On September 24, 2021, Alfred James Ellis aka Pee Wee Ellis died aged 80. He was musician (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, flute, keyboards), arranger and composer, worked as musical director and arranger with George Benson, Hank Crawford and Esther Phillips. Ellis recorded and performed with David Liebman, Jack McDuff, Rebirth Brass Band, Shirley Scott, Sonny Stitt, Leon Thomas, Van Morrison, Ginger Baker’s jazz Confusion, The JB Horns, Maceo Parker, Brass Fever, Ali Farka Touré and The Dapps, but was best known as longtime collaborator of James Brown. He co-wrote and recorded some of Brown’s best-known songs like “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” and “Cold Sweat”. As leader Ellis released 13 albums.
Tag Archives: tenor saxophone
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: Over-Nite Sensation
On September 7, 1973, “DiscReet” label released “Over-Nite Sensation”, the seventeenth Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention studio album. It was recorded March – June 1973, at “Bolic Sound”, Inglewood and “Whitney Studios”, Glendale, and was produced by Frank Zappa.
Personnel:
- Frank Zappa – vocals, guitar
- George Duke– synthesizer, keyboards
- Tom Fowler– bass
- Ralph Humphrey – drums
- Ruth Underwood– percussion, marimba, vibraphone
- Kin Vassy– vocals
- Ricky Lancelotti– vocals
- Sal Marquez – vocals, trumpet
- Ian Underwood– clarinet, flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Bruce Fowler– trombone
- Jean-Luc Ponty– violin, baritone violin
- Tina Turner and the Ikettes – backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Frank Zappa.
- Camarillo Brillo
- I’m the Slime
- Dirty Love
- Fifty-Fifty
- Zomby Woof
- Dinah-Moe-Humm
- Montana
Stan Getz
On June 6, 1991, Stanley Getz, died aged 64. He wasmusician (primarily tenor saxophone), came to prominence in the late 40’s playing with Woody Herman’s big band, and went on performing bebop and cool jazz. He became world known with his bossa nova period, in which he recorded few albums that promoted bossa nova worldwide, including “Jazz Samba (1962)”; “Big Band Bossa Nova (1962)”; “Jazz Samba Encore! (1963)” and “Getz/Gilberto (1963)”. In his career he performed with some of the most important jazz artists, including Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Joao Gilberto, Laurindo Almeida, Herb Alpert, Benny Goodman, Al Haig and Abbey Lincoln. Getz achieved big number of awards including five “Grammy Awards”:
- Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance, Soloist or Small Group (Instrumental) “Desafinado,” Stan Getz. 1962
- Grammy Award for Record of the Year, “The Girl From Ipanema,” 1964
- Grammy Award for Album of the Year, Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz and João Gilberto (Verve) 1964
- Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Small Group or Soloist With Small Group, Getz/Gilberto, Stan Getz 1964
- Grammy Award for Best Jazz Solo Performance, “I Remember You” Stan Getz 1991
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