Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Eric Allan Dolphy was born on June 20, 1928 in Los Angeles, California and received his musical education at Los Angeles City College. Performing locally in the big bands of Gerald Wilson and Roy Porter, he played soprano clarinet, baritone saxophone and his main instrument, the alto, on early recordings. But his big break came when he joined Chico Hamilton’s quintet, gaining wider audience recognition.
By 1959 Dolphy had moved to New York City and his early association with then established John Coltrane brought him acclaim amongst jazz lovers. During this period, Dolphy also played in a number of challenging settings, notably in key recordings by Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation; Oliver Nelson’s The Blues and the Abstract Truth; and George Russell’s Ezz-thetics. He also worked with Max Roach, Gunther Schuller, Ron Carter, Ken McIntyre and Abbey Lincoln among others.
His first two albums as leader produced Outward Bound and Out There that were deeply rooted in hard bop with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. This was followed with Far Cry with Booker Little, with whom he would record a series of legendary sets at the Five Spot before Little’s death at 23. In 1964, Dolphy signed with Blue Note and recorded Out To Lunch! with Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Richard Davis and Tony Williams. This record was rooted in the avant-garde, his solos unpredictable and is considered his magnum opus.
Eric Dolphy died in Berlin while touring with Charles Mingus on June 29, 1964. The circumstances are sketchy as to where he died and the cause, though he was a diabetic. Whatever the cause, the jazz world lost an alto saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist who contributed profusely to the genre of jazz during his short-lived 36 years.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Lucky Thompson was born Eli Thompson on June 16, 1924 in Columbia, South Carolina but the family moved to Detroit, Michigan during his childhood. Raising his siblings after his mother died, he practiced his saxophone fingerings daily on a broomstick prior to acquiring his first instrument. After graduating from high school in 1942 he joined the Erskine Hawkins band.
Lucky went on to play with the swing orchestras of Lionel Hampton, Don Redman, Billy Eckstine, Lucky Millinder and Count Basie, he worked in rhythm and blues, later establishing a career in bop and hard bop working with Kenny Clarke, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Milt Jackson.
An inspired soloist playing in a more advanced bebop format in the early 60s and capable of a very personal style in which the tradition of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Don Byas was intelligently mixed with a modern grasp of harmony. He showed these capabilities as sideman on many albums recorded during the mid-1950s, such as Stan Kenton’s Cuban Fire and those under his own name.
He appeared on Charlie Parker’s Los Angeles Dial Records sessions and on Miles Davis’s hard bop Walkin’ session. Thompson recorded albums as a leader for ABC Paramount, Prestige and as a sideman on records for Savoy with Milt Jackson as leader.
In the late 60’s Thompson lived in Lausanne, Switzerland and recorded several albums there including A Lucky Songbook in Europe. He taught at Dartmouth College in 1973 and 1974, and then left the music business completely, because of the racist treatment he received from record companies and clubs.
In his last years he lived in the Pacific Northwest suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and on July 30, 2005, hard bop saxophonist Lucky Thompson passed away in Seattle, Washington.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jaki (John) Byard was born on June 15, 1922 in Worcester, Massachusetts and began playing professionally at age 15. Adept not only on the piano, he played trumpet and saxophone among other instruments. After serving in WWII he toured with Earl Bostic in the late 40s, based himself in Boston and had his recording debut with Charlie Mariano in 1951.
Known for his eclectic style, Byard added everything from ragtime to free jazz in his delivery. Through the fifties and into the sixties he was a member of Herb Pomeroy’s band followed by a stint with Maynard Ferguson.
Moving to New York, Byard recorded extensively with Charles Mingus from 1962 to 1964 and in 1970, touring Europe with him in 1964. He also made important recordings as a sideman with Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin and Sam Rivers.
As a leader, he recorded a string of albums for the Prestige label during the 1960s and fronted an occasional big band, the Apollo Stompers. He taught at the New England Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Hartt School of Music, and the New School for Social Research.
Jaki Byard was shot dead on February 11, 1999 in New York City. The circumstances surrounding his death have not been determined. Phil Woods described him as “one of the most compelling and versatile pianists in jazz”.
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Frank Strozier was born on June 13, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee. He played with other hometown musicians in his youth and continued even after his move to Chicago in 1954 including Harold Mabern, Booker Little and George Coleman.
A renowned hard bop alto saxophonist who never got the recognition he deserved he did lead recording sessions for Vee-Jay Records and recorded with the MJT+3 from 1959-1960. After moving to New York, Frank was briefly with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1963, between the tenures of Hank Mobley and George Coleman. During this period he also gigged with Roy Haynes.
Strozier relocated to Los Angeles working with Chet Baker, Shelly Manne and most notably with the Don Ellis big band where he executed a memorable solo on “K.C. Blues” on the “Autumn” album. Returned to New York in 1971 he worked with the Jazz Contemporaries, the New York Jazz Repertory Company, Horace Parlan and Woody Shaw among others,.
Frustrated with lack of work, Frank would reappear from time to time as a piano player but with little results. His last recordings were in 1977 and he left a limited catalogue of seven albums as a leader and another 15 as a sideman.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Tina Brooks was born Harold Floyd Brooks on June 7, 1932 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the brother of tenor saxophonist David “Bubba” Brooks. He initially studied the C-melody saxophone, which he began playing in 1944 shortly after his family relocated to New York.
His first professional work came in 1951 with rhythm and blues pianist Sonny Thompson and Lionel Hampton four years later. His friendship with trumpeter and composer Little Benny Harris led to his first recording as a leader. Harris played a key role in Brooks’ acquiring a contract with Blue Note Records in 1958.
Best known for his work for Blue Note Records, between 1958 and 1961, Tina led four recording sessions and worked as a sideman on record sessions with Kenny Burrell, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Freddie Redd and Jimmy Smith. Appearing on Brooks’ albums, McLean and Brooks’ also gave highly regarded performances of the music composed by Redd in Jack Gelber’s play “The Connection”, from which came a recording of the music from the play.
Declining health problems due to heroin dependency, his recording career ceased after 1961. Tina Brooks, the hard bop tenor saxophonist and composer whose strong, smooth tone and amazing flow of fresh ideas are indelibly imprinted on seventeen sessions in the Blue Note catalogue, died at age 42 of liver failure on August 13, 1974.
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