Harold Mabern
Encyclopedia
Harold Mabern is a hard bop
and soul jazz
pianist.
Early in his career, Mabern played in Chicago with Walter Perkins' MJT + 3 in the late 1950s before moving to New York in 1959. Mabern has worked with Jimmy Forrest
, Lionel Hampton
, the Jazztet (1961-1962), Donald Byrd
, Miles Davis
(1963), J. J. Johnson (1963-1965), Lee Morgan
(1965), Hank Mobley
(1965), Sonny Rollins
, Freddie Hubbard
, Wes Montgomery
, Joe Williams
(1966-1967), and Sarah Vaughan
. In more recent years, he has recorded extensively with his former William Paterson University
student, the tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander.(1)
He performed in a video recorded session with Wes Montgomery in 1965 that is currently available on DVD as Wes Montgomery Live in '65.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mabern led four albums for Prestige Records
, performed with Lee Morgan
, and recorded with Stanley Cowell
's Piano Choir. Harold Mabern has recorded as a leader for DIW/Columbia and Sackville and toured with the Contemporary Piano Ensemble (1993-1995).
A longtime faculty member at William Paterson University
, Mabern is a frequent instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop
.
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
and soul jazz
Soul jazz
Soul jazz is a development of jazz incorporating strong influences from blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues in music for small groups, often an organ trio featuring a Hammond organ.- Overview :Soul jazz is often associated with hard bop. Mark C...
pianist.
Early in his career, Mabern played in Chicago with Walter Perkins' MJT + 3 in the late 1950s before moving to New York in 1959. Mabern has worked with Jimmy Forrest
Jimmy Forrest
Jimmy Forrest was an African American jazz musician, who played tenor saxophone throughout his career....
, Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
, the Jazztet (1961-1962), Donald Byrd
Donald Byrd
Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd is best known as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a...
, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
(1963), J. J. Johnson (1963-1965), Lee Morgan
Lee Morgan
Edward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
(1965), Hank Mobley
Hank Mobley
Henry Mobley 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 describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz...
(1965), 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...
, Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard
Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
, Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
, Joe Williams
Joe Williams (jazz singer)
Joe Williams was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.-Early life:...
(1966-1967), and Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
. In more recent years, he has recorded extensively with his former William Paterson University
William Paterson University
William Paterson University is a comprehensive public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey serving nearly 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five colleges: , , , , and ....
student, the tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander.(1)
He performed in a video recorded session with Wes Montgomery in 1965 that is currently available on DVD as Wes Montgomery Live in '65.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mabern led four albums for Prestige Records
Prestige Records
Prestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
, performed with Lee Morgan
Lee Morgan
Edward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
, and recorded with Stanley Cowell
Stanley Cowell
Stanley Cowell is an American jazz pianist and founder of the Strata-East Records label. He played with Roland Kirk while studying at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and later with Marion Brown, Max Roach, Bobby Hutcherson, Clifford Jordan, Harold Land, Sonny Rollins and Stan Getz...
's Piano Choir. Harold Mabern has recorded as a leader for DIW/Columbia and Sackville and toured with the Contemporary Piano Ensemble (1993-1995).
A longtime faculty member at William Paterson University
William Paterson University
William Paterson University is a comprehensive public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey serving nearly 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five colleges: , , , , and ....
, Mabern is a frequent instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop
Stanford Jazz Workshop
Stanford Jazz Workshop was founded in 1972 by saxophonist and educator Jim Nadel to create an environment conducive to learning, experiencing and appreciating jazz...
.
As leader
- A Few Miles from Memphis (1968)
- Rakin' and Scrapin' (1968)
- Workin' and Wailin' (1969)
- Greasy Kid Stuff! (1970)
- Falling in Love with Love (2002)
- Joy Spring (2006), solo piano
As sideman
- Freddie HubbardFreddie HubbardFrederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
- The Night of the CookersThe Night of the CookersThe 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. It features performances by Hubbard, Lee Morgan, James Spaulding, Harold Mabern, Jr., Larry Ridley, Pete LaRoca and Big Black...
(1965) - Roland Kirk - Reeds & DeedsReeds & DeedsReeds & Deeds is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Mercury label in 1963 and features performances by Kirk with Virgil Jones, Charles Greenlea, Harold Mabern, Abdullah Rafik, Walter Perkins, Tom McIntosh and Richard Davis with arrangements by...
(1963), The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson OrchestraThe Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson OrchestraThe Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson Orchestra is an album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk. It was originally released on the Mercury label in 1964 and features performances by Kirk with Harold Mabern, Abdullah Rafik, Sonny Brown and Benny Golson's Orchestra featuring Virgil...
(1964) - J. J. Johnson - Proof PositiveProof Positive (album)Proof Positive is an album by American jazz trombonist J. J. Johnson featuring performances recorded in 1964 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1964) - Jackie McLeanJackie McLeanJohn Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra...
- ConsequenceConsequence (album)Consequence is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1965 but not released until 1979 as part of a Mosaic Records box set and finally released on the Blue Note label in 2005.-Reception:...
(1965) - Blue MitchellBlue MitchellRichard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:...
- Bring It Home to MeBring It Home to MeBring It Home to Me is an album by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell recorded in 1966 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars.-Track listing:# "Bring It Home to Me" - 7:58...
(1966) - Hank MobleyHank MobleyHenry Mobley 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 describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz...
- Dippin'Dippin'Dippin' is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Blue Note label in 1965.-Track listing:# "The Dip" - 7:54# "Recado Bossa Nova" - 8:09# "The Break Through" - 5:49# "The Vamp" - 8:19...
(1965) - Lee MorganLee MorganEdward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
- The GigoloThe GigoloThe Gigolo is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded on June 25 & July 1, 1965 and features performances by Morgan with a quintet featuring Wayne Shorter, Harold Mabern, Bob Cranshaw and Billy Higgins....
(1965), Live at the Lighthouse (1970), The Last SessionThe Last Session (album)The Last Session is the final studio album recorded by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan before his death in 1972. It was released on the Blue Note label and features performances by Morgan, Grachan Moncur III, Bobbi Humphrey, Billy Harper, Harold Mabern, Reggie Workman, Jymie Merritt and Freddie...
(1971)
External links
- All about jazz
- [ Allmusic]