Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Clifford Laconia Jordan was born on September 2, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois and began his musical studies on the piano at an early age. While still in his hometown he took up the saxophone and had the opportunity to play with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt and a few rhythm and blues groups into the 50s. By 1957 at the age of 26, he made his move to New York City where he recorded three albums for Blue Note.
Over the course of his career Clifford recorded with Horace Silver, J. J. Johnson, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Max Roach and Paul Chambers. In 1964 he joined the Charles Mingus Sextet along with Eric Dolphy for the European tour. For a while he lived in Belgium, performed in Paris and toured Africa with Randy Weston.
Jordan’s later years saw him leading his own groups, performing with Cedar Walton’s Eastern Rebellion and even led his own big band. He recorded eighteen sessions as a leader and another 28 as a sideman. Saxophonist Clifford Jordan passed away on March 27, 1993 in Manhattan.
More Posts: saxophone
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Wilton Lewis Felder was born August 31, 1940 in Houston, Texas and is both saxophonist and bass player. He is best known as an original member of The Jazz Crusaders, founded while still in high school, along with Joe Sample, Wayne Henderson and Stix Hooper.
The Jazz Crusaders evolved from a straight-ahead jazz combo into a pioneering jazz-rock fusion group, with a soul music influence. They dropped jazz from the name and became simply known as The Crusaders. Felder worked with the original group for over thirty years, and continues to work in its current versions, which often features other founding members.
Felder also worked as a west coast studio musician, mostly playing electric bass, for various soul and R&B musicians. He was one of the in-house bass players for Motown Records when the label opened operations in Los Angeles in the early 70s working with The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, America, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell and Michael Franks.
Wilton worked with Dizzy Gillespie, John Klemmer, Richard Groove Holmes, Grant Green and Milt Jackson among others during his studio years. His solo release titled “Secrets” featured vocalist Bobby Womack singing the hit “(No Matter How High I Get) I’ll Still Be Looking Up To You”. Wilton Felder continues to perform and record.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Branford Marsalis was born August 26, 1960 in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana into a musical family led by the patriarch, Ellis. In the summer of 1980, while still at Berklee College of Music, Marsalis toured Europe playing alto and baritone saxophone in an art Blakey large ensemble that led to big band experience with Lionel Hampton and Clark Terry with a return the Art Blakey in the Jazz Messengers with his brother Wynton.
By 1985 he released his first recording, Scenes in the City, as well as guest appearances with Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1985 he joined Sting and The Police along with jazz drummer Omar Hakim, bassist Darryl Jones and keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, recording and performing until 1999.
Branford is primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of his own quartet, with original member Jeff “Tain” Watts drums, bassist Eric Revis replacing Robert Hurst on bass and pianist Joey Calderazzo replacing Kenny Kirkland after his death. The quartet has toured and recorded extensively, receiving a Grammy in 2001 for its album “Contemporary Jazz”.
After a two-decade association with Columbia Records serving as Creative Consultant and producer for jazz recordings between 1997 and 2001, Marsalis founded his own Marsalis Music label in 2002. producing and releasing his own band along with Harry Connick Jr., Miguel Zenon, Doug Wamble, Alvin Batiste, Michael Carvin, Jimmy Cobb, Bob French and soon to be released Claudia Acuna.
Marsalis has placed great emphasis on his classical music endeavors since the 2001 release of the album “Creation” and symphony orchestra and chamber ensemble performances worldwide became a significant part of his itinerary, touring the U.S. with Philarmonia Brasileira. He has won a 2010 Drama Desk Award for “Outstanding Music in a Play” and was nominated for a 2010 Tony for August Wilson’s Broadway revival of Fences.
Branford has been an educator on the university level at Michigan State, San Francisco State and presently at North Carolina Central University. After Hurricane Katrina he joined forces with Harry Connick Jr. and created the Musician’s Village, undertaken by New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity in the upper 9th ward, providing dozens of musicians of modest means with the opportunity to own decent, affordable housing. They received the Jefferson Awards for Public Service.
More Posts: saxophone
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bobby Watson was born in Lawrence, Kansas on August 23, 1953 but grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended the University of Miami along with fellow students Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius and Bruce Hornsby. After graduating in 1975, he moved to New York City and joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He performed with the Jazz Messengers from 1977 to 1981, eventually becoming the musical director for the group. He also founded the 29th Street saxophone Quartet with alto saxophonist Ed Jackson, tenor saxophonist Rich Rothenberg, and baritone saxophonist Jim Hartog.
Following his tenure as a Jazz Messenger, Watson became a much-sought after musician, working along the way with many notable musicians, including: drummers Max Roach and Louis Hayes, fellow saxophonists George Coleman and Branford Marsalis, multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers and his trumpeter brother Wynton. In addition Bobby supported vocalists including Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter and Carmen Lundy as well as being a sideman for Carlos Santana, Rufus & Chaka Khan, Bob Belden and John Hicks.
Watson along with Curtis Lundy and Victor Lewis started “Horizon” an acoustic quintet; led the a tribute band to Johnny Hodges called the “High Court of Swing”; and the “Tailor-Made Big Band”. He composed a song for the soundtrack of Deniro’s “A Bronx Tale”; has been an adjunct professor at William Patterson University and the Manhattan School of Music; and is currently involved with the Thelonious Monk Institute’s “Jazz in America” high school outreach program.
Watson was selected as the first William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri, Distinguished Professorship in Jazz Studies. The past six years he has served as the director of jazz studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and the alto saxophonist, composer, producer and educator still manages to balance recording of 26 albums as a leader, hundreds of co=led or sideman recordings, along with live engagements around the world with his teaching responsibilities. Watson’s ensembles at UMKC have garnered several awards and national recognition.
Bobby Watson, post-bop jazz alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator, now has 26 recordings as a leader. He appears on nearly 100 other recordings as either co-leader or in a supporting role and has recorded more than 100 original compositions and his long-time publisher.
More Posts: saxophone
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Donny McCaslin was born August 11, 1966 growing up in Santa Cruz, California. Inspired by his pianist/vibraphonist father, Donny began playing the saxophone at 12 and quickly progressing played in his father’s band. While in high school he toured the U.S., Japan and Europe with his own band and youth ensembles. He played the Monterey Jazz Festival for three years as a member of the Festival’s California All-Star Band.
Receiving a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in 1984, it was during his matriculation that Donny came under the influence of Gary Burton, Herb Pomeroy, Billy Pierce, George Garzone and Joe Viola. He performed regularly around Boston and Cambridge with the True Colors Big Band and in 1987 joined Burton’s group and toured with him for four years.
Moving to New York in 1991 McCaslin replaced Michael Brecker in Steps Ahead, staying with them until ’94. He has played with the Gil Evans Orchestra, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, Danilo Perez, Maria Schneider, and Santi DiBriano. In 2006 he joined the Dave Douglas Quintet.
His first release as a leader came in 1998 with “Exile and Discovery” and he has continued performing, recording and issuing releases under his own name with his latest 2012 release “Casting For Gravity”.
More Posts: saxophone