In the spring of 1995 I was offered an opportunity to coordinate video interviews with our greatest jazz artists. These interviews, conducted for historical reference, have become the foundation of the Hamilton College Jazz Archive, helping to preserve the history of this art form through the stories of its players and writers. At this writing we have met with close to two hundred jazz personalities. The following are brief biographies of the personalities in the songs to whom the collection of Jazz Life are dedicated, and some personal notes on the compositions.
-- Monk Rowe
Brassman Nat Adderley was born in Tampa, Florida in 1931, he first learned the trumpet from his older brother Julian, (better known as Cannonball) who decided to switch to saxophone. They became the most renown brothers in the history of jazz, recording numerous classic records with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Nat's composing played a huge role in the success of this group, as he penned the instrumental hits "Jive Samba", "The Work Song", "Hummin'" and many other tunes that have become part of the standard jazz repertory.
Nat recorded albums as a leader of his own combo and toured the U.S. and abroad until his passing in 1999. His son, Nat Jr., carries on the musical tradition with his keyboard and production work with artists such as Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin.
Interviewing Nat Adderley was especially significant for me. Although I was first attracted to jazz saxophone by the sound of Paul Desmond, it was Cannonball Adderley that really grabbed me. To me he was, and still is the man.
Cannonball had a killer group for many years and it was the 60's ensemble with Nat, Joe Zawinul, Walter Booker and Roy McCurdy who were playing what I wanted to hear. Nat was the perfect foil for his brother and his cornet could be funny, funky and swinging depending on his mood. He was greatly responsible, along with Joe Zawinul, for the tunes that made this band a major jazz attraction. "The Work Song", "Jive Samba", "Hummin'" and others became hits for the group and were recorded by many other artists.
One For Nat was my attempt at approaching the style that the Adderleys were fond of, really a combination of styles encompassing swing & soul. It is basically an A-A-B-A song, a blues with a bridge that moves from swing to funk and back again. It was interesting having Jerome play on this tune. It was Jerome who was late for a New York City gig in 1955 with Oscar Pettiford, thus allowing young Julian "Cannonball" Adderly to sit in. A week later Cannon had a record deal.
Lionel Hampton's huge contribution to jazz can scarcely be measured. As a band leader he was responsible for some of the era's most treasured recordings and his band helped launch the careers of many future stars.
While he first excelled on the drums, it was the vibraphone that will forever be associated with Lionel Hampton. He first played it with Louis Armstrong, when neither he nor Louis really knew exactly what the instrument was. Lionel's vibraphone playing defines the essence of Swing, and his enthusiasm on stage was hard to match.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1913, he took drum lessons from a Franciscan nun and found his first important jazz experience with the Les Hite band in 1930. The Hite group was chosen to back up Louis Armstrong on his California tour and the recording of "Memories of You" with Satchmo in 1930 started his career as a vibraphonist. Lionel went on to greater fame with The Benny Goodman Big Band and Quartet and his own dynamic ensemble. Virtually all of the major soloists in jazz played with "Hamp" and he continued to record and perform until his passing in September 2002, despite suffering a number strokes that would have felled any other mortal man.
Lionel Hampton called almost everyone "Gates" and he was known by the same nickname, thus The Gates of Swing.
After some introductory statements by each horn player I wrote what felt like a vibes lick in the piano part. You may recognize the counter melody in the trombone and tenor sax as Lionel's famous tune, "Flying Home". Some group improvising later in the tune tries to recreate some of the semi controlled chaos that his bands were famous for creating. Although he was not known for providing "generous" sideman pay, a number of the musicians on this session played with Lionel. I especially enjoy Keter's solo in this cut.
Milt Hinton, also known as the "Dean of Jazz Bassists" has become a legend in American music. Milt's career started in Chicago in the era of Al Capone and included work with virtually every major jazz artist, including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Hank Jones and Joe Williams. After years on the road be became part of the "New York Rhythm Section" and recorded constantly with countless jazz and popular music artists. It has been estimated that Milt performed on 500 jazz albums and an equal number in the pop field. His photographs of fellow jazz musicians have been shown in exhibits across the country and can be seen in his book "Bass Line." Milt received an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Hamilton College in the early 90's.
Mona and Milt were clearly the jazz world's most beloved couple. Mona helped direct the marvelous career of her husband Milt, and acted as a business advisor to Count Basie as well as music contractor for Lena Horne, Quincy Jones and Sammy Davis. Along the way, Mona received a Master's Degree in Education, while serving as a support system for many struggling jazz artists in New York City. Countless musicians relate how they were welcomed into the Hinton's home in Queens for a meal, a bass lesson or just some much needed encouragement. It was Mona who took the memorable 35mm movies at the famous 1959 Esquire jazz photo shoot. This film later became the basis for Jean Bach's film documentary, "A Great Day in Harlem."
Many of the interviews we gathered were done at jazz parties around the country. I witnessed a similar scene at every event that the Hintons were invited to, which was almost all of them. It always seemed like there was a crowd around them. There are certain people who have an unidentifiable quality that makes you want to be near them. You feel better after talking to them, and you hope that you can learn to negotiate your way through life in some similar fashion. With Milt and Mona, I think of it as the ultimate in class and this tune ("Jazz Class") came to me shortly after Milt's interview which was conducted by Joe Williams. It starts as a conversation between two instruments (one being the bass of course). They also have the last word.
On December 19, 2000, at the age of 90, Milt "The Judge" Hinton passed away after a long illness. The jazz community mourns the passing of this irreplacable musician, teacher, photographer and mentor.
In November of 1995 the American Federation of Jazz Societies honored Jane with a jazz festival celebrating her 80th birthday and distinguished career in music. Her diverse achievements include record producing for the Muzak Corporation, official organist for the Milwaukee Braves and New York Mets, jazz performing, recording, arranging and an ever-increasing role as a lecturer and spokesperson for jazz education. She is a founding member and pianist for the Statesmen of Jazz, a group of veteran musicians whose goals include presenting jazz to young audiences across the country. She records frequently and can be found in the company of such stellar bassists as Milt Hinton and Jay Leonhart.
From a musical standpoint, I think I related to Jane most of all. Her career took numerous paths and she became a jack of all trades and master of all. I think she tackled so many diverse jobs for the challenge, but also because she needed to support her family. Being able to work in your field and provide for others is often the ultimate challenge for artists and I have great respect for those who do it with skill and unselfishness. I was able to witness Jane's encyclopedic knowledge of songs and "Standard Time " was my attempt at writing a 32 bar, A-A-B-A song in the tradition of the great songwriters of the 30's and 40's. It was a thrill for me to be able to play it with Jane at a concert.
Pianist Junior Mance was born in Chicago in 1928. He studied at Roosevelt College and gained early experience with Gene Ammons and Lester Young. During his military service, Junior played with the Adderley brothers, later joining their quintet in 1956. He has recorded and toured with Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington and Joe Williams and currently leads his own trio. The strong Blues influence in his playing makes him immediately recognizable and he has composed a number of classic jazz tunes, including "Harlem Lullaby." Junior continues to record frequently, often for the Chiarascoro record label. He is on the faculty of the New School in New York City.
When I first became aware of jazz I often listened to an all night Rochester jazz station, under the sheets with my transistor radio. One late night I heard a recording called "Harlem Lullaby" and I remember it spoke to me of times and places that I knew nothing about but would like to. Years later I was able to meet with Junior Mance, the composer, who told me how he would stay up late in his room listening to an all night Chicago jazz station (I'm not making this up). When I was trying to decide on a couple of non-original tunes this was an obvious choice although it did take some lobbying from my wife, Romy, who convinced me that we could do it justice. It is worth searching for the original Junior Mance LP, "Harlem Lullaby" on Atlantic Records, circa 1967.
Marian McPartland leads a dual career as a jazz pianist and radio personality. She was born in Windsor, England. Her career as a classically-trained pianist was sidetracked by her love of jazz and popular music and she left the Guildhall School of Music to perform in the world of Vaudeville. During WW II, Marian played for British and American troops in Europe and met her future husband, cornetist Jimmy McPartland. She moved to the U.S. with Jimmy in 1946 and gradually overcame resistance to her nationality and sex by establishing her own jazz trio at The Hickory House in New York City. Marian has performed all over the world with various ensembles and recorded numerous albums for Concord, Halcyon and Savoy Records. Her nationally syndicated radio show "Piano Jazz" is in its nineteenth year and Marian has interviewed and played with virtually every important jazz musician on the show. She has authored a book, All in Good Time, and composed a number of well known compositions. She continues to record and perform, often in educational settings, where she has been instrumental in the development of jazz education. Marian received an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Hamilton College in 1997.
I first met Marian McPartland in 1974 when she appeared at a high school where I taught. She handled a potentially rowdy crowd with skill and class and our paths crossed a number of times through the years. She is undoubtedly the Queen of jazz piano and she constantly amazes you with the shifting of styles she can incorporate in her instant arrangements. Check out her recent CD Silent Pool. I have always been fond of jazz waltzes, although this was my first meaningful attempt at one.
Tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate is one of the oldest surviving alumni of the Count Basie Orchestra. Born George Holmes Tate on February 22, 1915, he grew up in Texas and later came to be known as one of the great "Texas Tenors" with Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb. Buddy filled Herschel Evans' chair in the Basie band and stayed from 1939-49. After Basie, a gig at the Celebrity Room in New York led to a stay of twenty years. He can be heard on records with Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Jay McShann and with numerous groups under his own name. Count Basie was certainly thinking of Buddy when he said "the band has always been built from the rhythm, to the tenors and then to the rest of the band."
Buddy was our very first interview in Scottsdale, Arizona and marked the date where I realized what an opportunity I was given. Buddy grew up in the era where jazz was moving from the traditional "two beat" feel into the more swing four. The former sounds corny to us today but it had its function for a certain style of dancing and was also fitting for the jazz band instrumentation of the day, especially the tuba. "The Buddy System" attempts to capture these two feels and also includes a section, after Bill's solo, where the horns play a transcribed version of a Buddy Tate solo from a 1940 Basie recording, The World is Mad Part II.
Clark Terry celebrated his 75th birthday with an extensive tour of the world during 1995-96. His distinctive trumpet and vocal style along with his engaging personality have made him an international star in the world of jazz. He was born in St. Louis in 1920 and played briefly with Charlie Barnet and Eddie Vinson before joining Count Basie in 1948. From 1951-59 he traveled with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and toured Europe with the Quincy Jones production of "Free&Easy." Clark was part of the NBC Tonight Show Orchestra in New York City and has been a major influence on a generation of trumpet artists. He has been in the forefront of promoting jazz education and received an Honorary Doctorate from Hamilton College in 1995.
I spent some "quality time" with Clark Terry at Hamilton and this melody tries to capture the deceptive ease of his playing. He is a master storyteller and is living proof that it is possible to play serious jazz and have fun doing it. I think Wendell's and Bill's playing on this cut is simply outstanding and I'm still amazed at the seamless transition between their solos.
Joe Wilder was born in Pennsylvania on February 22, 1922, and he was raised in Philadelphia. His classmates at the Mastbaum School of Music were Buddy DeFranco and Red Rodney. His trumpet playing has been heard with Les Hite, Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Lunceford and Count Basie, as well as in the pit orchestras of New York and he has been called on to perform in the New York Philharmonic and the Smithsonian Jazz Repertory Orchestra. He is a highly respected musician for his skill in ensembles and for his personal jazz phrasing. His most recent album is entitled No Greater Love. An avid photographer, Joe is often seen at jazz festivals and parties with his camera. The subject of his photos are always pleased to receive the results of Joe's skill.
Joe is one of those people who quietly commands respect with his horn and with his demeanor. I could hear Joe's beautiful flugelhorn sound when I sat to write "Portrait in the Wild," the most recent of these compositions. Like most of these songs, they initially came together in a hurry, but called for some tinkering over a couple of days. This tune contains the slickest modulation I've ever been able to write!
Claude "Fiddler" Williams was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma in 1908. As a child he was surrounded by music and learned mandolin, guitar and violin. He received his first on-the-job training playing with the Black road shows that traveled across the southwest. Gigs with Andy Kirk's Twelve Clouds of Joy and bands in the hot jazz atmosphere of Kansas City honed his skills and Claude traveled with Count Basie's first Swing band in 1936. His career included work with rhythm & blues groups, collaborations with Jay McShann and tours with his own groups here and abroad. Claude is the leading exponent of the Kansas City brand of Swing and his violin playing was heard with the Statesmen of Jazz. In addition to his swinging violin, Claude delighted audiences with his charming singing style. He made his home in Kansas City gigging well into the twenty-first century. Claude passed on April 25, 2004 in Kansas City, succumbing to pneumonia at age 96.
Playing a series of gigs with Claude was another education. It was quite interesting to work alongside someone who was at it in the 1920's! He frequently told me that he loved diminished chords so "Blanche's Jump" starts with one (F# dim for those who care). This tune abruptly announced itself in my head while driving home from a gig with Claude. I was able to finish it before he moved on and he named it after his wife, Blanche. I will not soon forget the day we were sitting in a Friendly's booth, where Claude was relating the days of "jitney dancing" and how the man in charge would call for the band to play a "one step" or a "two step." When I asked him to explain the difference he grew frustrated with the inadequate words and proceeded to stand up in the aisle and demonstrate it. The surprised surrounding diners got more than they were expecting that day.
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