Earl Coleman (singer)
Encyclopedia
Earl Coleman was a jazz singer.
Moving to Indianapolis in 1939, he started singing with Ernie Fields
and Bardu Ali
. He joined the Jay McShann
band in 1943 and later sang with Earl Hines
, Billy Eckstine Orchestra and King Kolax
.
Went with McShann to California and recorded with Charlie Parker
, Fats Navarro
and Max Roach
in 1948.
In 1954, he worked with Gene Ammons
and recorded with Art Farmer
and Gigi Gryce
. In 1956 he was with Sonny Rollins
.
By 1960 he was recording as a leader and performed with Gerald Wilson
. In 1962 he was with Don Byas
in Paris and in the mid-60s with Billy Taylor
and Frank Foster
and with pianist Elmo Hope.
By 1980-1986 he was recording with organist Shirley Scott.
As a youngster and young man, Earl Coleman lived with his mother, Adell, his grandmother,Mary Chalk, his step-grandfather Harry Chalk, and his aunt, Mary Chalk Washington Scott.
He was booked at a local hotel-bar near Denver, Colorado circa 1980s. During his stay, he met his cousins Cleotha Brown Bell from Mississippi and Clementine Washington Pigford from Denver. Other relatives in Denver included his cousins Eugene Washington and Vernie Lee Scott from Mississippi. Earl's cousin,Revell Washington,was living in Minnesota at that time.
It is reported that Earl Coleman was married to actress Marilyn Coleman.
Moving to Indianapolis in 1939, he started singing with Ernie Fields
Ernie Fields
Ernie Fields was an African American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leading the Royal Entertainers, which were based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and toured along a circuit stretching from Kansas City, Kansas, to Dallas, Texas.-Early life and career:Fields was born...
and Bardu Ali
Bardu Ali
Bardu Ali was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He was an American jazz and rhythm and blues singer and guitarist, and a musical promoter....
. He joined the Jay McShann
Jay McShann
Jay McShann was an American Grammy Award-nominated jump blues, mainstream jazz, and swing bandleader, pianist and singer....
band in 1943 and later sang with Earl Hines
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was an American jazz pianist. Hines was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz piano and, according to one source, is "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early...
, Billy Eckstine Orchestra and King Kolax
King Kolax
King Kolax was a United States jazz trumpeter.-Biography:...
.
Went with McShann to California and recorded with Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
, Fats Navarro
Fats Navarro
Theodore "Fats" Navarro was an American jazz trumpet player. He was a pioneer of the bebop style of jazz improvisation in the 1940s. He had a strong stylistic influence on many other players, most notably Clifford Brown.-Life:Navarro was born in Key West, Florida, to Cuban-Black-Chinese parentage...
and Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
in 1948.
In 1954, he worked with Gene Ammons
Gene Ammons
Eugene "Jug" Ammons also known as "The Boss," was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, and the son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons.-Biography:...
and recorded with Art Farmer
Art Farmer
Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet/flugelhorn combination designed for him by David Monette. His identical twin brother, Addison Farmer Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer (August 21, 1928, Council Bluffs, Iowa –...
and Gigi Gryce
Gigi Gryce
Gigi Gryce was an American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, educator, and big band bandleader.His performing career was relatively short and, in comparison to other musicians of his...
. In 1956 he was with Sonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins
Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins is a Grammy-winning American jazz tenor saxophonist. Rollins is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. A number of his compositions, including "St...
.
By 1960 he was recording as a leader and performed with Gerald Wilson
Gerald Wilson
Gerald Stanley Wilson is an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer/arranger, 8 time Grammy nominee, and educator. He has been based in Los Angeles since the early 1940s....
. In 1962 he was with Don Byas
Don Byas
Carlos Wesley "Don" Byas was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, long-resident in Europe.- Oklahoma and Los Angeles :...
in Paris and in the mid-60s with Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and since 1994, he was the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in...
and Frank Foster
Frank Foster (musician)
Frank Foster was an American tenor and soprano saxophonist, flautist, arranger, and composer. Foster collaborated frequently with Count Basie and worked as a bandleader from the early 1950s.-Biography:...
and with pianist Elmo Hope.
By 1980-1986 he was recording with organist Shirley Scott.
Discography
- 1968: Manhattan Serenade - Earl Coleman - with Jerome RichardsonJerome RichardsonJerome Richardson was an American jazz musician, tenor saxophonist, and flute player, who also played alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet and piccolo...
(fl) Billy TaylorBilly TaylorBilly Taylor was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and since 1994, he was the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in...
(p) Frank FosterFrank Foster (musician)Frank Foster was an American tenor and soprano saxophonist, flautist, arranger, and composer. Foster collaborated frequently with Count Basie and worked as a bandleader from the early 1950s.-Biography:...
(ts) Tom McIntoshTom McIntoshThomas S. McIntosh is an American jazz composer and trombonist.McIntosh was born in Baltimore, Maryland and studied at Peabody Conservatory. He played trombone in an Army band, and eventually graduated from Juilliard in 1958. He played in New York City from 1956, with Lee Morgan, Roland Kirk,...
Eddie WilliamsEddie Williams (saxophonist)Eddie Williams was an American jazz saxophonist.Williams played with Claude Williams early in the 1930s and worked with his own band at the Savoy Ballroom in the middle of the decade...
(ts) Gene BertonciniGene Bertoncini-Biography:Bertoncini was born in New York City, where he was raised in a musical family. His father played guitar and harmonica. Bertoncini began playing guitar at age seven and by age sixteen was appearing on television. He graduated from high school and attended the University of Notre Dame,...
(g) Reggie WorkmanReggie WorkmanReginald "Reggie" Workman is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey....
(b) Bobby ThomasBobby Thomas (jazz drummer)Bobby Thomas is a jazz drummer.A member of Junior Mance's trio in 1960, Thomas recorded with The Montgomery Brothers in New York in January 1960....
(d).
As a youngster and young man, Earl Coleman lived with his mother, Adell, his grandmother,Mary Chalk, his step-grandfather Harry Chalk, and his aunt, Mary Chalk Washington Scott.
He was booked at a local hotel-bar near Denver, Colorado circa 1980s. During his stay, he met his cousins Cleotha Brown Bell from Mississippi and Clementine Washington Pigford from Denver. Other relatives in Denver included his cousins Eugene Washington and Vernie Lee Scott from Mississippi. Earl's cousin,Revell Washington,was living in Minnesota at that time.
It is reported that Earl Coleman was married to actress Marilyn Coleman.