Eugene "Gene" Gammage (born January 30, 1931) is an American jazz drummer.

Biography

Gene Gammage began his professional career as a drummer in 1952 after serving in the Air Force (1948-1952). In 1953, in Los Angeles he found a steady gig with

Teddy Charles Teddy Charles (April 13, 1928 – April 16, 2012) was an American jazz musician and composer, whose instruments were the vibraphone, piano, and drums. Career Born Theodore Charles Cohen in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, United States, he s ...

, and Bill Crow on bass. Following this, he played with leaders Buddy Collette (1955) Hampton Hawes (1955),

André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

(1955),

Barney Kessel Barney Kessel (October 17, 1923 – May 6, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist born in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Known in particular for his knowledge of chords and inversions and chord-based melodies, he was a member of many prominent jazz groups a ...

(1956), Herb Geller, Jack Sheldon.The Encyclopedia Of Jazz - Leonard Feather, reprint 1960 page 222 two photos feature Gammage with Jack Sheldon in photo book Jazz Seen - William Claxton, page 30 and 122 Tenor saxophonist Jack Laird hired him for an engagement at Club El Sereno in East LA (with pianist Franck Patchen). Peterson described Gammage as "a young man with an irrepressible sense of humour", "who possessed considerable talent." In November 1956, he was in Las Vegas with Oscar Peterson. In 1957, he joined Beverly Kelly and Pat Moran McCoy for a quartet and trio including Scott LaFaro. Two albums were recorded and issued in 1958 under the two leaders' names. From fall 1958 to Spring 1959, he was hired again by Oscar Peterson. The trio, with Ray Brown on bass, recorded a jazz version of My Fair Lady on November, 20&21 1958. In St Louis in August 1961, he recorded 3 live dates with

Webster Young Webster English Young (December 3, 1932 – December 13, 2003) was an American jazz trumpeter and cornetist. Born in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Washington, D.C., Young was known for his lyrical playing, and performed with John Coltra ...

Shirley Horn Shirley Valerie Horn (May 1, 1934 – October 20, 2005) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She collaborated with many jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Ron Carter, Carmen McRae, Wynton Marsalis and othe ...

, and Johnny Hartman. A New York resident in the late sixties, he took part in Roswell Rudd's Primordial group, with Enrico Rava (no official recording) On November 2 1971, he was with Gary McFarland and writer, editor David Burnett at

Club 55 Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises ...

in New York City, when they got served drinks filled with liquid methadone, which provoked seizure due to overdose. Gary McFarland was pronounced dead in the bar, David Burnett just a few days later. Gene Gammage survived after some time in the hospital. He appeared in '' This is McFarland'', film by Kristian St Clair released in 2006. From the mid-seventies to the early eighties, his last known regular gig was with Bobby Short. On page 220 of Oscar Peterson's memoir "A Jazz Odyssey," he stated that Gammage died in 1989. His recordings mostly feature him with piano-led trio and show an accomplished accompanist, with a solid tempo and technicality, typical of the drumming style in the mid-fifties. In 1960 Leonard Feather mentioned his original influences as Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Philly Joe Jones,

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

, Elvin JonesThe Encyclopedia Of Jazz - Leonard Feather, reprint 1960 page 221

Discography

;Original album names * The Jack Sheldon Quartet - ''

Get Out Of Town "Get Out of Town" is a 1938 popular song written by Cole Porter, for his musical ''Leave It to Me!'', where it was introduced by Tamara Drasin. Notable recordings *Ginny Simms - recorded December 7, 1938 for Vocalion Records (catalog No. 4549). ...

'' (Jazz: West, 1954) * Jack Sheldon - '' The Quartet & The Quintet'' (Jazz: West, 1956) * Beverly Kelly - '' Sings with Pat Moran Trio'' (

Audio Fidelity Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to: Sound *Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound * Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum *Digital audio, representation of soun ...

, 1958) * Pat Moran Trio - '' This Is Pat Moran'' (

, 1958) * Oscar Peterson - '' Plays My Fair Lady'' ( Verve Records, 1958) *

- '' "Live" At The GasLight'' (Can-Am Records, 1961) (originally titled '' "Live" At The Village Vanguard'') *

- '' Plays And Sings The Miles Davis Songbook (Volume Three)'' (VGM Records, rec. in 1961) * Johnny Hartman And The Andrew Hill Trio - '' Sittin' In With Johnny Hartman And The Andrew Hill Trio'' (VGM Records, rec. in 1961) * Bobby Short - '' My Personal Property '' ( Atlantic, 1976) ;Various reissues and compilations *

Oscar Peterson Trio Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...

- '' Night Train Vol. 2'' (LP, Comp) (Verve Records, 1967) *

- '' Oscar's Oscar Peterson Plays The Academy Awards'' (Verve Records, 1969) * Oscar Peterson - '' Plays West Side Story & My Fair Lady'' (LP, Comp) (VSP, 1969) * Oscar Peterson - '' Wouldn't It Be Loverly? Oscar Peterson Plays Broadway'' (Verve Records 1994) * Oscar Peterson - ''

Soft Sands Soft Sands may refer to: * Soft Sands (band), a country and gospel band from Arnhem Land, Australia, or their debut album * Soft Sands (album) ''Soft Sands'' is a 1957 studio album by Oscar Peterson, arranged by Buddy Bregman. Track listing # ...

'' (CD, Comp) (Phoenix Records, 2013) * '' Pat Moran: Complete Trio Sessions ( Fresh Sound Records, 2007) is a reissue of the two

'' sessions from 1958. * '' The Legendary Scott LaFaro'' (Japan, Teichiku, 1978) is a partial reissue of '' This Is Pat Moran''

Filmography

* '' Bobby Short At The Café Carlyle'' -'' The Great Saloon Singer Of Manhattan Bobby Short'' by Director Lou Tyrell - A LeaLou Production - 1979 * '' This is McFarland'' documentary by Kristian St Clair released in 2006.

References

;Footnotes ;General references * Gene Gammageat AllMusic {{DEFAULTSORT:Gammage, Gene 1931 births Possibly living people Musicians from Atlanta American jazz drummers 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians