Willie Dennis
Encyclopedia
Willie Dennis was an American jazz
trombonist known as a big band
musician but was also an influential bebop
soloist. He died in an automobile accident in New York
, 1965.
, Claude Thornhill
, and Sam Donahue
, Dennis also performed with Charles Mingus
, appearing on two of Mingus's more successful albums in 1959, Blues & Roots
and Mingus Ah Um
. In 1953, Dennis recorded Four Trombones (released in 1957) for Mingus's Debut Records
. The other three trombones were J. J. Johnson, Kai Winding
and Bennie Green
.
The fullest recorded example of Dennis's solo work, however, is on a little-known 1956 Savoy
disc by English pianist Ronnie Ball
(like Dennis, a student of Tristano
,), All About Ronnie, in the company of Ted Brown
, Wendell Marshall and Kenny Clarke
.
In the late 1950s Dennis returned to his big band roots, joining Buddy Rich
in 1959 after stints with Benny Goodman
, (with whom he travelled to the Soviet Union
in 1962) and Woody Herman
.
In the 1960s, Dennis also performed often with Gerry Mulligan
.
in 1961. They had only been married for a few years when his unfortunate death occurred in 1965 from an automobile accident in Central Park
, New York City
. They had no children.
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...
trombonist known as a big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
musician but was also an influential bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
soloist. He died in an automobile accident in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, 1965.
Career
After working with Elliot LawrenceElliot Lawrence
Elliot Lawrence is an American jazz pianist and bandleader.Son of the broadcaster Stan Lee Broza, Lawrence led his first dance band at age 20, but he played swing at the time its heyday was coming to a close. He recorded copiously as a bandleader for Columbia, Decca, King, Fantasy, Vik, and Sesac...
, Claude Thornhill
Claude Thornhill
Claude Thornhill was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader...
, and Sam Donahue
Sam Donahue
Sam Donahue was an American swing music jazz tenor saxophonist, trumpeter and musical arranger. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he is probably best known for his work with Gene Krupa, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Billy May, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and many others.He is the father of guitarist Jerry...
, Dennis also performed 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...
, appearing on two of Mingus's more successful albums in 1959, Blues & Roots
Blues & Roots
Blues & Roots is an album by Charles Mingus, recorded in 1959 and released in 1960. It has been reissued twice as a CD, first by Atlantic Records, and then again by Rhino Entertainment in 1998....
and Mingus Ah Um
Mingus Ah Um
Mingus Ah Um is a jazz album by Charles Mingus, recorded and released on Columbia Records in 1959. It was his first album recorded for Columbia. The cover features a painting by S...
. In 1953, Dennis recorded Four Trombones (released in 1957) for Mingus's Debut Records
Debut Records
Debut 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...
. The other three trombones were J. J. Johnson, Kai Winding
Kai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding was a popular Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson.-Biography:...
and Bennie Green
Bennie Green
Bennie Green was an American jazz trombonist.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and 1960s.-As leader:...
.
The fullest recorded example of Dennis's solo work, however, is on a little-known 1956 Savoy
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
disc by English pianist Ronnie Ball
Ronnie Ball
Ronald "Ronnie" Ball was a jazz pianist born in Birmingham, England.Ball moved to London in 1948, and in the early 1950s he worked both as a bandleader and under Ronnie Scott, Tony Kinsey, Victor Feldman, and Harry Klein...
(like Dennis, a student of Tristano
Lennie Tristano
Leonard Joseph Tristano was a jazz pianist, composer and teacher of jazz improvisation. He performed in the cool jazz, bebop, post bop and avant-garde jazz genres. He remains a somewhat overlooked figure in jazz history, but his enormous originality and dazzling work as an improviser have long...
,), All About Ronnie, in the company of Ted Brown
Ted Brown
Ted Brown is an American and former collegiate and professional football player. He attended High Point high school, before attending North Carolina State University.-Football career:...
, Wendell Marshall and Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke
Kenny 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...
.
In the late 1950s Dennis returned to his big band roots, joining Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
in 1959 after stints with Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, (with whom he travelled to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1962) and Woody Herman
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
.
In the 1960s, Dennis also performed often with Gerry Mulligan
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph "Gerry" Mulligan was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though Mulligan is primarily known as one of the leading baritone saxophonists in jazz history – playing the instrument with a light and airy tone in the era of cool jazz – he was also...
.
Relationships and family
He married singer Morgana KingMorgana King
Morgana King is an American singer and actress. She is a noted jazz singer, who is regarded as a "musician's singer." The musical œuvre of her stylized vocal artistry spans a period of more than four decades and has an "appeal that bridges generations, tastes and life styles"."She is, like all...
in 1961. They had only been married for a few years when his unfortunate death occurred in 1965 from an automobile accident in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. They had no children.
Style and influence
Dennis was renowned for his extremely fast articulation on the trombone, obtained by means of varying the natural harmonics of the instrument (a technique known as "against the grain").Discography
| Appears on | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Label / catalog # | Note(s) |
| 2007 | Great Vibes! | Verve Records | Track listing: "Love Theme From David and Lisa" |
| 2006 | First Class Jazz - Charles Mingus | EMI Music | Track listing: "Move" |
| 2002 | Blues & Roots | Atlantic | Original release date: 1959 |
| 2000 | The Verve Album | Verve Records | Track listing: "Big City Blues" |
| 2000 | Gerry Mulligan: Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series Vol. 12: Zurich 1960 |
TCB Music | Disc 2: Track listing: "I'll Remember April", "Move", "Kai's Day (Kai's Kid)" |
| 1997 | Essentiel Jazz | Sony Music | Track listing: "Boogie Stop Shuffle" |
| 1994 | All About Ronnie: Ronnie Ball | Savoy Jazz | Original release date: 1956 |
| 1994 | Gerry Mulligan: Jazz Masters 36 | Verve Records | Track listing: "Blueport" (featured solo) |
| 1994 | This Is Jazz | Sony Music Entertainment | Track listing: "Better Git It In Your Soul" |
| 1991 | Four Trombones | Prestige | Original release date: 1957 |
| 1991 | Verve Jazz Box | Verve Records | Track listing: "Pretty Little Gypsy", "Bridgehampton Strut", "Boogie Blues" |
| 1964 | The Definitive Jazz Scene Volume 2 | Impulse! | Track listing: "Blues Company" |
| 1959 | Mingus Ah Um | Columbia | Track listing: "Open Letter To Duke" |
| 1957 | Modern Jazz Hall Of Fame Volume 1 | Gala Records | Track listing: "Kai's Day" |
External links
- [ Willie Dennis at Allmusic]
- Willie Dennis at Discogs
- Willie Dennis at Napster