Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Karl Marsh was born on June 14, 1959 in Los Angeles, California. He learned to play the saxophone as a child coming out of the tradition of John Coltrane, Joe Henderson and Pharoah Sanders, with an added twist of Ben Webster.
Marsh’s big & warm toned tenor saxophone is comfortable in a variety of performance settings, from combos, duos and quintets delivering heartfelt ballads and standards and straight-ahead, earthy and spirit-filled original compositions.
Since 2009 Karl has held a regular gig at the Left Coast Wine Bar and Gallery, has played Maggiano’s at The Grove and the LA Farmer’s Market Summer Jazz Concert series in Los Angeles, has performed at Belgocargo in France, the Joe Henderson Tribute Concert and art venues throughout metro Los Angeles. He released his debut album titled “Push’N Ahead!” in 2005.
Tenor saxophonist Karl Marsh currently serves as the saxophone instructor for the Pasadena Community Youth Orchestra and also offers private instruction.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Buddy Catlett was born George James Catlett on June 13, 1933 and grew up in Seattle, Washington. During his childhood he listened to records his mother brought home, and learned to play the cornet around age 10 after hearing Louis Armstrong, and by fourteen had saved enough money from his movie theater job to buy a saxophone. He would soon be gigging with his childhood friend Quincy Jones till 5:30 in the morning and then the two would go to Garfield High School a few hours later. It was during this time that he also met and performed with Ray Charles.
He first professional gig was with vibraphonist Bumps Blackwell’s band that included Ernestine Anderson, but by 17 had to stop performing due to tubercular pleurisy that hospitalized him for two years. Not to be beaten, he started taking bass lessons with Tiny Martin of the Seattle Symphony. Learning quickly he was soon asked to join pianist Horace Henderson’s band and on the road he went. This was followed up with a stint with Cal Tjader, a move to New York in 1958, and a European tour with Quincy Jones playing for the musical Free and Easy starring tapper Harold Nicholas.
Throughout his career he performed with Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong among others. He has appeared on over 100 recordings and is recognizable on the Sinatra/Basie arrangement of Fly Me To The Moon and Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World. With declining health, bassist Buddy Catlett scaled down his jazz performances in his hometown of Seattle but has not lost his popularity or respect from an admiring community. Bassist Buddy Catlett passed away on November 12, 2014, at age 81 at the Leon Sullivan Health Care Center in Seattle’s Central District.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Turk Mauro was born Mauro Turso on June 11, 1944 in New York City into a family of first-generation Italian-Americans and he first experienced jazz when his father who played in local swing bands and began playing alto saxophone at 14. He soon met his mentor, trumpeter Henry Allen, who started getting him gigs around the city until he graduated from high school in 1962.
Mauro worked in a mailroom while playing jazz, got married, had two children, hit the road and his marriage fell apart by the mid-70s. While touring he met Billy Mitchell, a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s band, that led to a few hits with Gillespie but a permanent spot in Buddy Rich’s band. His reputation as a perfectionist made him a popular sideman in the New York area, and in 1977 he release his debut album, The Underdog.
He would go on to play the Blue Note, release his sophomore project The Heavyweight, which unfortunately flopped. This began a dry period for Turk through the ’80s and he abandoned jazz for taxi and limo driving. However, in 1987 after running into Sonny Rollins who suggested Europe, Mauro packed up and moved to France. He found work as a sideman and renewed success in Paris. But success was fleeting and with work drying up in Paris and another failed marriage, his second dry spell ensued by the Nineties.
By 1994 Mauro was back in the States with his new wife taking care of his father in Florida. He managed to play at the few jazz clubs in South Florida at the time but also began to gamble in attempt to regain the good times of Paris. Health problems came by the end of the decade and a burst colon hospitalized the saxophonist. An physical altercation in which he punched local singer Beverly Barkley in the early 2000s sidelined the musician after being arrested for battery. This incident put a halt to his career and with a year probation and 50 hours of community service, since the turn of the century the hard bop saxophonist Turk Mauro made the occasional gig around the Florida area until his death on August 15, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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Requisites
Rollins Plays For Bird ~ Sonny Rollins Quintet With Kenny Dorham and Max Roach | By Eddie Carter
On May 25, 2026, the jazz world lost a true legend, Sonny Rollins, who passed away at the age of 95. Today’s discussion is one of my favorites by the tenor saxophonist, which doesn’t get talked about as much. In 1956, he went into the Van Gelder Studios and recorded three albums: Saxophone Colossus, Tenor Madness, and this morning’s album submitted for your approval, Rollins Plays For Bird (Prestige PRLP 7095). In this tribute to Charlie Parker, the tenor saxophonist is joined by Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Wade Legge on piano, George Morrow on bass and Max Roach on drums. The copy I own is the 2021 Analogue Productions U.S. mono audiophile-remastered reissue, sharing the original catalog number from The Prestige Mono Series.
Side One gets underway with the side-long Bird Medley. Rollins and Legge’s introduction leads into I Remember You by Victor Schertzinger and Johnny Mercer. After establishing an easy groove in the melody, Sonny is the dominant presence here and plays in the opening solo with authority. He and Max have a brief conversation before Legge changes gears to My Melancholy Baby by Ernie Burnett and George A. Norton. Dorham takes the lead during the melody and the first solo, delivering a remarkably disciplined performance. The trumpet shares a brief spotlight with Roach, leading to Wade taking center stage as the trio shines on the melody of Old Folks by Willard Robison and Dedette Lee Hill. Wade opens with a charming solo, then he and Max exchange ideas briefly before the ensemble moves into the next song.
Rollins returns as the Bird Medley continues with They Can’t Take That Away From Me by George and Ira Gershwin. The quartet lets us know we’re in for a treat with a bright theme, then Rollins steps into the opening statement with a passionately playful solo. He again shares a well-executed conversation with Roach, before Dorham gets his second turn in the spotlight with Just Friends by John Klenner and Sam A. Lewis. The trumpeter is merry and playful on the melody, and glides with ease in the opening solo. Dorham and Roach get together again in a gentle swing ahead of the trio’s second appearance to present My Little Suede Shoes by Charlie Parker. Legge gets things off to a good start with an opening presentation that soothes the soul and eases the mind, preceding his short exchange of riffs with Roach into the close.
The medley’s longest tune, Star Eyes by Don Raye and Gene DePaul, concludes the first side. The rhythm section brings the song to life, segueing into the opening ensemble. Sonny’s with effervescent enthusiasm is sure to have your fingers snapping and toes tapping. Kenny follows with a solo that’s nearly a scene-stealer, then Wade takes over with a captivating presentation. Sonny, Max, and Kenny share their thoughts, driving straight into the theme’s reprise and fadeout. Side Two opens with the quintet’s leisurely introduction and theme of Kids Know by Sonny Rollins. Sonny steps out first with an almost stately solo. Kenny comes next with a relaxing reading that flows effortlessly, then Wade steps in with a laid-back statement. The front line shares a few moments with Max before the drummer wraps up everything ahead of the finale.
The group slows the pace down for I’ve Grown Accustomed To Your Face by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. The quartet opens with an intensely personal melody. Sonny’s opening solo is filled with sensitive warmth, and then Wade maintains the loveliness in the next performance with simple, effective empathy. Sonny punctuates the solos with a few final thoughts, leading to a restatement of the theme and a gentle ending. It’s a strong summation of an album that sparkles with marvelous music throughout, exciting, evocative solos, and exceptional performances by the Sonny Rollins Quintet. Bob Weinstock supervised the initial session, and Rudy Van Gelder managed the recording console. Kevin Gray mastered the reissue, and its sonics are sensational, with crystal-clear sound across the highs, midrange, and bass.
The front cover of this AP reissue is a deluxe high-gloss, tip-on album jacket. The vinyl is a 200-gram pressing by Quality Record Pressings and is dead silent until the music starts. Sonny Rollins was a celebrated jazz tenor saxophonist who is regarded as one of the most influential musicians in jazz history. Most self-taught, Rollins joined a high school band where he performed with classmates who would also become prominent jazz figures. Over his career spanning 70 years, Rollins released more than 60 albums as a leader and contributed to 26 releases as a sideman. He was called “the greatest living improviser,” and was the final surviving member among 57 iconic jazz musicians featured in the 1958 photograph, A Great Day in Harlem.
Throughout Rollins Plays For Bird, Sonny Rollins and company demonstrate remarkable technical skill and a profound appreciation for Charlie Parker’s influence. The album stands out not only as a heartfelt homage but also as a platform for each musician’s individual artistry. Sonny Rollins commands the session with confidence, Kenny Dorham contributes lyrical elegance, and Max Roach provides a steady, energetic foundation. If you’re already a fan or just beginning to discover his artistry, I invite you to check out Rollins Plays For Bird by the Sonny Rollins Quintet. It’s an overlooked gem, perfect for any time of day or when the house is quiet after a long day or week, and it should make a welcome addition to any jazz library!
~ Saxophone Colossus (Prestige PRLP 7079), Tenor Madness (Prestige PRLP 7047) – Source: Discogs.com ~ I Remember You, Just Friends, My Melancholy Baby, Old Folks, Star Eyes, They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Source: JazzStandards.com ~ I’ve Grown Accustomed To Your Face – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2026 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Herbie Fields was born May 24, 1919 in Asbury Park, New Jersey and attended Juilliard School of Music. He served two years in the Army during WWII until 1943. He began recording in 1944 with two sides for Bob Thiele’s Signature label and over the next year and a half he recorded for Savoy, and shared a date with “Rubberlegs” Williams that featured teenaged Miles Davis’ recording debut.
Fields replaced Earl Bostic as alto saxophonist in Lionel Hampton’s band and was fluent in a variety of reed instruments, from clarinet to baritone saxophone. In 1945, he won Esquire Magazine’s New Star Award on the Alto Sax. In 1946, RCA Victor signed Fields as leader of his own big band.
Herbie would lead the big band with sidemen Neal Hefti, Bill Evans, Eddie Bert, Manny Albam, Marty Napoleon and Serge Chaloff among others and Dardanella was their biggest hit. He formed a septet in 1949 based in Chicago that backed numerous stage shows and in 1950 accompanied Billie Holiday 3-month East Coast tour.
Fields gravitated toward an R& B conception in the Fifties without success and recorded sporadically. He moved to Miami, Florida, opened a restaurant and on September 17, 1958 alto saxophonist Herbie Fields died of an overdose of sleeping pills at his home.
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