On December 9, 2010, James Moody died aged 85. He was musician (saxophone, flute) and singer, best known for his work in bebop and hard bop Jazz. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names in Jazz music including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farmer, Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Eddie Jefferson, Johnny Coles, Todd Coolman, Rufus Reid, Gil Fuller, Milt Jackson, Dexter Gordon, Elvin Jones, Quincy Jones, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Lalo Schifrin, Bobby Thimons, Cedar Walton, Tubby Hayes, and Roberta Gambarini. In 2011, Moody posthumously won “Grammy Award” for “Best Jazz Instrumental album”, for his album “Moody 4B”. The “New Jersey Performing Arts Center” hosts the “James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival”. As a leader Moody released 44 albums.
Tag Archives: Max Roach
Clifford Brown and Max Roach: Clifford Brown & Max Roach
In December 1954, “EmArcy” label released “Clifford Brown & Max Roach”, album by Clifford Brown and Max Roach. It was recorded in August 1954, in “Capitol Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bob Shad, and has been released as 10” vinyl. In “Jazz: A Critic’s Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings”, the album is placed at #34.
Personnel:
- Clifford Brown – trumpet
- Max Roach – drums
- Harold Land – tenor saxophone
- George Morrow – bass
- Richie Powell – piano
Track listing:
All tracks by Clifford Brown, except where noted.
- Delilah – Victor Young
- Parisian Thoroughfare – Bud Powell
- Daahoud
- Joy Spring
- Jordu – Duke Jordan
Lee Konitz
On April 15, 2020, Lee Konitz died aged 92. He was composer and musician (alto saxophone), performing in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz, noted for improvising long, melodic lines with the rhythmic interest coming from odd accents, Konitz has recorded and performed with many famous musicians including Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Elvin Jones, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland, Lennie Tristano, Stan Kenton, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Claude Thornhill, Ralph Burns, Gil Evans, Warne Marsh, Dave Pike, Attila Zoller, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, Warne Marsh, Hal Galper, Bill Evans, Martial Solal, Max Roach, Don Friedman, Kenny Wheeler, Kenny Werner, Brian Dickenson, Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Gary Peacock, and Joey Baron.
Max Roach: We Insist
On December 1, 1960, “Candid Records” label released “We Insist!” (subtitled Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite), the 21st Max Roach album. It was recorded April – September 1960, at “Nola Penthouse Sound Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Nat Hentoff.
Personnel:
- Max Roach– drums
- Abbey Lincoln– vocals
- Booker Little– trumpet
- Julian Priester– trombone
- Walter Benton– tenor saxophone
- Coleman Hawkins– tenor saxophone
- James Schenk – bass
- Michael Olatunji– vocals, congas
- Raymond Mantilla– percussion
- Tomas du Vall – percussion
Track listing:
All lyrics by Oscar Brown, all music by Max Roach.
- Driva Man
- Freedom Day
- Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace
- All Africa
- Tears for Johannesburg
Thad Jones: The Magnificent Thad Jones
In January 1957, “Blue Note” label released “The Magnificent Thad Jones”, the third Thad Jones albums. It was recorded in July 1956, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Alfred Lion.
Personnel:
- Thad Jones- trumpet
- Billy Mitchell- tenor saxophone
- Kenny Burrell- guitar
- Barry Harris- piano
- Percy Heath- bass
- Max Roach- drums
Track listing:
- April in Paris – Vernon Duke, Y. Harburg
- Billie-Doo – Thad Jones
- If I Love Again – Jack Murray, Ben Oakland
- If Someone Had Told Me – Peter DeRose, Charles Tobias
- Thedia – Thad Jones
Max Roach: Max Roach + 4
On October 12, 1956, “EmArcy” label released “Max Roach + 4”, the second Max Roach album. It was recorded September 17 – 20, 1956, in New York City, and was produced by Bob Shad.
Personnel:
- Max Roach- drums
- Sonny Rollins- tenor saxophone
- Kenny Dorham- trumpet
- Ray Bryant, Bill Wallace – piano
- George Morrow- bass
Track listing:
All tracks by Max Roach except where noted.
- Ezz-Thetic – George Russell
- Free-Zee
- Just One of Those Things – Cole Porter
- Mr X.
- Body and Soul – Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green
- Woody ‘n’ You – Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
On January 6, 1993, John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie died aged 75. He was musician (trumpet), singer, composer and bandleader, trumpet virtuoso and improviser, regarded as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. Together with Charlie Parker, Gillespie was major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz. He has recorded and performed with some of the most important musicians in the jazz history, including Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Stan Getz, Sonny Stit,Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins,Benny Golson, Bobby Hackett, Mary Lou Williams, Willie Ruff, Dwike Mitchell, Art Blakey, Al McKibbon, Thelonious Monk, Kai Winding, Joe Turner, Roy Eldridge, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Clark Terry, Oscar Peterson, John Lewis, Hank Jones, Percy Heath, Roy Eldridge, Machito, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin, Count Basie, Freddie Hubbard, Arturo Sandoval, Phil Woods, Moe Koffman, United Nation Orchestra, Jackie McLean, Percy Heath, Ron Holloway, Ed Cherry, John Lee, Ignacio Berroa, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Mike Longo, Manhattan Transfer, Carmen McRae, Katie Bell Nubin, Mongo Santamaria, Woody Shaw, Lillian Terry and Randy Weston.
Freddie Hubbard
On December 29, 2008, Frederick Dewayne “Freddie” Hubbard died aged 70. He was musician (trumpet) and composer, known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles. He has performed and recorded with many famous musicians including George Benson, Walter Benton, Art Blakey, Tina Brooks, Kenny Burrell, George Cables, Betty Carter, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Richard Davis, Eric Dolphy, Kenny Drew, Charles Earland, Bill Evan, Joe Farrell, Curtis Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Oscar Peterson, Benny Golson, Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Joe Henderson, Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson, Billy Joel, Elton John, J.J. Johnson, Quincy Jones, John Lewis, Kirk Lightsey, Ronnie Mathews, Jackie McLean, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Wes Montgomery, Hank Mobley, Alphonse Mouzon, Oliver Nelson, Duke Pearson, Sam Rivers, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Rufus, Poncho Sanchez, Don Sebesky, Wayne Shorter, Leon Thomas, Stanley Turrentine, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton and Randy Weston.
Buddy Rich
On April 2, 1987, Bernard “Buddy” Rich died aged 69. He was musician (drums) and bandleader, known for his virtuoso technique, power, groove, and speed. In his career Rich performed with some of the biggest names of the modern music including, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Lester Young, Max Roach, Alla Rakha, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa and Dizzy Gillespie.
Charles Mingus
On January 5, 1977, Charles Mingus Jr. Died aged 57. He was musician (bass), composer and bandleader, regarded as one of the most creative and influential Jazz artists of all times.
For his work and contribution to the modern music, Mingus has received many awards including:
- “Guggenheim Fellowship” (1971).
- Inducted in the “Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame” (1971).
- “National Endowment for the Arts” provided grants for a Mingus nonprofit called “Let My Children Hear Music” which cataloged all of Mingus’s works (1988)
- “The Library of Congress” acquired Mingus’s collected papers in what they described as “the most important acquisition of a manuscript collection relating to jazz in the Library’s history.(1993)]
- “The United States Postal Service” issued a stamp in his honor (1995).
- Posthumously awarded the “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” (1997)
- Album “Mingus Dynasty”(1959) inducted in the “Grammy Hall of Fame” (1999)
- Inducted in the “Jazz at Lincoln Center”, Nesuhi Ertegun “Jazz Hall of Fame” (2005)
Mingus has recorded and performed with some of the most important musicians of the modern music, including: Illinois Jacquet, Dinah Washington, Wilbert Baranco, Ivie Anderson, Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, Billy Taylor, Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach, Bud Powell, Paul Bley, Teo Macero, Oscar Pettiford, Ada Moore, Charlie Parker, J.J. Johnson, Hazel Scott, John Mehegan, Thad Jones, John Dennis, Ralph Sharon, Miles Davis, Teddy Charles, The Metronome All-Stars, Jimmy Knepper, Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Max Roach and Eric Dolphy.
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