James Ralph Spaulding Jr. (born July 30, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist and flutist. Born in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

, Indiana, United states, Spaulding attended the Chicago Cosmopolitan School of Music. Between 1957 and 1961, he was a member of Sun Ra's band. In the 1960s, he worked as a studio musician at

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. Or ...

, recording with Wayne Shorter, Horace Silver, and Stanley Turrentine. He was also a member of

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

's quintet and the World Saxophone Quartet. He went on to work with some post-bop musicians such as Max Roach, Randy Weston and Woody Shaw. Under the leadership of Mercer Ellington, in the 1970s, Spaulding played in the

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

Orchestra. In the 1980s, Spaulding worked with Ricky Ford and, as part of an octet, with David Murray.

Discography

As leader

* 1976: '' James Spaulding Plays the Legacy of Duke Ellington'' ( Storyville) * 1988: ''

Gotstabe a Better Way! ''Gotstabe a Better Way!'' is an album by saxophonist James Spaulding which was recorded in 1988 and released on the Muse label.Muse) * 1988: '' Brilliant Corners'' (Muse) * 1991: ''

Songs of Courage ''Songs of Courage'' is an album by saxophonist James Spaulding which was recorded in 1991 and released on the Muse label.Blues Nexus ''Blues Nexus'' is an album by saxophonist James Spaulding which was recorded in 1993 and released on the Muse Records, Muse label.The Smile of the Snake'' ( HighNote) * 1999: ''

Escapade Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (EscaPADE) is a planned spacecraft mission to Mars consisting of two spacecraft known as ''Blue'' and ''Gold''. The mission, expected to launch in August 2024, is part of NASA's SIMPLEx progr ...

'' (HighNote) * 2001: ''Blues Up & Over'' (Speetones) * 2005: ''Round to It Vol. 2'' (Speetones) * 2006: ''Down With It'' (

Marge Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret (name), Margaret. Notable Marges include: People *Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist *Marge Anderson (1932� ...

)

As sideman

With

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

*''

Louis Armstrong and His Friends ''Louis Armstrong and His Friends'' is an album by the Louis Armstrong recorded in 1970 and originally released by Flying Dutchman on their Amsterdam subsidiary label.Minn. MThe Louis Armstrong Discography: Twilight (1963 - 1971) accessed Novembe ...

'' (Flying Dutchman/Amsterdam, 1970) With

Billy Bang Billy Bang (September 20, 1947 – April 11, 2011), born William Vincent Walker, was an American free jazz violinist and composer. Biography Bang's family moved to New York City's Bronx neighborhood while he was still an infant, and as a ...

* '' Vietnam: Reflections'' (Justin Time, 2005) With

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

*'' Lucifer'' (Muse, 1975) With

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 ...

* '' Golden Boy'' ( Colpix, 1964) With Richard Davis * ''

Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

'' (Muse, 1977 979 With Ricky Ford *''

Loxodonta Africana The African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana'') is one of two extant African elephant species and one of three extant elephant species. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with bulls reaching a shoulder height of up to and a body ...

'' (New World, 1977) *'' Shorter Ideas'' (Muse, 1984) *'' Looking Ahead'' (Muse, 1986) *'' Saxotic Stomp'' (Muse, 1987) With Grant Green * '' Solid'' ( Blue Note, 1964) With

* ''

Hub-Tones ''Hub-Tones'' is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard recorded on October 10, 1962, and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4115 and BST 84115. It contains performances by Hubbard, James Spaulding, Herbie Hancock, Reggie Workman and Clifford J ...

'' (Blue Note, 1962) * ''

Breaking Point! ''Breaking Point!'' is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, recorded on May 7, 1964, and released on the Blue Note label. This album features Joe Chambers' recording debut. Although it features performances by Hubbard's recent collaborators Ron ...

'' (Blue Note, 1964) * ''

Blue Spirits ''Blue Spirits'' is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label. It would be his last studio album for Blue Note, recorded in the 1960s. It features performances by Hubbard, James Spaulding, Joe Hender ...

'' (Blue Note, 1964) * ''

The Night of the Cookers ''The Night of the Cookers'' is a live album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard recorded at Club La Marchal in April 1965 and released on the Blue Note label, originally as two volumes on LP. It features performances by Hubbard, Lee Morgan, James Spaul ...

'' (Blue Note, 1965) * '' Backlash'' ( Atlantic, 1967) * ''

High Blues Pressure ''High Blues Pressure'' is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. It was his second release on the Atlantic Records, Atlantic label and features performances by Hubbard, James Spaulding, Bennie Maupin, Herbie Lewis, Roman "Dog" Broadus, Weldon Ir ...

'' (Atlantic, 1967) * '' The Black Angel'' (Atlantic, 1969) With

Bobby Hutcherson Robert Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album '' Components'', is one of his best-known compositions.Huey, Steve. "Components – Bob ...

* ''

Components Circuit Component may refer to: •Are devices that perform functions when they are connected in a circuit. In engineering, science, and technology Generic systems * System components, an entity with discrete structure, such as an assem ...

'' (Blue Note, 1965) * '' Patterns'' (Blue Note, 1968) *'' Ambos Mundos'' (Landmark, 1989) With

Hank Mobley Henry "Hank" Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to descr ...

* ''

A Slice of the Top ''A Slice of the Top'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on March 18, 1966. The album was not released on the Blue Note label until 1979. It features performances by Mobley with a larger than usual ensemble of trumpeter Lee Morg ...

'' (Blue Note) * '' Third Season'' (Blue Note) With Lee Morgan * ''

Standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object th ...

'' (1967) (Blue Note) With David Murray * '' Hope Scope'' ( Black Saint, 1987) * ''

David Murray Big Band ''David Murray Big Band conducted by Lawrence "Butch" Morris'' is an album by David Murray (saxophonist), David Murray released on the DIW Records, DIW/Columbia Records label in 1991. It features performances by Murray, Hugh Ragin, Graham Haynes, ...

'' ( DIW/

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

, 1991) * ''

Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...

'' (1993) * '' Dark Star: The Music of the Grateful Dead'' (1996) * '' Octet Plays Trane'' (1999) With William Parker * ''

Wood Flute Songs ''Wood Flute Songs'' (subtitled ''Anthology/Live 2006–2012'') is an eight-CD box set by bassist and composer William Parker which was recorded in California in 2006, Houston in 2007, Geneva and Montreal in 2011and New York in 2009 and 2012, and ...

'' ( AUM Fidelity, 2013) With

Duke Pearson Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer. ''Allmusic'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record produ ...

* '' Wahoo!'' (Blue Note 1964) * '' Honeybuns'' (Atlantic 1965) * ''

Prairie Dog Prairie dogs (genus ''Cynomys'') are herbivorous burrowing ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. Within the genus are five species: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. In Mexico, p ...

'' (Atlantic 1966) * '' Sweet Honey Bee'' (Blue Note 1966) With Sam Rivers * '' Dimensions & Extensions'' (1967) With Max Roach * ''

Drums Unlimited ''Drums Unlimited'' is an album by American jazz drummer Max Roach recorded in 1965 and 1966 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (Atlantic, 1965) With

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

* '' Karma'' (1969) With Woody Shaw * ''

Woody III ''Woody III'' is an album by trumpeter Woody Shaw which was recorded in 1979 (with one live track from 1978) and released on the Columbia label.For Sure!'' (Columbia, 1979) With Wayne Shorter * '' The Soothsayer'' (Blue Note 1965) * ''

The All Seeing Eye ''The All Seeing Eye'' is the ninth jazz album by saxophonist Wayne Shorter, recorded on October 15, 1965, and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4219 and BST 84219 in 1966. The album features performances by Shorter with trumpeter Freddie ...

'' (Blue Note 1965) * '' Schizophrenia'' (Blue Note 1967) With Horace Silver * ''

The Jody Grind ''The Jody Grind'' is a 1966 recording by Horace Silver featuring both a quintet and a sextet. Released the following year on his longtime label Blue Note, it peaked No. 8 of the ''Billboard'' jazz album charts. As one of his "groove-centered" r ...

'' (Blue Note 1966) With Sun Ra * ''

Visits Planet Earth ''Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra Visits Planet Earth'' is a jazz album by the American musician Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra. Recorded between late 1956 and 1958, the album was originally released on Ra's own El Saturn Records, Saturn label in 196 ...

'' (1957–1958) * ''

The Nubians of Plutonia ''The Nubians of Plutonia'' is an album recorded by Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra c.1958 – 1959 and released c.1966 on his own Saturn label. Originally released in a blank sleeve under the title ''The Lady With The Golden Stockings'', the ...

'' (1958) * ''

Jazz in Silhouette ''Jazz in Silhouette'' is the third studio album by pianist-composer Sun Ra and His Arkestra. It was recorded on March 6, 1959, and released in May of the same year. The album was recorded in Chicago during a session that also included the whole o ...

'' (1959) * ''

Sound Sun Pleasure!! ''Sound Sun Pleasure!!'' is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra. Recorded March 6, 1959, it remained unreleased until 1970 when it was issued on the Saturn label. Recorded at the same time and with the sa ...

'' (1959) * '' Somewhere Else'' ( Rounder, 1988–89) * ''

Purple Night ''Purple Night'' is a studio album by free jazz pioneer Sun Ra. It was released in 1990 on A&M Records. Background The album was the second in a short-term recording deal with A&M Records, as part of their "Modern Masters Jazz Series" imprint. ...

'' ( A&M, 1990) With Leon Thomas *'' Spirits Known and Unknown'' (Flying Dutchman, 1969) *''

The Leon Thomas Album ''The Leon Thomas Album'' is the second album by American jazz vocalist and percussionist Leon Thomas recorded in 1970 and released by the Flying Dutchman label.Charles Tolliver Charles Tolliver (born 1942) is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and co-founder of Strata East Records. Biography Tolliver was born in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1942 and moved with his family to New York City when he was 10. During his chi ...

* ''

The New Wave in Jazz ''The New Wave in Jazz'' is a live album recorded on March 28, 1965 at the Village Gate in New York City. It features groups led by major avant-garde jazz artists performing at a concert for the benefit of The Black Arts Repertory Theater/School fo ...

'' (Impulse!, 1965) * '' Impact'' (

Strata-East Strata-East Records is an American record company and label specialising in jazz founded in 1971 by Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell with the release of their first recording ''Music Inc.'' The label released over 50 albums in the 1970s. Many ...

, 1975) With Stanley Turrentine * ''

The Return of the Prodigal Son The Parable of the Prodigal Son (also known as the parable of the Two Brothers, Lost Son, Loving Father, or of the Forgiving Father) is one of the parables of Jesus Christ in the Bible, appearing in Luke 15:11–32. Jesus shares the parable wit ...

'' (1967) * ''Rough n'Tumble'' (Blue Note 1966) * ''The Spoiler'' (Blue Note 1967) With McCoy Tyner * ''

Tender Moments ''Tender Moments'' is the eighth album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner and his second released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded in December 1967 and features performances by Tyner with an expanded group featuring trumpeter Lee Morgan, tromboni ...

'' (Blue Note, 1968) With

Tyrone Washington Tyrone Lamar Washington (born September 16, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1999 NBA draft. However, he p ...

* ''

Natural Essence ''Natural Essence'' is the debut album by American saxophonist Tyrone Washington featuring performances recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (Blue Note 1967) With Larry Young * '' Of Love and Peace'' (Blue Note 1966) With Kamal Abdul-Alim * ''Dance'' (1983)

References

External links

Interview at All About Jazz
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spaulding, James American jazz flautists American jazz alto saxophonists American male saxophonists 1937 births Living people Musicians from Indianapolis Sun Ra Arkestra members Muse Records artists HighNote Records artists World Saxophone Quartet members 21st-century American saxophonists American male jazz musicians 21st-century flautists