Thad Jones
Encyclopedia
Thaddeus Joseph Jones was an American
jazz
trumpet
er, composer, and bandleader.
to a musical family of ten (an older brother was pianist Hank Jones
and a younger brother was drummer Elvin Jones
). Thad Jones was a self taught musician, performing professionally by the age of sixteen. He served in U.S. Army bands during World War II
(1943–46).
After Army service including an association with the U.S. Military School of Music and working with area bands in Des Moines and Oklahoma City, Thad became a member of the Count Basie Orchestra
in May 1954. He was featured as a soloist on such well-known tunes as April in Paris
, Shiny Stockings and Corner Pocket. However, his main contribution was his nearly two dozen arrangements and compositions for the Basie Orchestra, including The Deacon, H.R.H. (Her Royal Highness, in honor of the band’s command performance in London), Counter Block, and lesser known gems such as Speaking of Sounds. His hymn-like ballad To You was performed by the Basie band combined with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in their only recording together, and the recording Dance Along With Basie contains nearly an entire album of Jones’ uncredited arrangements of standard tunes.
Jones left the Basie Orchestra in 1963 to become a freelance arranger and studio player in New York. In 1965, he and drummer Mel Lewis
formed The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. The group initially began with informal late night jam sessions amongst New York's top studio musicians. The group eventually began performing at the Village Vanguard in February 1966, to wide acclaim, and continued with Jones in the lead for twelve years. They won a 1978 Grammy Award
for their album Live in Munich
. Jones also taught at William Paterson College
in New Jersey, which is now the site of the Thad Jones Archive, containing pencil scores and vintage photos as part of the Living Jazz Archives.
Jones' big band arranging style was unique, especially from the standpoint of featuring dissonant voicings in a tonal context. This required the members of his big band to play correctly in tune, otherwise the dense chords he wrote would not sound correct. Minor 2nds and major 7ths are often featured in his voicings, especially when the entire band plays a long, powerful chord that some would describe as having "bite".
One of the more notable albums he made in this regard is Suite for Pops
recorded on the A&M Records
"Horizon" label (now out of print) in the early 70's. It also featured the intense bebop improvisations of saxophonist Billy Harper and the high note screech playing of lead trumpet player Jon Faddis
.
In 1978, Thad suddenly moved to Copenhagen
, Denmark
, (to the great surprise of his New York band mates), where several other American jazz musicians had gone to live. Upon Thad’s 1978 departure to live in Europe, the band continued as the Mel Lewis Orchestra until Lewis’ death in February 1990, and thrives to this day as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, still including several Thad Jones alumni, continuing the extraordinary Monday night tradition into its fifth decade.
Jones resided in Copenhagen from 1978–1984. He formed a new big band Eclipse which he recorded a live album
with, Eclipse. Several Americans
were on the album, pianist Horace Parlan
, baritonist Sahib Shihab
, trumpeter Tim Hagans
and trombonist/vocalist Richard Boone
along with trombonist Bjarne Thanning, trumpeter Egon Petersen, altoist Ole Nielsen, tenor saxophonist Bent Jædig
and Jesper Lundgaard
on bass. He further composed for The Danish Radio Big Band and taught jazz at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen. He studied composition formally during this period, as well as taking up the valve trombone. In February 1985, he returned to the U.S. to take the leadership of the Basie Orchestra upon his former leader’s death, fronting the Basie band in numerous tours, and writing arrangements for recordings and performances with vocalist Caterina Valente and Manhattan Transfer. He eventually stopped touring completely, and returned to Denmark several months before his death on August 21, 1986.
In later years his playing ability was overshadowed by his composing and arranging skills. His best known composition is the standard "A Child is Born". A year before his death, Jones came back to the U.S. to lead the Count Basie Orchestra
but had to step down due to ill health. He returned to his home in Copenhagen for the last few months of his life. He died on August 21, 1986 after being hospitalized for months but his cause of death was not published. At the time of his death he had a six year old child, also named Thad Jones, with his wife Lis Jones, a daughter Thedia and a son Bruce. He is buried in Copenhagen's Vestre Kirkegård Cemetery
(Western Churchyard Cemetery).
With Dexter Gordon
With Herbie Hancock
With Coleman Hawkins
With Elvin Jones
With Charles Mingus
With Thelonious Monk
With Oliver Nelson
With Shirley Scott
With Ben Webster
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er, composer, and bandleader.
Biography
Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, MichiganPontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
to a musical family of ten (an older brother was pianist Hank Jones
Hank Jones
Henry "Hank" Jones was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored him with the NEA Jazz Masters Award...
and a younger brother was drummer Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
). Thad Jones was a self taught musician, performing professionally by the age of sixteen. He served in U.S. Army bands during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1943–46).
After Army service including an association with the U.S. Military School of Music and working with area bands in Des Moines and Oklahoma City, Thad became a member of the Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie Orchestra
The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie. The band survived the late '40s decline in big band popularity and went on to produce notable collaborations with singers such as Frank Sinatra and Ella...
in May 1954. He was featured as a soloist on such well-known tunes as April in Paris
April in Paris (song)
"April in Paris" is a song composed by Vernon Duke with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg in 1932 for the Broadway musical, Walk A Little Faster. The original 1933 hit was performed by Freddy Martin, and the 1952 remake was by the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, whose version made the Cashbox Top 50.Composer Alec...
, Shiny Stockings and Corner Pocket. However, his main contribution was his nearly two dozen arrangements and compositions for the Basie Orchestra, including The Deacon, H.R.H. (Her Royal Highness, in honor of the band’s command performance in London), Counter Block, and lesser known gems such as Speaking of Sounds. His hymn-like ballad To You was performed by the Basie band combined with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in their only recording together, and the recording Dance Along With Basie contains nearly an entire album of Jones’ uncredited arrangements of standard tunes.
Jones left the Basie Orchestra in 1963 to become a freelance arranger and studio player in New York. In 1965, he and drummer Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis
Mel Lewis was an American drummer, jazz musician and band leader. He was born Melvin Sokoloff in Buffalo, New York to Russian immigrant parents....
formed The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. The group initially began with informal late night jam sessions amongst New York's top studio musicians. The group eventually began performing at the Village Vanguard in February 1966, to wide acclaim, and continued with Jones in the lead for twelve years. They won a 1978 Grammy Award
Grammy Awards of 1979
The 21st Grammy Awards were held in 1979, and were broadcast live on American television. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1978.- Award winners :*Record of the Year**Phil Ramone & Billy Joel for "Just the Way You Are"...
for their album Live in Munich
Live in Munich (Jones / Lewis album)
Live in Munich is a live 1976 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in Munich, Germany and released on the A&M / Horizon Records label. The album won the 1978 Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band.-Track listing:# "Mach II" – 8:21# "A-...
. Jones also taught at William Paterson College
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 ....
in New Jersey, which is now the site of the Thad Jones Archive, containing pencil scores and vintage photos as part of the Living Jazz Archives.
Jones' big band arranging style was unique, especially from the standpoint of featuring dissonant voicings in a tonal context. This required the members of his big band to play correctly in tune, otherwise the dense chords he wrote would not sound correct. Minor 2nds and major 7ths are often featured in his voicings, especially when the entire band plays a long, powerful chord that some would describe as having "bite".
One of the more notable albums he made in this regard is Suite for Pops
Suite for Pops
Suite for Pops is a 1972 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the A&M Horizon label.-Track listing:# "Meetin' Place"# "The Summary"# "The Farewell"# "Toledo By Candlelight"# "The Great One"...
recorded on the A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
"Horizon" label (now out of print) in the early 70's. It also featured the intense bebop improvisations of saxophonist Billy Harper and the high note screech playing of lead trumpet player Jon Faddis
Jon Faddis
Jon Faddis is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator renowned for both his highly virtuosic command of the instrument and for his expertise in the field of music education...
.
In 1978, Thad suddenly moved to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, (to the great surprise of his New York band mates), where several other American jazz musicians had gone to live. Upon Thad’s 1978 departure to live in Europe, the band continued as the Mel Lewis Orchestra until Lewis’ death in February 1990, and thrives to this day as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, still including several Thad Jones alumni, continuing the extraordinary Monday night tradition into its fifth decade.
Jones resided in Copenhagen from 1978–1984. He formed a new big band Eclipse which he recorded a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
with, Eclipse. Several Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were on the album, pianist Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan is an American hard bop and post-bop piano player.He is noted for his contributions to the classic Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots....
, baritonist Sahib Shihab
Sahib Shihab
Sahib Shihab was an American jazz saxophonist and flautist.-Biography:...
, trumpeter Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans is a jazz trumpeter and composer.He has been nominated for Grammys for Best Instrumental Composition for "Box of Cannoli" from The Avatar Session ; and Best Contemporary Jazz CD for Animation*Imagination and Re-Animation .He grew up in Dayton, Ohio...
and trombonist/vocalist Richard Boone
Richard Boone
Richard Allen Boone was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns and for starring in the TV series Have Gun – Will Travel.-Early life:...
along with trombonist Bjarne Thanning, trumpeter Egon Petersen, altoist Ole Nielsen, tenor saxophonist Bent Jædig
Bent Jædig
- Discography :Original albums*Bent Axen - Bent Jædig: Let's Keep The Message *Danish Jazzman *Egon Denu & Bent Jædig *Sizzlin’ Compilations*From Jædig's Galaxy - Discography :Original albums*Bent Axen - Bent Jædig: Let's Keep The Message (Danish Debut, 1960)*Danish Jazzman (Debut, 1967)*Egon Denu...
and Jesper Lundgaard
Jesper Lundgaard
Jesper Lundgaard is a Danish jazz bassist, bandleader, composer and recording studio. Since his debut in the mid 1970s, he has been among the most prominent bassists in Danish jazz and as a sideman he has appeared on more than 400 albums both with Danish and leading American jazz...
on bass. He further composed for The Danish Radio Big Band and taught jazz at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen. He studied composition formally during this period, as well as taking up the valve trombone. In February 1985, he returned to the U.S. to take the leadership of the Basie Orchestra upon his former leader’s death, fronting the Basie band in numerous tours, and writing arrangements for recordings and performances with vocalist Caterina Valente and Manhattan Transfer. He eventually stopped touring completely, and returned to Denmark several months before his death on August 21, 1986.
In later years his playing ability was overshadowed by his composing and arranging skills. His best known composition is the standard "A Child is Born". A year before his death, Jones came back to the U.S. to lead the Count Basie Orchestra
Count Basie Orchestra
The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie. The band survived the late '40s decline in big band popularity and went on to produce notable collaborations with singers such as Frank Sinatra and Ella...
but had to step down due to ill health. He returned to his home in Copenhagen for the last few months of his life. He died on August 21, 1986 after being hospitalized for months but his cause of death was not published. At the time of his death he had a six year old child, also named Thad Jones, with his wife Lis Jones, a daughter Thedia and a son Bruce. He is buried in Copenhagen's Vestre Kirkegård Cemetery
Vestre Cemetery
Vestre Cemetery is located in a large park setting in the Kongens Enghave district of Copenhagen, Denmark. With its 54 hectares it is the largest cemetery in Denmark.Beautifully landscaped, it also serves as an important open space,...
(Western Churchyard Cemetery).
As leader
- The Fabulous Thad Jones (DebutDebut RecordsDebut Records was a United States jazz record label, which was founded in 1952 by bassist Charles Mingus, his then-wife Celia and drummer Max Roach.This short-lived label was an attempt to avoid the compromises of working for major companies...
, 1954) with Frank WessFrank WessFrank Wess is an American jazz musician, who has played saxophone and flute.-Biography:...
, John DennisJohn DennisJohn Dennis was an English critic and dramatist.-Life:He was born in Harrow, London. He was educated at Harrow School and Caius College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1679. In the next year he was fined and dismissed from his college for having wounded a fellow-student with a sword....
, Hank Jones, Charles MingusCharles MingusCharles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
, Kenny ClarkeKenny ClarkeKenny Clarke , born Kenneth Spearman Clarke, nicknamed "Klook" and later known as Liaqat Ali Salaam, was a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of drumming...
, Max RoachMax RoachMaxwell 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... - Detroit-New York JunctionDetroit-New York JunctionDetroit-New York Junction is an album by American jazz trumpeter Thad Jones featuring performances recorded in 1956 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(Blue NoteBlue Note RecordsBlue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
, 1956) - The Magnificent Thad JonesThe Magnificent Thad JonesThe Magnificent Thad Jones is an album by American jazz trumpeter Thad Jones featuring performances recorded in 1956 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1956) with Billy Mitchell, Barry HarrisBarry HarrisBarry Doyle Harris is an American bebop jazz pianist and educator.-Biography:Harris left Detroit for New York City in 1960...
, Percy HeathPercy HeathPercy Heath was an American jazz bassist, brother to tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975...
, Max RoachMax RoachMaxwell 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... - After Hours (OJC, 1957) with Frank Wess, Kenny BurrellKenny BurrellKenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell is an American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.-Biography:...
, Mal WaldronMal WaldronMalcolm Earl Waldron was an American jazz and world music pianist and composer, born in New York City.Like his contemporaries, Waldron's roots lie chiefly in the hard bop and post-bop genres of the New York club scene of the 1950s; but with time, he gravitated more towards free jazz and composition...
, Paul ChambersPaul ChambersPaul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. was a jazz bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, his importance in the development of jazz bass can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his impeccable time, intonation, and virtuosic...
, Art TaylorArt TaylorArthur S. Taylor, Jr. was an American jazz drummer of the hard bop school.After playing in the bands of Howard McGhee, Coleman Hawkins, Buddy DeFranco, Bud Powell, and George Wallington from 1948 to 1957, he formed his own group, the Wailers... - Mad Thad (Fresh Sound, 1957) with Henry CokerHenry CokerHenry Coker was an American jazz trombonist.Coker studied music at Wellesley College before making his professional debut with John White in 1935. From 1937 to 1939 he played with Nat Towles's territory band, then moved to Hawaii to play with Monk McFay...
, 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:...
, Tommy FlanaganTommy FlanaganThomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist born in Detroit, Michigan, particularly remembered for his work with Ella Fitzgerald...
, Jimmy JonesJimmy JonesJimmy Jones may refer to:*Jimmy Jones , American jazz pianist*Jimmy Jones , American singer/songwriter*Jimmy Jones , footballer who played for Stoke...
, Doug WatkinsDoug WatkinsDouglas Watkins was an American hard bop jazz double bassist from Detroit.-Biography:An original member of the Jazz Messengers, he later played in Horace Silver's quintet and freelanced with Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, Sonny Rollins,...
, Elvin Jones - Greetings and SalutationsGreetings and SalutationsGreetings and Salutations is a 1975 big band jazz album recorded by the Swedish Radio Jazz Group with Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and Jon Faddis as guest bandleader / performers...
(Four Leaf Clover, 1977) with Jon FaddisJon FaddisJon Faddis is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator renowned for both his highly virtuosic command of the instrument and for his expertise in the field of music education...
, Lennart Åberg, Arne DomnérusArne DomnérusSven Arne Domnérus was a Swedish jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist, popularly nicknamed Dompan....
, Bengt HallbergBengt HallbergBengt Hallberg is one of Sweden's most influential jazz musicians. He studied classical piano from a very early age, and at 13 years old he wrote his first jazz arrangement. In 1949 he recorded with the Swedish alto saxophonist Arne Domnérus for the first time, an association which has continued...
, Georg Riedel, Rune GustafssonRune GustafssonRune Gustafsson is a former Swedish middle distance runner who ran a 1000 m world record in Borås in 1946. He lowered the previous record by Rudolf Harbig by 0.1 sec. to 2:21.4 min. He also won a gold medal over 800 m at European Championships.-References:... - Live at Montmartre (Storyville, 1978) with Idrees SuliemanIdrees SuliemanIdrees Sulieman was a bop and hard bop trumpeter. He studied at Boston Conservatory, and gained early experience playing with the Carolina Cotton Pickers and the wartime Earl Hines Orchestra...
, Allan BotschinskyAllan BotschinskyAllan Botschinsky is a Danish jazz trumpeter.Botschinsky's father played bassoon professionally. He began on trumpet at age 11 and at 14 began studying at the Royal Danish Conservatorium...
, Jesper ThiloJesper ThiloJesper Thilo is a Danish jazz musician, mainly known as a tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist and clarinetist. He is considered to be one of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians of the post-1970 period...
, NHOP. - Eclipse (Storyville, 1979) with Tim HagansTim HagansTim Hagans is a jazz trumpeter and composer.He has been nominated for Grammys for Best Instrumental Composition for "Box of Cannoli" from The Avatar Session ; and Best Contemporary Jazz CD for Animation*Imagination and Re-Animation .He grew up in Dayton, Ohio...
, Sahib ShihabSahib ShihabSahib Shihab was an American jazz saxophonist and flautist.-Biography:...
, Horace ParlanHorace ParlanHorace Parlan is an American hard bop and post-bop piano player.He is noted for his contributions to the classic Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots....
, Jesper LundgaardJesper LundgaardJesper Lundgaard is a Danish jazz bassist, bandleader, composer and recording studio. Since his debut in the mid 1970s, he has been among the most prominent bassists in Danish jazz and as a sideman he has appeared on more than 400 albums both with Danish and leading American jazz...
With the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra
- Opening NightOpening Night (Jones / Lewis album)Opening Night is a big band jazz recording of the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra playing at the Village Vanguard club in New York City in February 1966. This was the first performance of the group at this club although the recording was not released until 2000...
(2000) Alan Grant Presents - Presenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and the Jazz OrchestraPresenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and the Jazz OrchestraPresenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis & The Jazz Orchestra is a 1966 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Solid State Records label. It is the debut release by the orchestra...
(1966) Solid State RecordsSolid State Records (jazz label)Solid State Records was a jazz record label formed in 1966 by noted producers Sonny Lester and Phil Ramone, with arranger Manny Albam.The label released original recordings in the mid to late 1960s by Joe Williams, Chick Corea, Jimmy McGriff, Dizzy Gillespie, The Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz... - Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz OrchestraPresenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz OrchestraPresenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra is a 1966 big band jazz album recorded by Joe Williams with the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Solid State Records label.-Track listing:...
(1966) Solid State - Live at the Village VanguardLive at the Village Vanguard (Jones / Lewis album)Live at the Village Vanguard is a 1967 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Solid State Records label. The album was nominated for a 1967 Grammy award in the "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance - Large Group..." category...
(1967) Solid State - The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth BrownThe Big Band Sound of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth BrownThe Big Band Sound of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth Brown, also released as Fine Brown Frame, is a 1968 Solid State Records recording of vocalist Ruth Brown with the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra.-Track listing:...
(1968) Solid State - Monday NightMonday NightMonday Night, Recorded Live at the Village Vanguard is a 1968 big band jazz album recorded at the Village Vanguard club in New York City by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Solid State Records label...
(1968) Solid State - Central Park NorthCentral Park North (Jones / Lewis album)Central Park North is a 1969 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Solid State Records label. The album was nominated for a 1969 Grammy award in the "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance - Large Group..." category...
(1969) Solid State - Basle, 1969Basle, 1969Basle, 1969 is a big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in Basle , Switzerland for a Swiss radio broadcast...
(recorded 1969, released 1996) TCB Music - ConsummationConsummation (album)Consummation has been considered one of the best albums by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. It was released in 1970 on Blue Note Records and re-released in 2002. It was recorded at A&R Studios in New York City. The album was nominated for a 1970 Grammy award in the "Best Jazz...
(1970) Solid State / Blue NoteBlue Note RecordsBlue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters... - Village Vanguard Live Sessions 3Village Vanguard Live Sessions 3Village Vanguard Live Sessions 3 is a live recording by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra playing at the Village Vanguard club in New York City in 1970.- Track listing :# "Gettin' Sassy" – 8:40# "Little Pixie" – 10:35...
(recorded 1970) LRC Records - Suite for PopsSuite for PopsSuite for Pops is a 1972 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the A&M Horizon label.-Track listing:# "Meetin' Place"# "The Summary"# "The Farewell"# "Toledo By Candlelight"# "The Great One"...
(1972) Horizon / A&MA&M RecordsA&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... - Live in Tokyo (1974) Denon Jazz
- PotpourriPotpourri (Jones / Lewis album)Potpourri is a 1974 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Philadelphia International Records label...
(1974) Philadelphia International - Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De SicaThad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De SicaThad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica and the Jazz Orchestra is a big band jazz recording by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra recorded in Europe in 1973 and 1974.-Track listing:# "First Jazz Suite" ## "Brasserie" – 3:19...
(1974) Pausa - New Life: Dedicated to Max GordonNew Life (Jones / Lewis album)New Life is a 1976 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the A&M / Horizon Records label. The album was nominated for a 1976 Grammy award in the Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band category.- Track listing :# "Greetings And Salutations" – 8:49#...
(1975) A&M - Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda ScottThad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda ScottThad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott is a 1976 big band jazz album recorded by jazz organist Rhoda Scott with the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and released on the Barclay record label.-Track listing:# "Mach 2" – 4:30# "Tanikka" – 4:29# "Rhoda Map" – 5:00# "R...
aka Rhoda Scott in New York with... (1976) - Live in MunichLive in Munich (Jones / Lewis album)Live in Munich is a live 1976 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra in Munich, Germany and released on the A&M / Horizon Records label. The album won the 1978 Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance - Big Band.-Track listing:# "Mach II" – 8:21# "A-...
(1976) Horizon / A&M - It Only Happens Every TimeIt Only Happens Every TimeIt Only Happens Every Time is a 1977 big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra with singer Monica Zetterlund in Helsinki and Stockholm and released by EMI in Europe and by Inner City Records in the US.-Track listing:...
(1977) EMI RecordsEMI RecordsEMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
– with Monica Zetterlund - Body and SoulBody and Soul (Jones / Lewis album)Body and Soul, Live in Berlin is a big band jazz album recorded by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, recorded in Berlin in October 1978 and released on the West Wind Jazz label...
aka Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe (1978) West Wind JazzWest Wind RecordsWest Wind Records was a jazz record label, releasing albums by many notable musicians during the 1980s.Some of these albums were previously issued on labels such as Circle Records .-Discography:*001 Anthony Braxton - The Coventry Concert 1980...
– Live in Berlin - A Touch of Class (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Warsaw
As sideman
With Lou DonaldsonLou Donaldson
Lou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.His first recordings were...
- Sassy Soul StrutSassy Soul StrutSassy Soul Strut is an album by jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson recorded for the Blue Note label featuring Donaldson with Thad Jones, Garnett Brown, Seldon Powell, Buddy Lucas, Paul Griffin, Horace Ott, Hugh McCracken, David Spinozza, John Tropea, Wilbur Bascomb, Bernard Purdie, Omar Clay, and Jack...
(1973)
With Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
- TangerineTangerine__notoc__The tangerine is an orange-colored citrus fruit which is closely related to the Mandarin orange . Taxonomically, it should probably be formally named as a subspecies or variety of Citrus reticulata; further work seems to be required to ascertain its correct scientific name...
(1972)
With Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
- Speak Like a ChildSpeak Like a Child (album)Speak Like a Child is the sixth album for Blue Note Records by American jazz musician Herbie Hancock, recorded and released in 1968. The evocative cover photograph was taken by David Bythewood, an acquaintance of Hancock. The lady on the cover is Hancock's then-girlfriend, Gigi Meixner...
(1968)
With Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
- The Hawk Swings (1960)
With Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones
Elvin Ray Jones was a jazz drummer of the post-bop era. He showed interest in drums at a young age, watching the circus bands march by his family's home in Pontiac, Michigan....
- Mr. JonesMr. Jones (Elvin Jones album)Mr. Jones is an album by American jazz drummer Elvin Jones recorded in 1972 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4½ stars.-Track listing:# "One's Native Place" - 6:14# "Gee Gee" - 5:45# "Mr...
(1973)
With Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
- The Jazz Experiments of Charlie MingusThe Jazz Experiments of Charlie MingusThe Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus is an album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus released on the Bethlehem label. The album is a compilation of tracks originally released by Period Records as two 10-inch LP's entitled Jazzical Moods and co-credited to John LaPorta.-Reception:The...
(Bethlehem, 1954)
With Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
- 5 by Monk by 55 by Monk by 55 by Monk by 5 is an album by jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, released in 1959. The album's basis is five of Monk's original compositions performed in a quintet setting.-Track listing :All songs by Thelonious Monk unless otherwise noted....
(1959)
With Oliver Nelson
Oliver Nelson
Oliver Edward Nelson was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger and composer.-Early life and career:...
- More Blues and the Abstract TruthMore Blues and the Abstract TruthMore Blues and the Abstract Truth is an album by American jazz composer, conductor and arranger Oliver Nelson featuring performances recorded in 1964 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1964) - The Spirit of '67 with Pee Wee RussellPee Wee RussellCharles Ellsworth Russell, much better known by his nickname Pee Wee Russell, was a jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but eventually focused solely on clarinet....
(Impulse!, 1967)
With Shirley Scott
Shirley Scott
Shirley Scott was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist. She was most known for working with her husband, Stanley Turrentine, and with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis...
- For Members OnlyFor Members OnlyFor Members Only is an album by American jazz organist Shirley Scott recorded in 1963 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4½ stars.-Track listing:# "Southern Comfort" — 5:40...
(Impulse!, 1963) - Roll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big BandsRoll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big BandsRoll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands is an album by American jazz organist Shirley Scott recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1966)
With Ben Webster
Ben Webster
Benjamin Francis Webster , a.k.a. "The Brute" or "Frog," was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist. Webster, born in Kansas City, Missouri, was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young...
- Soulmates (with Joe ZawinulJoe ZawinulJosef Erich Zawinul was an Austrian-American jazz keyboardist and composer.First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with trumpeter Miles Davis, and to become one of the creators of jazz fusion, an innovative musical genre that combined jazz with...
) (1963) - See You at the FairSee You at the FairSee You at the Fair is an album by jazz saxophonist Ben Webster, released on Impulse! Records.-Track listing:#"Someone to Watch over Me" 4:30#"In a Mellow Tone" 4:26#"Over the Rainbow" 4:42...
(1964)
External links
- Thad Jones at Find-A-Grave
- [ That Jones at Allmusic.com]