Born in Detroit on Dec. 15, 1934, Fuller played with Kenny Burrell and Yusef Lateef in his hometown in 1955-'56. He worked with Lester Young, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie and Gil Evans shortly after arriving in New York City, and then was the trombone voice in the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Jazztet in 1959-'60, as well as leading his own combo in 1960.
After touring with Quincy Jones for about a year, Fuller joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, then toured with Coleman Hawkins in South America in the summer of 1961 before rejoining Blakey. Remaining with Blakey until early 1965, he has freelanced since. He continued recording in the '70s, toured with Count Basie's band in the late '70s and early '80s, with Lionel Hampton in 1979, Kai Winding in 1980 and with the re-formed Jazztet in 1982.
Recommended recordings include Blues-ette (Savoy) and The Complete Blue Note/UA Curtis Fuller Sessions (Mosaic).
Scott Yanow
Born in Indianapolis on April 7, 1938, Hubbard's earliest professional gigs were with guitarist Wes Montgomery and his brothers before he moved to New York in 1958, working with Eric Dolphy, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones and many others. He recorded with John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and on Oliver Nelson's Blues On The Abstract Truth album. In 1961, he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for three years and recorded as a leader for Blue Note. His albums for the label include Breaking Point, Goin' Up and Hub-Tones, and he appeared as a sideman on a number of important Blue Note dates, including Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage and Empyrean Isles. After stints with Atlantic and Impulse! records, Hubbard worked with producer Creed Taylor in 1970 and recorded a number of accessible and noteworthy jazz-fusion classics including Red Clay, Straight Life, Sky Dive and First Light. In the mid '70s, Hubbard signed with Columbia and recorded and toured with VSOP: a Miles Davis reunion combo featuring Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter and Tony Williams.
Hubbard also collaborated with vocalists Chaka Khan and Elton John and recorded Double Take with trumpeter Woody Shaw. His recorded on the Atlantic, Pablo ad EMI throughout the '80s. Although health problems have curtailed his output in recent years, his legacy as a trumpet king is assured.
Eugene Holley
Four years later, Garrett made his first recording under his own name, Introducing Kenny Garrett. During the mid '80s, he worked with the group Out of the Blue before moving on to what became a turning-point gig, working with Miles Davis. It was with Davis that he developed a reputation as a distinctive soloist, colorist and group player. He can be heard to good effect on Davis albums Amandla and Dingo, playing music that is more fusion-based.
Garrett has since collaborated with a variety of jazz artists, mostly in an acoustic context. Musicians include Donald Byrd, Art Blakey, Pat Metheny, Wallace Roney, Woody Shaw, Mulgrew Miller, Tom Harrell and Cindy Blackman. He is signed to Warner Bros.
Recordings include: Pursuance: The Music Of John Coltrane (with Pat Metheny, Warner Bros., 1996); Trilogy (Warner Bros., 1995); Black Hope (Warner Bros., 1992); African Exchange Student (Atlantic Jazz, 1990); and Introducing Kenny Garrett (Criss Cross, 1984).
Jackson was born on June 16, 1965 in Carthage, Mich., and grew up in Cleveland and Denver. He studied at the Berklee School of Music in the mid '80s and was in Blakey's famous group from 1987 until 1990. Critic Neil Tesser described this unit as Blakey's "best band in years."
Following the leader's death, Jackson worked with Elvin Jones, the Harper Brothers, Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Tim Hagans. Jackson began recording under his own name in the early '90s and most of his discs to date have appeared on the Criss Cross and Blue Note labels. Elvin Jones' dynamics played an important role in Jackson's early disc, Me And Mr. Jones, and Joe Henderson has been a key influence on his playing. Jackson's discs feature his own compositions as well as versions of Sonny Rollins' under-recognized "Paradox," and tunes by Muddy Waters and Antonio Carlos Jobim. His bands have featured Kenny Garrett, Billy Drummond and Jacky Terrasson.
Recommended recordings: Me And Mr. Jones (Criss Cross); Good People (Blue Note).
Aaron Cohen
Keith Jarrett started on the piano when he was three, and by the time he was seven he had already played a recital. A child prodigy, Jarrett was a professional while still in grade school. In 1962, he studied at Berklee, and then started working in the Boston area with his trio. He moved to New York in 1965, and spent four months with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. As a member of the very popular Charles Lloyd Quartet (1966-1969), Jarrett traveled the world and became well-known; he also began doubling occasionally on soprano (which he would utilize through the 1970s). During 1969-1971, he was with Miles Davis' fusion group, playing organ and electric keyboards; Chick Corea was also in the band for the first year. Jarrett can be heard "battling" Corea throughout Davis' Live at the Fillmore, but is in more creative form on Live/Evil.
Upon leaving Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett permanently swore off electric keyboards. He had cut sessions as a leader for Vortex (1967-1969) and Atlantic (1971), but starting in November 1971, he recorded extensively for ECM (in addition to some sessions in the 1970s for ABC/Impulse), an association that continued into the 2000s. In the 1970s, Jarrett led two groups: an exciting unit with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, Paul Motian, and occasional percussionists (often Guilherme Franco); and a European band with Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson, and Jon Christensen that recorded the popular "My Song." In addition, starting in 1972, Jarrett began his famous series of improvised concerts which resulted in such popular recordings as Solo Concerts, Kvln Concert, and the mammoth Sun Bear Concerts. By the 1980s, Jarrett was performing classical music as much as jazz, but in the 1990s he recorded extensively (including a six-CD live set) with his "standards trio" that includes Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette. Although initially influenced by Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett has had an original and influential style of his own since the early '70s, and remains a vital force in jazz. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
Harrison was born in New Orleans on June 23, 1960. He met his future partner, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, when the two studied with Ellis Marsalis at the New Orleans Center For the Creative Arts. "We studied Charlie Parker and John Coltrane, of course: bebop and post bop. That was Ellis' thing," Harrison says. "Kid Jordan showed me the avant-garde stuff, always stressing that you should do what's natural for you." After a year at Southern University, he transferred to Berklee (1979-'80) and led an organ trio featuring Makoto Ozone that played in Boston clubs. After this stint at Berklee, Harrison toured with drummer Roy Haynes and organist Jack McDuff; then in '82 hooked up with Blanchard in the Jazz Messengers, replacing the Marsalis Brothers. Their debut as band leaders came that same year with New York Second Line and they toured with their own group as well as playing with the Messengers until '84.
Harrison is grounded firmly enough in the mainstream that he can range far afield effectively -- for instance, having the pianist comp a reggae rhythm as Harrison plays the melody of "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise," using a harmony based on open fourths for his "Indian Blues" or vamping on "Cissy Strut."
Dave Helland
Harper was born in Baltimore on May 10, 1965, and grew up in Atlanta. He started playing the trumpet at age 10 after hearing Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder. He attended Atlanta's performing arts high school and studied with the principal trumpeter of the Atlanta Symphony. His earliest gigs were in groups led by his older brothers: Danny's rock band and Winard's D.C. Jazz Quintet.
Soon after moving to New York City, Harper was heard by Jimmy McGriff. After a year in the organist's band, Harper was hired by singer Little Jimmy Scott. In 1986 he joined the Jazz Messengers. He also played with Cecil Brooks III, Joe Chambers and Errol Parker before he and his Winard formed a band. Signed to Verve and featuring saxophonists Javon Jackson and Justin Robinson, pianists Benny Green, Stephen Scott, and Kevin Hayes, the Harper Brothers recorded four albums marked by excellent musicianship and an encyclopedic grasp of mainstream jazz. After the band broke up, Harper went on to record as a leader and appear as a regular with the Mingus Big Band.
Dave H
Scott Yanow
Born in Dallas on Jan. 17, 1934, Walton started out being taught by his mother, and later went on to study at the University of Denver (1951-'54). The following year, he moved to New York City, but ended up in the army, where he continued to play while stationed in Germany. Following this, Walton went on a streak, playing with such jazz figures as J.J. Johnson's sextet (1958-'60), Benny Golson-Art Farmer (1960-'61) and Art Blakey (1961-'64; he would return to Blakey's band in 1973).
Along with such gigs, Walton became a much-valued session player for labels such as Blue Note and Prestige, all while freelancing in New York. His work since the 1960s has included forming his own bands (primarily quartets) with artists such as Hank Mobley, Clifford Jordan and Ralph Moore, and recording and touring internationally as a leader. Walton's best-known rhythm-section mate is the drummer Billy Higgins, with whom he has had an enduring professional relationship.
Recordings include Hard Talk (with Steve Lacy, 1996); Black Glory (enja, 1995); Blues For Lady Day (Black Lion, 1994); What It Is (enja, 1994); Where Are You? (Soul Note, 1994); Crowd Scene (Soul Note, 1989); Moods (enja, 1978); First Set (includes Higgins, Sam Jones, Bob Berg, Steeplechase, 1977). As a sideman: Free For All (Art Blakey, Blue Note, 1964); and The Quest (with Eric Dolphy,Fantasy/OJC, 1961).
John Ephlan
His exposure to professional jazz musicians increased while there, playing with Lionel Hampton. By the time he left Rutgers, Blanchard was en route to replacing Wynton Marsalis as trumpeter/musical director in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers band. He stayed with him from 1982-'86. From there, he and fellow-Blakey sideman saxophonist Donald Harrison formed their own quintet. They made three albums together.
Blanchard's film career began with playing in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing and Mo' Better Blues (as well as method coaching actor Denzel Washington for Mo' Better). But it was his work for Lee as musical director for Jungle Fever and Malcolm X that elevated his profile as a composer of film music and showed his appreciation of European classical music.
Recordings include: Jazz In Film (Columbia, 1999), Heart Speaks (Columbia, 1996), Romantic Defiance (Columbia, 1995), Malcolm X Suite (Columbia, 1993), The Billie Holiday Songbook (Columbia, 1993) and Simply Stated (Columbia, 1992). With Donald Harrison: Eric Dolphy & Booker Little Remembered, VoIs. 1 And 2 (Paddle Wheel, 1986).
John Ephland
Miller was born in Greenwood, Miss., in 1955, and began playing piano at the age of 6. From childhood, he participated in a range of musical situations, including church, classical lessons, a local R&B band and his own trio. When he was 14, a TV program featuring Oscar Peterson inspired him to become a jazz pianist. In the early 1970s, he studied music at Memphis State University and came under the tutelage of Williams, whom he credits with giving him a sense of direction. In 1977, after moving to Los Angeles, Miller was hired by Mercer Ellington for the posthumous Duke Ellington band. He spent three years on the road with them, touring Europe, then played with Betty Carter, Woody Shaw, Johnny Griffin, Art Blakey and Tony Williams.
Miller's harmonically sophisticated, notey, muscular style owes a debt to McCoy Tyner, but its rumbling texture and forward momentum have a quite different, readily identifiable effect. Lately, he has streamlined his approach to a more melodic, linear style.
Recommended recordings: Hand In Hand (Novus). With Steve Wilson: Generations (Stretch/Concord).
Paul de Barros
Keezer, whose mother is a piano teacher and whose father teaches music at a university, was born in Eau Claire, Wis., on Nov. 21, 1970. He attended Berklee in Boston for a year at the age of 17, then his first major professional efforts came with the final Jazz Messengers units led by Art Blakey (1988-'90).
Since Blakey's death, Keezer has led his own recording groups, as well as recording with Roy Hargrove and Antonio Hart, and working with Art Farmer, the Contemporary Piano Ensemble and, most recently, with Ray Brown's trio. Among recommended recordings are Curveball (Sunnyside), Here And Now (Blue Note) and World Music (DIW/Columbia).
Marsalis was born in New Orleans on Oct. 18, 1961, to a family of musicians, including his pianist father Ellis, saxophonist brother Branford, and trombonist brother Delfeayo. Since his childhood, he studied jazz and classical trumpet and joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers when he was 19. The next year, he recorded his debut as a leader and formed his own quintet, which included Branford. He also toured with Herbie Hancock in the early '80s and won Grammy Awards for his jazz and classical concerto records. Throughout that decade and into the early part of the '90s, Marsalis recorded a series of hard-bop inspired ballads (Marsalis Standard Time: Volume 1-3), paid tribute to his native city (Crescent City Christmas Card), and wrote a suite for choreography in the spirit of Duke Ellington (Citi Movement).
But he's also garnered attention for his work outside his own performances. As co-founder and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, he has been dedicated to presenting the work of jazz masters such as Ellington and Thelonious Monk in formal concert halls. While he has been applauded for his devotion to history, others have criticized his selection of worthy artists as too narrow. Less recognized, but perhaps more important, is his tireless advocacy of music education; Marsalis hosted a public television series and wrote its instructive companion book, Marsalis On Music.
No doubt, his receiving the 1997 Pulitzer Prize In Music for his operatic narrative on slavery, Blood On The Fields, will keep Marsalis in the spotlight for years to come.
Recommended recordings: Blue Interlude (Columbia 48729); Blood On The Fields (Columbia 57694).
Aaron Cohen
Clifford Brown Memorial Concert, Wilmington, Delaware, 1991: featuring the music of the legendary Max Roach/Clifford Brown Quintet with Max Roach (leader) on drums, Harold Land, tenor sax, George Morrow, bass, Sam Dockery, piano, and Valery Ponomarev, trumpet.
Mr. Ponomarev recently returned to Russia after a 17-year absence to participate in the First International Jazz Festival in Moscow along with many of the world's greatest jazz superstars.
As a solo artist, Mr. Ponomarev has completed a tour of Australia and numerous European tours, including a special tour with Harold Land featuring the music of Clifford Brown. He was also featured as a European superstar at the Charlie Parker In Paris Festival.
Valery has also played concerts with Benny Golson, featuring Mr. Golson's music.
Mr. Ponomarev is frequently heard as
a sideman in live performances and on recordings.
He was featured in the movie "Frozen In Amber," a documentary about the
contributions of Russian ex-patriots to art and the performing arts.
Valery Ponomarev has been included in many publications including "Red And Hot" by Frederick Star, Oxford University Press; the Grove Encyclopedia of Music, and others.
Born in Philadelphia on May 25, 1960, Roney studied at the Duke Ellington School, Howard University and Berklee, then joined Abdullah Ibrahim in 1979 and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1981. He later worked regularly with Tony Williams' quintet and occasionally with Kenny Barron, Randy Weston, Kenny Garrett, James Spaulding, Vincent Herring, Marvin Smith and Cindy Blackman.
Roney shared the solo chores with Davis at the latter's 1991 Montreux concert and he took the trumpet seat in the Davis tribute combo with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Williams after Davis' death later that year. He has continued to tour and record since. Representative recordings include Obsession and Seth Air on Muse, as well as Village and Misterios for Warner Bros.
Will Smith
Born in Lawrence, Kan., on Aug. 3, 1953, Watson started playing the piano when he was 10. The following year he started clarinet and, in 8th grade, the saxophone. While in school, he played in r&b bands and did composing and arranging for the concert band. He was the first musician in his school to organize a dance band, for which he wrote all the music and was its assistant director. He studied clarinet privately in 1970, and in 1975 received a degree in theory and composition from the University of Miami.
From there he moved to New York, where he was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1977-'81, also serving as Blakey's musical director. After leaving Blakey, he played with a variety of groups and individuals: George Coleman's octet, Charlie Persip & Superband (from 1981), Louis Hayes quartet (from 1982), and in 1983 Watson co-founded the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet. Other collaborations include Philly Joe Jones and Dameronia, Sam Rivers' Winds of Manhattan, and Panama Francis and the Savoy Sultans. Other regular co-leaders include Curtis Lundy (since 1973) and Victor Lewis (in the 1990s). He helped Max Roach arrange music for Shepard Sets, a play by Sam Shepard that won an award for the year's best music on off-Broadway. His wife, Pamela, is a singer, and has performed with Watson, whose main instrument now is the alto saxophone.
Recordings include Urban Renewal (Kokopelli, 1995); Gumbo (Evidence, 1994); Midwest Shuffle (Columbia, 1993); Taylor Made (Columbia, 1993); This Little Light Of Mine (Red, 1993); Present Tense (Columbia, 1991); Love Remains (Red, 1986); Live (29th Street Saxophone Quartet, Red, 1988); Underground (29th Street Saxophone Quartet, Antilles 1991); Your Move (29th Street Saxophone Quartet, Antilles, 1992). With Art Blakey: Straight Ahead (Concord Jazz, 1981).
John Ephlan
Lacy went on to play the trombone, but he continues to play the trumpet as well as flugelhorn, tuba, french horn, euphonium and piano. He also sings. Part of his musical education included playing in the high school marching band, where he participated in band competitions.
After receiving a degree in physics, Lacy went to Berklee College of Music in the late '70s, where he studied composition. While at Berklee, Lacy played with fellow students Branford Marsalis, Greg Osby, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Kevin Eubanks and Curtis Rivers, who introduced Lacy to musicians outside the mainstream of jazz. One of his first substantial gigs out of school was with Illinois Jacquet's big band during 1986-'87. From there, Lacy went on to become a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, serving as musical director from '88-'90. The 1990s have found the trombonist playing, recording and touring with a large number of musicians and bands, as well as his own trio, quartet and quintet. Some of the bands and individuals include the McCoy Tyner Big Band, Oliver Lake, the Mingus Big Band, David Murray, Lester Bowie, Steve Turre, Bobby Watson, Henry Threadgill and Roy Hargrove's big band.
Recordings include Tonal Weights And Blue Fire (Tutu), Songs From Poker (Tutu) and Settegast Strut (Tutu). As a sideman: Habana (Roy Hargrove, Verve), Approaching Standards (Roy Hargrove, Novus), !Que Viva Mingus! (Mingus Big Band, Dreyfus), Live In Time (Mingus Big Band, Dreyfus), Nostalgia In Times Square (Mingus Big Band, Dreyfus), The Turning Point (McCoy Tyner Big Band, Verve), Journey (McCoy Tyner Big Band, Verve), Chippin' In (Art Blakey, Timeless) and David Murray Big Band (DIW). —John Ephland
Peter Washington was born in Los Angeles, California, on August 28, 1964. Raised in Los Angeles, he began playing bass in his Junior High School orchestra. At age 14, he played a season with the Westchester Community Symphony. In addition, he played electric bass and guitar in rock bands.
From 1983 to 1986, he attended the University of California at Berkeley, where he majored in English Literature. He performed with the U. C. Symphony for three seasons, and for two seasons was a member of the San Francisco Youth Symphony. It was at Berkeley where he first developed an interest in listening to and playing jazz. He was soon freelancing in and around the San Francisco Bay area with John Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, Lorez Alexandria, Johnny Coles, Harold Land, Frank Morgan, Ernestine Anderson, Ernie Andrews, Chris Connor, and others.
In April of 1986, he joined
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and
moved to New York City. He performed with the Messengers through September,
1999, then went on to freelance work,
touring and recording extensively with Benny Colson, at the
Mingus Dynasty, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hutcherson, Johnny
Griffin, Hank Jones, Ralph Moore, Toshiko Akioshi, Ray Bryant, Kenny
Burrell, Lew Tabackin, Don Grolnick, David Newman, and many others. He can
be heard most regularly with the Tommy Flannagan Trio and the Carnegie Hall
Jazz Band.
In the Village Voice
"Choices" section for the week of August 9, 1990, Gary Giddins called Peter
Washington "... the best bassist
to come to New York in the last ten years ..."
Peter Washington's
recordings as a sideman number over 100. It includes "To Diz with Love" with
Dizzy Gillespie (Telarc Jazz); with Art Blakey he recorded "Feelin' Good"
(Delos), "Not Yet" (Black Saint), "Live at San Marco" (Arco), "Hard
Champions" (King), and "Standards" (King). Albums with Toshiko Akioshi
include "Carnegie Hall Concert" (Columbia), "Dig" (Nippon Crown), and "Chic
Lady" (Nippon Crown). Other recordings include "Mirage" (Landmark)
with Bobby Hutcherson, featuring Tommy Flannagan; "Lady Be Good--For Ella"
(Groovin' High) with Tommy Flanagan; "Getting Down to Business" (Landmark)
with Donald Byrd featuring Joe Henderson; "Dance of Passion" (Verve) with
Johnny Griffin;
"Mostly Ballads" (Music Masters) with Lionel Hampton; "Live in Italy"
(Dreyfus) with Benny Golson; "Live at the Village Vanguard" (King) with
Kenny Burrell; "I'll Be Seeing You" (Concord) with Lew Tabackin; "Live at
Sweet Basil" (Sweet Basil) with Gil Evans Big Band; and "My Appreciation"
(Verve) with Bill Cosby.