Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations.
Biography
Early years
Lewis was born in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
, to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents Samuel and Mildred Sokoloff. He started playing professionally as a teen, eventually joining
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...
in 1954. His musical career brought him to Los Angeles in 1957 and New York City in 1963.''All Music Guide to Jazz''. Yanow, Scott (1996). Miller Freeman Books.
Career
In 1966 in New York, he teamed up with
Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists".
Biography
Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, U ...
to lead the
Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra
The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra was a jazz big band formed by trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis in New York in 1965.Lisik/Allen. 50 Years at the Village Vanguard:Thad Jone, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. Sky Deck M ...
. The group started as informal
jam sessions
A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without ext ...
with the top studio and jazz musicians of the city, but eventually began performing regularly on Monday nights at the famed
venue
Venue is the location at which an event takes place. It may refer to:
Locations
* Venue (law), the place a case is heard
* Financial trading venue, a place or system where financial transactions can occur
* Music venue, place used for a concer ...
, the
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...
. In 1979, the band won a
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
for their album '' Live in Munich''. Like all of the musicians in the band, it was only a sideline. In 1976, he released an album titled ''Mel Lewis and Friends'' that featured him leading a smaller sextet that allowed freedom and improvisation.
When Jones moved to
Denmark
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...
in 1978, the band became known as Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra. Lewis continued to lead the band, recording and performing every Monday night at the Village Vanguard until shortly before his death from cancer at age 60. The band still performs on most Monday nights at the club. Today, it is known as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and has released several CDs.''50 Years at the Village Vanguard: Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra''. Lisik, Dave; Allen, Eric (2017). Skydeck Music.
Playing style and approach
Lewis's
cymbal
A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time.
Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York ...
had remarked: "Mel Lewis doesn't sound like anybody else. He sounds like himself."
Lewis insisted on playing genuine Turkish-made cymbals, switching from the Zildjian Company later in his career to the Istanbul brand. His setup included a 21-inch ride on his right, a 19-inch crash-ride on his left, and his signature sound, a 22-inch swish "knocker" with rivets on his far right. The rather lightweight cymbals exuded a dark, overtone-rich sound. Lewis' wood-shell drums were considered warm and rich in their sound. He almost exclusively played a
Gretsch drums
Gretsch Drums is a division of American musical instrument manufacturer Gretsch. The company was founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1883. Gretsch drum kits have been used by many notable drummers including Max Roach, Tony Williams, Art Blakey, ...
set, although in later years, played Slingerland drums equipped with natural calfskin top heads. Regular
mylar
BoPET (biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate) is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and is used for its high tensile strength, chemical and dimensional stability, transparency, reflectivity, gas and aro ...
heads were used on the bottom. Lewis described a playing philosophy of not "pushing or pulling" but "supporting." "If you watch me, it doesn't look like I'm doing much," he remarked in an interview.
Declining health and death
In the late 1980s, Lewis was diagnosed with
melanoma
Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...
. It was identified in his arm, then surfaced in his lungs, and ultimately went to his brain. He died on February 2, 1990, just days before his band was to celebrate its 24th anniversary at the
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...
.
Discography
*''
Mellifluous
''Mellifluous'' is an album by drummer Mel Lewis recorded in 1981 and originally released on the Gatemouth label before being reissued on Landmark Records in 1995 (mistitled ''Mellifuous'') with an additional track.Telarc
Telarc International Corporation is an American audiophile independent record label founded in 1977 by two classically trained musicians and former teachers, Jack Renner and Robert Woods. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, the label has had a long associ ...
, 1979)
* ''Live in Montreux: Mel Lewis Plays Herbie Hancock'', ( MPS/ Pausa, 1980))
* ''Live at the Village Vanguard...Featuring the Music of Bob Brookmeyer'', (1980)
* ''Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra'', (Finesse, 1982)
* ''20 Years at the Village Vanguard'', (
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
, 1985)
* ''The Definitive Thad Jones, Live from the Village Vangard'', (
Nimbus
Nimbus, from the Latin for "dark cloud", is an outdated term for the type of cloud now classified as the nimbostratus cloud. Nimbus also may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Halo (religious iconography), also known as ''Nimbus'', a ring of ligh ...
, 1988)
* ''Definitive Thad Jones, Vol. 1'', ( MusicMasters, 1988)
* ''Definitive Thad Jones, Vol. 2'', (MusicMasters, 1988)
* ''Soft Lights and Hot Music'', (MusicMasters, 1988)
* ''To You: A Tribute to Mel Lewis'', (MusicMasters, 1990)
Consummation
In many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, the consummation of a marriage, often called simply ''consummation'', is the first (or first officially credited) act of sexual intercourse between two people, following their marriage t ...
'' (Solid State/
Blue Note
In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...
Potpourri
Potpourri ( ) is a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant materials used to provide a gentle natural scent, commonly in residential settings. It is often placed in a decorative bowl.
The word "potpourri" comes into English from the French ...
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
– with Monica Zetterlund
* '' Body and Soul'' aka ''Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe'' (1978)
West Wind
A west wind is a wind that originates in the west and blows in an eastward direction.
Mythology and Literature
In European tradition, it has usually been considered the mildest and most favorable of the directional winds.
In Greek mythology, ...
– Live in Berlin
* '' A Touch of Class'' (West Wind, 1978) – Live in Warsaw
Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet
*''
The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet
''The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet'' is a live album by the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet recorded in 1977 in Miami and released on the Artists House label in 1978.
'' (Artists House, 1978)
Mel Lewis
* Mel Lewis Sextet ( Mode Records 1957)
*'' Mel Lewis and Friends'' (A&M/Horizon, 1977)
Mosaic
A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
– Jones and Lewis with the UMO Jazz Orchestra, Helsinki
As sideman
With
Pepper Adams
Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...
*''
Pepper Adams Quintet
''Pepper Adams Quintet'' (reissued as ''Pepper Adams 5''), is the debut album by baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams recorded in 1957 and originally released on the Mode label.
Manny Albam
Manny Albam (June 24, 1922 – October 2, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, record producer, and educator.
Early life
A native of the Dominican Republic, Albam grew up in New York City. He was attracted to jazz at an ea ...
*''
Brass on Fire
''Brass on Fire'' is an album by American jazz arranger and conductor Manny Albam featuring performances recorded in 1966 and originally issued on the Solid State Records (jazz label), Solid State label as their first proper release.Payne, D.Sonny ...
Theme Music from "The James Dean Story"
''Theme Music from "The James Dean Story"'' is a 1956 soundtrack album to the James Dean biopic, '' The James Dean Story'' composed by Leith Stevens and featuring trumpeter Chet Baker and saxophonist Bud Shank.Bud Shank
Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...
*''
Once Upon a Summertime
"Once Upon a Summertime" is the title of the American version (with lyrics from Johnny Mercer) of a French song written by Michel Legrand, Eddie Barclay and Eddy Marnay.
The French original is La valse des lilas.
Notable recordings
*Blossom D ...
Bob Brookmeyer
Robert Edward "Bob" Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 – December 15, 2011) was an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Ge ...
The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer
''The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer'' is an album by jazz trombonist and pianist Bob Brookmeyer recorded in 1954 and 1955 for the Prestige label.Cohen, NTeddy Charles Discography accessed July 29, 2013
Reception
The Allmusic review by Scott Yano ...
'' (Prestige, 1955)
*'' 7 x Wilder'' (Verve, 1961)
*''
Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments
''Gloomy Sunday and Other Bright Moments'' is an album by jazz trombonist and arranger Bob Brookmeyer recorded in 1961 for the Verve label. Brookmeyer said: "I consider it my pride and joy. I took many creative risks here, most based on the heels ...
'' (Verve, 1961)
*''
Back Again Back Again may refer to: Albums
* Back Again! (Milira album), ''Back Again!'' (Milira album), 1992
* Back Again (Disciple album), ''Back Again'' (Disciple album), 2003, or the title track
* Back Again! (Mr. Cheeks album), ''Back Again!'' (Mr. Cheeks ...
'' (Sonet, 1978)
With
Kenny Burrell
Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige, Blue Note, Verve, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were notable, and produced the 1965 ...
*''
Blue Bash!
''Blue Bash!'' is an album by the guitarist Kenny Burrell with organist Jimmy Smith, recorded in 1963 and released on the Verve label.
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...
Ben Webster
Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.
Career Early life and career
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...
Central City Sketches
''Central City Sketches'' is an album by saxophonist/composer Benny Carter recorded in 1987 and released by the MusicMasters label as a double LP.
'' (MusicMasters, 1987)
With
Buck Clayton
Wilbur Dorsey "Buck" Clayton (November 12, 1911 – December 8, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter who was a member of Count Basie's orchestra. His principal influence was Louis Armstrong, first hearing the record "Confessin' That I Love You" ...
Al Cohn
Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...
Zoot Sims
John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...
Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper
''Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper'' is an album by saxophonist Bob Cooper recorded in 1957 and released on the Contemporary label.
Jimmy McGriff
James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader.
Biography Early years and influences
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, United States, McGriff started playing pi ...
Eddie Daniels
Eddie Daniels (born October 19, 1941) is an American musician and composer. Although he is best known as a jazz clarinetist, he has also played saxophone and flute as well as classical music on clarinet.
Early life, family and education
Daniel ...
The Blues Roar
''The Blues Roar'' (also released as ''Screamin' Blues'') is an album released by Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson featuring tracks recorded in 1964 and originally released on the Mainstream label.Edwards, D., Callahan, Eyries, P., Watts, ...
'' (Mainstream, 1965)
With
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz (February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of ...
*''
Stan Getz Plays Music from the Soundtrack of Mickey One
''Stan Getz Plays Music from the Soundtrack of Mickey One'' is a 1965 studio album by Stan Getz arranged by Eddie Sauter of their music for the soundtrack of the 1965 film ''Mickey One''. The two men had previously collaborated on Getz's album ' ...
'' (MGM, 1965)
With
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...
*''
The New Continent
''The New Continent'' is an album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band featuring performances arranged and composed by Lalo Schifrin and conducted by Benny Carter recorded in 1962 and released on the Limelight label.Jimmy Hamilton
Jimmy Hamilton (May 25, 1917 – September 20, 1994) was an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist, who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
Biography
Hamilton was born in Dillon, South Carolina, United States, and grew up in ...
Johnny Hodges
Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
Stan Kenton
Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...
*''
Contemporary Concepts
''Contemporary Concepts'' is an album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton with featuring performances of jazz standards recorded in 1955 and released on the Capitol label.Vosbein, PStan Kenton Discographyaccessed April 11, 2016
Reception
The ...
Kenton with Voices
''Kenton with Voices'' is an album by bandleader and pianist Stan Kenton featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Capitol label.Vosbein, PStan Kenton Discographyaccessed April 16, 2016The Ballad Style of Stan Kenton'' (Capitol, 1958)
With
Jimmy Knepper
James Minter Knepper (November 22, 1927 – June 14, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist. In addition to his own recordings as leader, Knepper performed and recorded with Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, Claude Thornhill, Stan Kenton, Benny Goo ...
Mink Jazz
''Mink Jazz'' is a 1963 studio album by Peggy Lee, arranged by Benny Carter and Max Bennett.
Track listing
# " It's a Big Wide Wonderful World" (John Rox) – 1:37
# " Whisper Not" (Leonard Feather, Benny Golson) – 2:17
# "My Silent Lo ...
'' (Capitol, 1963)
With
Joe Lovano
Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarin ...
Johnny Mandel
John Alfred Mandel (November 23, 1925June 29, 2020) was an American composer and arranger of popular songs, film music and jazz. The musicians he worked with include Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, Barbra Streisand, Tony Benn ...
Herbie Mann
Herbert Jay Solomon (April 16, 1930 – July 1, 2003), known by his stage name Herbie Mann, was an American jazz flute player and important early practitioner of world music. Early in his career, he also played tenor saxophone and clarinet (incl ...
*''
Great Ideas of Western Mann
''Great Ideas of Western Mann'' (also released as ''Herbie Mann Quintet featuring Jack Sheldon'') is an album by American jazz flautist/clarinetist Herbie Mann's Californians featuring tracks recorded in 1957 for the Riverside label.
Impressions of the Middle East
''Impressions of the Middle East'' is an album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann recorded for the Atlantic label and released in 1967.The Herbie Mann String Album
''The Herbie Mann String Album'' is an album by American jazz flautist Herbie Mann recorded for the Atlantic label and released in 1967.Warne Marsh
Warne Marion Marsh (October 26, 1927 – December 18, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Los Angeles, his playing first came to prominence in the 1950s as a protégé of pianist Lennie Tristano and earned attention in the 1970s as ...
Jack McDuff
Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...
Gary McFarland
Gary Robert McFarland (October 23, 1933 – November 3, 1971) was an American composer, arranger, vibraphonist and vocalist. He recorded for the jazz imprints Verve and Impulse! Records during the 1960s. '' Down Beat magazine'' said he made "on ...
Jimmy McGriff
James Harrell McGriff (April 3, 1936 – May 24, 2008) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader.
Biography Early years and influences
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, United States, McGriff started playing pi ...
*''
A Bag Full of Blues
''A Bag Full of Blues'' is an album by American jazz organist Jimmy McGriff featuring performances recorded in 1967 and originally released on the Solid State label.Payne, D.Solid Sonny Lester discographyaccessed April 14, 2015Payne, D.accessed A ...
Bette Midler
Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...
*''
Thighs and Whispers
''Thighs and Whispers'' is the fifth studio album by American singer Bette Midler. Released in 1979, the album reached #65 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Albums chart.
Production and release
The album was largely disco-influenced. It saw Midler reunite ...
'' (Atlantic, 1979)
With
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...
*''
Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges
''Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonists Gerry Mulligan and Johnny Hodges featuring performances recorded in 1959 released on the Verve label.
'' (Verve, 1959) with
Johnny Hodges
Cornelius "Johnny" Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on soprano ...
*''
The Concert Jazz Band
''The Concert Jazz Band'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1960 which were released on the Verve label.
'' (Verve, 1960)
*''
Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band on Tour
''Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band on Tour'' (subtitled ''Guest Soloist: Zoot Sims'') is a live album recorded by American jazz saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in California, Berlin and Milan 1960 ...
'' (Verve, 1960
962
Year 962 ( CMLXII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* December – Arab–Byzantine wars – Sack of Aleppo: A Byzantine e ...
*''
Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard
''Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard'' is a live album by jazz saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded at the Village Vanguard in late 1960 which were released on the Verve label.
'' (Verve, 1960
961
Year 961 (Roman numerals, CMLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* March 6 – Siege of Chandax: Byzantine forces under Nikephoro ...
*''
Holliday with Mulligan
''Holliday with Mulligan'' is an album by American singer Judy Holliday with jazz saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1961 which were first released on the DRG label in 1980.Dugelay, G & Hallqvist, KGerr ...
Judy Holliday
Judy Holliday (born Judith Tuvim, June 21, 1921 – June 7, 1965) was an American actress, comedian and singer.Obituary '' Variety'', June 9, 1965, p. 71.
She began her career as part of a nightclub act before working in Broadway plays and mus ...
*''
Gerry Mulligan Presents a Concert in Jazz
''Gerry Mulligan Presents a Concert in Jazz'' is an album recorded by American jazz saxophonist and bandleader Gerry Mulligan featuring performances recorded in 1961 which were released on the Verve label.
'' (Verve, 1961)
* '' Two of a Mind'' (RCA Victor, 1962) with
Paul Desmond
Paul Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld; November 25, 1924 – May 30, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer, best known for his work with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and for composing that group's biggest hit, " Take Five". He ...
With
Anita O'Day
Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appe ...
*''
Cool Heat
''Cool Heat'', subtitled ''Anita O'Day Sings Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements'', is an album by vocalist Anita O'Day backed by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Verve label in 1959.All the Sad Young Men'' (Verve, 1962)
With
Chico O'Farrill
Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill (October 28, 1921 – June 27, 2001) was a Cuban composer, arranger, and conductor, best known for his work in the Latin idiom, specifically Afro-Cuban jazz or "Cubop", although he also composed traditional jazz pieces a ...
*''
Nine Flags
''Nine Flags'' is an album by Cuban composer-arranger Chico O'Farrill featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.
'' (Impulse!, 1966)
With
Shorty Rogers
Milton "Shorty" Rogers (born Milton Rajonsky; April 14, 1924 – November 7, 1994) was an American jazz musician, one of the principal creators of West Coast jazz. He played trumpet and flugelhorn and was in demand for his skills as an arran ...
Chances Are It Swings
''Chances Are It Swings'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter and arranger Shorty Rogers performing compositions by Robert Allen which was released on the RCA Victor label in 1959.The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs
''The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter and arranger Shorty Rogers performing songs composed by Harold Arlen including several from '' The Wizard of Oz''. The album was issued by RCA Victor in 1959 ...
'' (RCA Victor, 1959)
*''
The Swingin' Nutcracker
''The Swingin' Nutcracker'' is a 1960 RCA Victor album by American jazz trumpeter and arranger Shorty Rogers performing compositions adapted from ''The Nutcracker'' by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.An Invisible Orchard
''An Invisible Orchard'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers which was recorded for RCA Victor in 1961 but remained unreleased by the label until 1997.997
Year 997 (Roman numerals, CMXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Japan
* 1 February: Empress Teishi gives birth to Princess Shushi - she is the first ...
Pete Rugolo
Pietro "Pete" Rugolo (December 25, 1915 – October 16, 2011) was an American jazz composer, arranger and record producer.
Life and career
Rugolo was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settle ...
Behind Brigitte Bardot
''Behind Brigitte Bardot'' (subtitled ''Cool Sounds from Her Hot Scenes'') is an album by composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo featuring performances of tunes associated with the films of Brigitte Bardot, and other French films, recorded ...
'' (Warner Bros., 1960)
With
Sal Salvador
Sal Salvador (November 21, 1925 – September 22, 1999) was an American bebop jazz guitarist and a prominent music educator.
He was born in Monson, Massachusetts, United States, and began his professional career in New York City. He eventually m ...
*''
Starfingers
''Starfingers'' is an album by guitarist Sal Salvador that was recorded in 1978 and released on the Bee Hive label.Shirley Scott
Shirley Scott (March 14, 1934 – March 10, 2002) was an American jazz organist. Her music was noted for its mixture of bebop, blues and gospel elements. She was known by the nickname "Queen of the Organ".
Life and career
Scott was born in Phi ...
Bud Shank
Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...
Sonny Stitt
Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...
Sonny Stitt Swings the Most
''Sonny Stitt Swings the Most'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1959 and released on the Verve Records, Verve label.Pepper Adams
Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...
Gerald Wilson
Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. In addition to being a ...
*''
You Better Believe It!
''You Better Believe It!'' is an album by Jazz musician and bandleader Gerald Wilson. Recorded in 1961 for the Pacific Jazz label,
'' (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
*'' Moment of Truth'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
*''
Portraits
A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this r ...
'' (Pacific Jazz, 1964)
With
Jimmy Witherspoon
James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues singer.
Early life, family and education
Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, and his mot ...
*1999: ''Jazz at the Smithsonian'' (Kultur Video)
*2003: ''Jazz Casual – Thad Jones & Mel Lewis and Woody Herman'' (Jazz Casual)
*2005: ''Jazz Masters Series – Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra'' (Shanachie)
*2007: ''Mel Lewis and His Big Band'' (VIEW)
Film
*1958: ''
Kings Go Forth
''Kings Go Forth'' is a 1958 black-and-white World War II film starring Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood. The screenplay was written by Merle Miller from the 1956 novel of the same name by Joe David Brown, and the film was directed ...