuki Honda, Michel Petrucciani,  Mark Isaacs, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny and Kenny Barron.  Roy Haynes received big number of awards including “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” by the “National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences”, and the award at the “Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception” of the “54th Annual Grammy Awards”. In 2019, Haynes was given the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the “Jazz Foundation of America”. As leader and co-leader, Roy Haynes released 32 albums.

Charles Mingus: Mingus Dynasty

In May 1960, “Columbia” label released “Mingus Dynasty”, the 18th Charles Mingus album. It was recorded in November 1959, at “CBS 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Teo Macero. In 1999, the album was inducted in the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.

Personnel:

  • Charles Mingus – bass
  • John Handy – alto sax
  • Booker Ervin – tenor sax
  • Benny Golson – tenor sax
  • Jerome Richardson – baritone sax, flute
  • Richard Williams – trumpet
  • Don Ellis – trumpet
  • Jimmy Knepper – trombone
  • Roland Hanna – piano
  • Nico Bunink – piano
  • Dannie Richmond – drums
  • Teddy Charles – vibes
  • Maurice Brown – cello
  • Seymour Barab – cello
  • Honi Gordon – vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Charles Mingus, except where noted.                         

  1. Slop
  2. Diane
  3. Song with Orange
  4. Gunslinging Bird (originally titled If Charlie Parker Were a Gunslinger, There’d Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats) 
  5. Things Ain’t What They Used to Be – Mercer Ellington
  6. Far Wells, Mill Valley
  7. New Now Know How
  8. Mood Indigo – Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington
  9. Put Me in That Dungeon

John Handy: Karuna Supreme

In December 1975, “MPS” label released “Karuna Supreme”, the eight John Handy album. It was recorded on November 1, 1975, at “Tonstudio Bauer” in Ludwigsburg, Germany, and was produced by Joachim-Ernst Berendt.

Personnel:

  • John Handy- alto saxophone
  • Ali Akbar Khan- sarod
  • Zakir Hussain- tabla
  • Yogish S. Sahota – tanpura

Track listing:

  1. Ganesha’s Jubilee Dance – Ali Akbar Khan, John Handy
  2. Karuna Supreme – Ali Akbar Khan
  3. The Soul and the Atma – Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Allauddin Khan