George Coleman
American jazz saxophonist
Musical artist
George Edward Coleman (born March 8, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist known for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s. In 2015, he was named an NEA Jazz Master .[ 1]
Early life
Coleman was born in Memphis, Tennessee . He was taught how to play the alto saxophone in his teens by his older brother Lucian Adams, inspired (like many jazz musicians of his generation) by Charlie Parker . Among his schoolmates were Harold Mabern , Booker Little , Frank Strozier , Hank Crawford , and Charles Lloyd .[ 2]
Later life and career
George Coleman at Keystone Korner, San Francisco CA 8/29/79 After working with Ray Charles , Coleman started working with B.B. King in 1953,[ 3] tenor saxophone .[ 4] Chicago , along with Booker Little, where he worked with Gene Ammons and Johnny Griffin before joining Max Roach 's quintet (1958–1959). Coleman recorded with organist Jimmy Smith on his album House Party Lee Morgan , Curtis Fuller , Kenny Burrell , and Donald Bailey . Moving to New York City with Max Roach in that year, he went on to play with Slide Hampton (1959–1962), Ron Carter , Jimmy Cobb , and Wild Bill Davis (1962), before joining Miles Davis' quintet in 1963–1964.[ 5]
His albums with Davis (and the rhythm section of Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass), and Tony Williams (drums)) are Seven Steps to Heaven A Rare Home Town Appearance (1963), Côte Blues (1963), In Europe My Funny Valentine Four & More Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City in February 1964. Shortly after this concert, Coleman left the band and was replaced by Wayne Shorter . Nevertheless, Davis retained a high opinion of Coleman's playing, stating that "George played everything almost perfectly...He was a hell of a musician." Coleman played with Lionel Hampton (1965–1966), also in 1965 on Chet Baker 's The Prestige Sessions , with Kirk Lightsey , Herman Wright , and Roy Brooks.[ 6] Clark Terry , Horace Silver , Elvin Jones (1968), Shirley Scott (1972), Cedar Walton (1975), Charles Mingus (1977–1978), Ahmad Jamal (1994, 2000), and many others.
Coleman also appeared in the science-fiction film Freejack Emilio Estevez , Mick Jagger , and Anthony Hopkins ; and 1996's The Preacher's Wife Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston .[ 7]
Coleman recorded into the 2020's.[ 8] Four Generations of Miles: A Live Tribute To Miles , with bassist Ron Carter, drummer Jimmy Cobb and guitarist Mike Stern was released on Chesky Records in October 2002, and it concentrates on the 1960s working repertoire of Miles Davis. Tracks include: "There Is No Greater Love ", "All Blues ", "On Green Dolphin Street ", "Blue in Green ", "81", "Freddie Freeloader ", "My Funny Valentine ", "If I Were a Bell", and "Oleo ". He was featured on Joey DeFrancesco 's 2006 release Organic Vibes , along with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson , Billboard's Top Jazz Album Chart, peaked to No. 17.[ 9]
Coleman was married to jazz organist Gloria Coleman .[ 10] [ 10]
He was named an NEA Jazz Master and to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015, and received a brass note on the Beale Street Brass Notes Walk of Fame.[ 11]
Coleman continues actively performing and recording as of October 2024.
Discography
Year recorded
Title
Label
Notes
1977
Meditation Timeless
Duo, with Tete Montoliu (piano)
1977
Revival
Catalyst; Affinity
Octet; released in Europe as Big George
1978
Amsterdam After Dark Timeless
Quartet, with Hilton Ruiz (piano), Sam Jones (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
1979
Playing Changes
Jazz House
Quartet, with Hilton Ruiz (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Billy Higgins (drums); in concert at Ronnie Scott's
1985
Manhattan Panorama Theresa ; Evidence
Quartet, with Harold Mabern (piano), Jamil Nasser (bass), Idris Muhammad (drums); in concert at the Village Vanguard
1989
At Yoshi's Theresa; Evidence
Quartet, with Harold Mabern (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Alvin Queen (drums); in concert
1990
Convergence
Triloka
Duo, with Richie Beirach (piano)
1991
My Horns of Plenty
Birdology/Verve ; Birdology/Dreyfus
Quartet, with Harold Mabern (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
1995
Blues Inside Out
Jazz House
Quintet, with Peter King (alto sax), Julian Joseph (piano), Dave Green (bass), Mark Taylor (drums); in concert at Ronnie Scott's
1996
Danger High Voltage
Two & Four
Octet, Harold Mabern (piano), Ray Drummond (bass), George Coleman Jr. (drums), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Adam Brenner (alto sax), Ned Otter (tenor sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax), with Daniel Sadownick (percussion) added on several tracks
1998
I Could Write a Book: The Music of Richard Rodgers
Telarc
Quartet, with Harold Mabern (piano), Jamil Nasser (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
2002
Four Generations of Miles: A Live Tribute To Miles
Chesky
Quartet, with Mike Stern (guitar), Ron Carter (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums); in concert
2016
A Master Speaks
Smoke Sessions
Quartet, with Mike LeDonne (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass), George Coleman Jr. (drums); one track quintet, with Peter Bernstein (guitar) added
2018
Groovin' With Big G
SteepleChase
Quartet, Brian Charette (Hammond B3 organ), Vic Juris (guitar), George Coleman Jr. (drums)
2019
The Quartet
Smoke Sessions
Quartet, Harold Mabern (piano), John Webber (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums)
2020
The George Coleman Quintet in Baltimore
Reel To Real
Quintet, Danny Moore (trumpet), Albert Dailey (piano), Larry Ridley (bass), Harold White (drums); in concert May 23, 1971
2020
On Green Dolphin Street
Blue Jack; Solid
Quartet, with Rob Agerbeek (piano), Rob Langereis (bass), Eric Ineke (drums); in concert April 9, 1974
2023
George Coleman Live at Smalls Jazz Club
Cellar Music Group
Quartet, Spike Wilner (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums)
2024
Big George
Smoke Sessions
Septet, Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), Eric Alexander (alto sax/tenor sax), David Hazeltine (piano), John Webber (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums)
As sideman
With Chet Baker
With Roy Brooks
With Paul (PB) Brown
Paul Brown Quartet Meets The Three Tenors (Brownstone, 1998)With Brian Charette
With Miles Davis
With Joey DeFrancesco
With Charles Earland
With Red Garland
With Slide Hampton
With Herbie Hancock
With Johnny Hartman
With Ahmad Jamal
With Elvin Jones
With Booker Little
With Harold Mabern
With Jack McDuff
With Charles Mingus
With Lee Morgan
With Idris Muhammad
With One for All
Big George (Smoke Sessions, 2022 [rel. 2024])With Don Patterson
With John Patton
With Nicholas Payton
Smoke Sessions (Smoke Sessions Records, 2021)With Duke Pearson
With Max Roach
With Shirley Scott
Lean on Me Cadet , 1972)Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank (Wienerworld/Cellar Live, 1972 [rel. 2023)With Jimmy Smith
With Louis Smith
With Melvin Sparks
With Charles Tolliver
With Roseanna Vitro
With Mal Waldron
With Cedar Walton
With Reuben Wilson
References
^ "NEA Announces Lifetime Honors Recipients" . National Endowment for the Arts . Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014 .^ Vladimir, Bogdanov. All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues , Backbeat Books, page 133, (2003) - ISBN 0-87930-736-6
^ "George Coleman: This Gentleman can PLAY article" . Allaboutjazz.com . Retrieved July 26, 2021 .^ Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music , Guinness, page 887, (1995) - ISBN 1-56159-176-9
^ Billboard: George Coleman bio ^ Yanow, Scott. Trumpet Kings: The Players Who Shaped the Sound of Jazz Trumpet , Backbeat Books, page 34, (2001) - ISBN 0-87930-640-8
^ "George Coleman" . IMDb.com . Retrieved July 26, 2021 .^ see George Coleman, The Quartet, Smoke Jazz Club Sessions, CD 2023
^ Billboard: Organic Vibes ^ a b Longley, Martin (April 2010). "Close to Home". AllAboutJazz: New York ^ "George Coleman | Memphis Music Hall of Fame" . Memphismusichalloffame.com . 29 November 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2021 .
External links
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