Ralph Penland
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Ralph Morris Penland (born February 15, 1953, Cincinnati, died March 13, 2014) 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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
drummer. Penland was a percussionist with the
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cinc ...
as a high schooler. He attended the
New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...
and played in Boston with
Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackso ...
and
Webster Lewis Webster Samuel Lewis (September 1, 1943 – November 20, 2002) was an American jazz and disco composer, arranger and keyboardist. Career Lewis was born in 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland. At a young age, his family encouraged him to take up music. L ...
; he also played in New York in the early 1970s where he played with
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 ...
among others. In 1975 he moved to Los Angeles and led his own group, Penland Polygon; he also worked as a
session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...
for
Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...
,
Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige Records, Prestige, Blue Note, Verve Records, Verve, CTI Records, CTI, Muse Records, Muse, and Concord Records, Conco ...
,
Eddie Harris Eddie Harris (October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996) was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-k ...
,
Harold Land Harold de Vance Land (December 18, 1928 – July 27, 2001) was an American hard bop and post-bop tenor saxophonist. Land developed his hard bop playing with the Max Roach/Clifford Brown band into a personal, modern style, often rivalling Clifford ...
, Charles Lloyd, Ronnie Matthews, and Nancy Wilson. In the 1980s he worked with
George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Art ...
,
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer, who has won five Grammy Awards for her albums. Early life and education Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mothe ...
,
Buddy Montgomery Charles "Buddy" Montgomery (January 30, 1930 – May 14, 2009) was an American jazz vibraphonist and pianist. He was the younger brother of Wes and Monk Montgomery, a guitarist and bassist respectively. Buddy and brother Monk formed The Maste ...
,
Charlie Rouse Charlie Rouse (April 6, 1924 – November 30, 1988) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by his collaboration with Thelonious Monk, which lasted for more than ten years. Biography Rouse was born in Wash ...
, Jimmie Rowles, Rick Zunigar,
Andy Simpkins Andrew Simpkins (April 29, 1932 – June 2, 1999) was an American jazz bassist. Born in Richmond, Indiana, he first became known as a member of the group The Three Sounds, with which he performed from 1956 to 1968.allmusic biography/ref> After ...
,
Dave Mackay David Craig Mackay (14 November 1934 – 2 March 2015) was a Scottish football player and manager. Mackay was best known for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian, the double-winning Tottenham Hotspur side of 1961 an ...
,
Bunky Green Vernice "Bunky" Green Jr (April 23, 1933 – March 1, 2025) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and educator. Life and career Green was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played the alto saxophone, mainly at a local club called "The Br ...
,
Richard Todd Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...
, and
John Nagourney John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...
. In the 1990s he toured with
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
,
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...
, and
Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...
, and was active as a studio drummer, recording with Bob Cooper,
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 ...
, James Leary,
Marc Copland Marc Copland (, ; born May 27, 1948, as Marc Cohen) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Copland became part of the jazz scene in Philadelphia in the early 1960s as a saxophonist, and later moved to New York City, where he experimented wi ...
, Dieter Ilg, Lou Levy,
Carmen Bradford Carmen Bradford (born July 19, 1960, in Austin, Texas) is an American jazz singer. She sang with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1983 to 1991. Bradford grew up in a musical family; her grandfather is Melvin Moore, her father Bobby Bradford, and h ...
,
Janis Siegel Janis Siegel (born July 23, 1952) is a multiple grammy-winning American jazz singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Musical career In 1965, Siegel made her recording debut with a group called Young Generation ...
,
Fred Hersch Fred Hersch (born October 21, 1955) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and a 17-time Grammy nominée. He was the first person to play weeklong engagements as a solo pianist at the Village Vanguard in New York City. He has recorded more than ...
,
Rickey Woodard Rickey Woodard is an American jazz saxophonist. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1980 on Woodard spent seven years with the Ray Charles band. A member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Woodard has also recorded with Frank Capp and as ...
,
Carmen Lundy Carmen Latretta Lundy (born November 1, 1954) is an American jazz singer. She has been performing for over four decades, with a focus on original material. She has been positively compared with Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaugha ...
,
Joe Sample Joseph Leslie Sample (February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014) was an American jazz keyboardist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Jazz Crusaders in 1960, whose name was shortened to "The Crusaders" in 1971. He remained a p ...
, and
Miki Coltrane Miki may refer to: Places *Miki, Hyōgo, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan *Miki, Kagawa, a town in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan *Miki, Azerbaijan, a village in Astara Rayon, Azerbaijan People *Miki (given name) *Miki (surname) *Miki Núñez (born ...
. Penland died of a heart attack in 2014.


Discography

With
George Cables George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Cables was born in New York City, United States. He was initially taught piano by his mother. He then studied at the High School of Performing Art ...
* ''Sleeping Bee'' (Atlas, 1983) * ''Wonderful L.A.'' (Atlas, 1983) * ''By George'' (Contemporary, 1987) With
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 ...
* ''Keep Your Soul Together'' (CTI, 1973) * ''High Energy'' (Columbia, 1974) * ''
Blues for Miles ''Blues for Miles'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard recorded in April 1992 in Tokyo and released on the Alfa Records, Alfa and Evidence Records, Evidence label. It features performances by Hubbard, Billy Childs, Tony Dumas ...
'' (Evidence, 1992) * ''All Blues'' (Jazz World, 1995) * '' At Jazz Jamboree Warszawa '91: A Tribute to Miles'' (Starburst, 2000) With James Leary * ''James'' (Vital, 1991) * ''James II'' (Vital, 1992) * ''The Heart of the Matter'' (Vital, 1992) With others *
Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...
, '' Chet Baker Sings and Plays from the Film "Let's Get Lost"'' (Novus/RCA, 1989) *
Bob Belden James Robert Belden (October 31, 1956 – May 20, 2015) was an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and producer. As a composer he may be best known for his Grammy Award winning orchestral jazz recording, ''Black Dahlia'' (2001) ...
, ''Puccini's Turandot'' (Blue Note, 1993) * Maria Bethania, ''As Cancoes Que Voce Fez Pra Mim'' (Universal/Mercury 2006) *
Carmen Bradford Carmen Bradford (born July 19, 1960, in Austin, Texas) is an American jazz singer. She sang with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1983 to 1991. Bradford grew up in a musical family; her grandfather is Melvin Moore, her father Bobby Bradford, and h ...
, ''With Respect'' (Evidence, 1995) *
Jeanie Bryson Jeanie Bryson (born March 10, 1958) is an American singer who sings a combination of jazz, pop, and Latin music. Her repertoire is based on jazz and pop standards from the Great American Songbook, Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington. Life and career ...
, ''Live at Warsaw Jazz Festival 1991'' (Jazzmen/Bellaphon, 1993) *
Conte Candoli Secondo "Conte" Candoli (July 12, 1927 – December 14, 2001) was an American jazz trumpeter based on the West Coast. He played in the big bands of Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Benny Goodman, and Dizzy Gillespie, and in Doc Severinsen's NBC Orc ...
, ''Sweet Simon'' (Best 1991) *
Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...
, ''
Stardust Stardust may refer to: * A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space Entertainment Songs * “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael * “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974 * “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012 * ...
'' (Elektra, 1996) *
Ravi Coltrane Ravi Coltrane (born August 6, 1965) is an American jazz saxophonist. Co-owner of the record label RKM Music, he has produced music for pianist Luis Perdomo, guitarist David Gilmore, and trumpeter Ralph Alessi. Biography Ravi Coltrane is t ...
, ''Tenor Titans'' (Alfa, 1993) * Bob Cooper, ''For All We Know'' (Fresh Sound, 1991) *
Marc Copland Marc Copland (, ; born May 27, 1948, as Marc Cohen) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Copland became part of the jazz scene in Philadelphia in the early 1960s as a saxophonist, and later moved to New York City, where he experimented wi ...
, Dieter Ilg, ''Tracks'' (Bellaphon, 1992) * Marc Copland, Dieter Ilg, ''Two Way Street'' (Jazzline, 1993) *
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 ...
, ''This Is Now'' (GRP, 1991) *
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer, conductor and orchestrator with a career in film and television scoring that spanned nearly 50 years and over 200 productions, between 1954 and 2003. He was consid ...
, ''The Russia House'' (MCA, 1990) *
Bunky Green Vernice "Bunky" Green Jr (April 23, 1933 – March 1, 2025) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and educator. Life and career Green was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he played the alto saxophone, mainly at a local club called "The Br ...
, ''
Healing the Pain ''Healing the Pain'' is an album by saxophonist Bunky Green recorded in Califordia and released by the Delos label in 1990.Lyles, RBunky Green discographyaccessed August 6, 2019 Reception AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow stated: "Green sails in and ...
'' (Delos, 1990) *
Eddie Harris Eddie Harris (October 20, 1934 – November 5, 1996) was an American jazz musician, best known for playing tenor saxophone and for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone. He was also fluent on the electric piano and organ. His best-k ...
, ''That Is Why You're Overweight'' (Atlantic, 1976) *
Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songwriter. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's R&B clubs, collectively known as the Ch ...
, ''Mystery Lady'' (Private Music, 1994) * Etta James, ''Blue Gardenia'' (Private Music, 2001) *
k.d. lang Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang (stylised in all lowercase), is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical pe ...
, ''Recollection'' (Nonesuch, 2010) *
Hubert Laws Hubert Laws (born November 10, 1939) is an American flutist, piccoloist and saxophonist with a career spanning over 50 years in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Laws is one of the few classical artists who has also mastered jazz, pop ...
, ''My Time Will Come'' (MusicMasters, 1993) * Lou Levy, ''Lunarcy'' (Gitanes/EmArcy/Polygram, 1992) * Eric Lewis, ''Hopscotch'' (Fortress/Bungalo 2006) *
Carmen Lundy Carmen Latretta Lundy (born November 1, 1954) is an American jazz singer. She has been performing for over four decades, with a focus on original material. She has been positively compared with Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaugha ...
, ''Self Portrait'' (JVC, 1995) *
Dave Mackay David Craig Mackay (14 November 1934 – 2 March 2015) was a Scottish football player and manager. Mackay was best known for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian, the double-winning Tottenham Hotspur side of 1961 an ...
, ''Windows'' (MAMA 1990) *
Mark Masters Mark Masters is an American media entrepreneur, known for being the CEO of Talk Radio Network and its four sister networks.Kathi McDonald Kathryn Marie "Kathi" McDonald (September 25, 1948 – October 3, 2012) was an American blues and rock singer and songwriter. As a teenager she sang with different bands around the Pacific Northwest before she was discovered by Ike Turner. She sa ...
, ''Above & Beyond'' (Merrimack, 1999) *
Carlos McKinney Carlos McKinney (born January 10, 1973), known professionally as Los Da Mystro, is an American record producer and jazz pianist. Biography McKinney was born into a prominent Detroit jazz family. He is the nephew to pianist Harold McKinney, ...
, ''Up Front'' (Sirocco, 1997) *
Buddy Montgomery Charles "Buddy" Montgomery (January 30, 1930 – May 14, 2009) was an American jazz vibraphonist and pianist. He was the younger brother of Wes and Monk Montgomery, a guitarist and bassist respectively. Buddy and brother Monk formed The Maste ...
, ''
So Why Not? ''So Why Not?'' is an album by pianist Buddy Montgomery featuring performances recorded in 1985 and released on the Landmark label.Patrick O'Hearn Patrick John O'Hearn (born September 6, 1954) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, and recording artist. Known primarily as a bass guitarist and keyboardist, O'Hearn came to prominence with Frank Zappa and co-founded the early 1980s ...
, ''White Sands'' (Polydor, 1992) *
Phil Ranelin Phil Ranelin (born May 25, 1939) is an American jazz and experimental music trombonist. Career Ranelin was born in Indianapolis and lived in New York City before moving to Detroit in the 1960s. He played as a session musician on many Motown Rec ...
, ''Love Dreams'' (Rebirth, 1986) * Phil Ranelin, ''A Close Encounter of the Very Best Kind'' (Lifeforce, 1996) *
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer, who has won five Grammy Awards for her albums. Early life and education Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mothe ...
, ''
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer, who has won five Grammy Awards for her albums. Early life and education Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mothe ...
'' (Blue Note, 1987) *
Jimmy Rowles James George Hunter (August 19, 1918 – May 28, 1996), known professionally as Jimmy Rowles (sometimes spelled Jimmie Rowles), was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer. As a bandleader and accompanist, he explored multiple styles in ...
, ''Plus2, Plus3, Plus4'' (JVC, 1995) *
Charlie Rouse Charlie Rouse (April 6, 1924 – November 30, 1988) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by his collaboration with Thelonious Monk, which lasted for more than ten years. Biography Rouse was born in Wash ...
, '' Epistrophy'' (Landmark, 1989) *
Joe Sample Joseph Leslie Sample (February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014) was an American jazz keyboardist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Jazz Crusaders in 1960, whose name was shortened to "The Crusaders" in 1971. He remained a p ...
, ''Old Places Old Faces'' (Warner Bros., 1996) *
Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackso ...
, ''Secrets'' (Arista, 1978) *
Frank Strazzeri Frank Strazzeri (April 24, 1930 – May 9, 2014) was an American jazz pianist. Career Strazzeri began on tenor saxophone and clarinet at age 12, then switched to piano soon after. He attended the Eastman School of Music, then took a job as a hou ...
, ''Kat Dancin'' (Discovery, 1987) *
Jack Sheldon Beryl Cyril "Jack" Sheldon Jr. (November 30, 1931 – December 27, 2019) was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and actor. He performed on ''The Merv Griffin Show'' and participated in episodes of the educational music television series ''Scho ...
, ''Sunday Afternoons at the Lighthouse'' (Woofy, 2005) *
Janis Siegel Janis Siegel (born July 23, 1952) is a multiple grammy-winning American jazz singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Musical career In 1965, Siegel made her recording debut with a group called Young Generation ...
&
Fred Hersch Fred Hersch (born October 21, 1955) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and a 17-time Grammy nominée. He was the first person to play weeklong engagements as a solo pianist at the Village Vanguard in New York City. He has recorded more than ...
, ''Slow Hot Wind'' (Varèse Sarabande, 1995) *
Richard Todd Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...
, ''Rickter Scale'' (GM, 1990) * Richard Todd, ''With a Twist'' (RCM, 2002) *
Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and c ...
, ''Charmed Circle'' (HighNote, 2017) * Nancy Wilson, ''Life, Love and Harmony'' (Capitol, 1979) * Nancy Wilson, ''Take My Love'' (Capitol, 1980) *
Rickey Woodard Rickey Woodard is an American jazz saxophonist. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1980 on Woodard spent seven years with the Ray Charles band. A member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Woodard has also recorded with Frank Capp and as ...
, ''Yazoo'' (Concord Jazz, 1994) * Rickey Woodard, ''The Silver Strut'' (Concord Jazz, 1996)


References

*Gary W. Kennedy, "Ralph Penland". '' The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz''. 2nd edition, ed.
Barry Kernfeld Barry Dean Kernfeld (born August 11, 1950) is an American musicologist and jazz saxophonist who has researched and published extensively about the history of jazz and the biographies of its musicians. Education In 1968, Kernfeld enrolled at ...
, 2004.


External links


IN MEMORIUM: Ralph Morris Penland
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penland, Ralph 1953 births American jazz drummers Drummers from Cincinnati 2014 deaths Jazz musicians from Ohio American male drummers