Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists".[1]
Thad Jones | |
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Thad Jones | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Thaddeus Joseph Jones |
Born | Pontiac, Michigan, U.S. | March 28, 1923
Died | August 20, 1986 63) Copenhagen, Denmark | (aged
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger, bandleader |
Instruments | Trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn |
Years active | 1954-1986 |
Labels | A&M, Blue Note, Debut |
Associated acts | Count Basie, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk |
Biography
Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on March 28, 1923, to Henry and Olivia Jones, a musical family of 10 (an older brother was pianist Hank Jones and a younger brother was drummer Elvin Jones). A self-taught musician, Thad began performing professionally at the age of 16. He served in U.S. Army bands during World War II (1943–46).
After his military service, which included an association with the U.S. Military School of Music and working with area bands in Des Moines and Oklahoma City, Jones 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 to Basie's organization was nearly two dozen arrangements and compositions, which included "The Deacon", "H.R.H." (Her Royal Highness – in honor of the band's command performance in London), "Counter Block", and lesser known tracks 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's uncredited arrangements of standard tunes. In 1959, Jones played cornet on Thelonious Monk's 5 by Monk by 5 album.
Jones left the Basie Orchestra in 1963 to become a freelance arranger and musician in New York City. In 1965 he and drummer Mel Lewis formed the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. The group started with informal late-night jam sessions among New York's top studio musicians. They began performing at the Village Vanguard in February 1966, to wide acclaim, and continued with Jones in the lead for 12 years. They won a 1978 Grammy Award for their album Live in Munich.[2] 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.
In January 1979,[3] Thad suddenly moved to Copenhagen, Denmark (to the great surprise of his New York bandmates), where several other U.S. jazz musicians had gone to live. There he became the leader of The Danish Radio Big Band, and married a Danish woman (Lis). Jones transformed the Danish Radio Big Band into one of the world's best. The result can be heard on a live-recording from the Montmartre in Copenhagen. In July 1979 Jones formed a new big band, Eclipse, with which he recorded a live album, Eclipse.[4] Several Americans were on the album: pianist Horace Parlan, baritonist Sahib Shihab, trumpeter Tim Hagans, and trombonist/vocalist Richard B. Boone. The rest of the band comprised trombonists Bjarne Thanning and Ture Larsen, trumpeter Lars Togeby, altoists Ole Thøger and Michael Hove, tenor saxophonist Bent Jædig, and bassist Jesper Lundgaard. Jones 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, and also took up the valve trombone.
In February 1985, Jones returned to the U.S. to take over the leadership of the Count Basie Orchestra, upon his former leader's death. Thad fronted the Basie band on numerous tours, also writing arrangements for recordings and performances with vocalist Caterina Valente and the Manhattan Transfer, but had to step down due to ill health. He returned to his home in Copenhagen for the last few months of his life, and died of cancer on August 20, 1986, at Herlev Hospital.[5] In later years his playing ability was diminished due to lip injury, but his composing and arranging skills blossomed.[5] His best-known composition is the standard "A Child Is Born".
At the time of his death, Jones had a six-year-old son, also named Thad (Thaddeus Joseph William Jones), with his wife Lis Jones. He had a daughter Thedia and a son Bruce in the U.S. He was buried in Copenhagen's Vestre Kirkegård Cemetery (Western Churchyard Cemetery).[6]
Thad Jones has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Thad Jones Vej" (Thad Jones Street).
Discography
As leader or co-leader
- The Fabulous Thad Jones (Debut, 1954)
- Detroit-New York Junction (Blue Note, 1956)
- The Magnificent Thad Jones (Blue Note, 1956)
- Mad Thad (Period, 1957)
- Sonny Rollins Plays (Period, 1957) split album with Sonny Rollins
- The Jones Boys (Period, 1957) with Jimmy Jones, Eddie Jones, Quincy Jones and Jo Jones
- Olio (Prestige, 1957) with The Prestige All Stars – Frank Wess, Teddy Charles, Mal Waldron, Doug Watkins, Elvin Jones
- After Hours (Prestige, 1957) with The Prestige All Stars – Frank Wess, Kenny Burrell, Mal Waldron, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor
- Keepin' Up with the Joneses (MetroJazz, 1958) as The Jones Brothers with Hank Jones and Elvin Jones
- Motor City Scene (United Artists, 1959)
- Mean What You Say (Milestone, 1966) by the Thad Jones/Pepper Adams Quintet
- Greetings and Salutations (Four Leaf Clover, 1977) with Mel Lewis, Jon Faddis and the Swedish Radio Jazz Group (Lennart Åberg, Arne Domnérus, Bengt Hallberg, Georg Riedel, Rune Gustafsson, ...)
- The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet (Artist House, 1978) with Mel Lewis, Harold Danko, Rufus Reid
- Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and UMO (RCA, 1978) with Mel Lewis and UMO (the Finnish 'New Music Orchestra')
- Live at Montmartre (Storyville, 1978) with Idrees Sulieman, Allan Botschinsky, Jesper Thilo, NHOP.
- Eclipse (Metronome, 1979)[7] with Tim Hagans, Sahib Shihab, Horace Parlan, Jesper Lundgaard
- Live at Slukefter (Metronome, 1980) with Tim Hagans, Sahib Shihab, Horace Parlan, Jesper Lundgaard
With the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra
- Opening Night (2000) Alan Grant Presents
- Presenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra (1966) Solid State Records
- Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra (1966) Solid State
- Live at the Village Vanguard (1967) Solid State
- The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth Brown (1968) Solid State
- Monday Night (1968) Solid State
- Central Park North (1969) Solid State
- Basle, 1969 (recorded 1969, released 1996) TCB Music
- Consummation (1970) Solid State / Blue Note
- Live in Tokyo (1974) Denon Jazz
- Potpourri (1974) Philadelphia International
- Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica (1974) Pausa
- Suite for Pops (1975) Horizon / A&M
- New Life: Dedicated to Max Gordon (1975) A&M
- Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott aka Rhoda Scott in New York with... (1976)
- Live in Munich (1976) Horizon / A&M
- It Only Happens Every Time (1977) EMI Records – with Monica Zetterlund
- Body and Soul aka Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Berlin
- A Touch of Class (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Warsaw
As sideman
With Pepper Adams
- Pepper Adams Plays the Compositions of Charlie Mingus (Workshop Jazz, 1964)
With Manny Albam
- Brass on Fire (Sold State, 1966)
With Louis Armstrong
- Louis Armstrong and His Friends (Flying Dutchman/Amsterdam, 1970)
With Count Basie
- Basie (Clef, 1954)
- Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Clef, 1955) with Joe Williams
- April in Paris (Verve, 1956)
- The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards with Joe Williams
- Metronome All-Stars 1956 (Clef, 1956) with Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams
- Hall of Fame (Verve, 1956 [1959])
- Basie in London (Verve, 1956)
- One O'Clock Jump (Verve, 1957) with Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald
- Count Basie at Newport (Verve, 1957)
- The Atomic Mr. Basie (Roulette, 1957) aka Basie and E=MC2
- Basie Plays Hefti (Roulette, 1958)
- Sing Along with Basie (Roulette, 1958) – with Joe Williams and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
- Basie One More Time (Roulette, 1959)
- Breakfast Dance and Barbecue (Roulette, 1959)
- Everyday I Have the Blues (Roulette, 1959) – with Joe Williams
- Dance Along with Basie (Roulette, 1959)
- Not Now, I'll Tell You When (Roulette, 1960)
- The Count Basie Story (Roulette, 1960)
- Kansas City Suite (Roulette, 1960)
- The Legend (Roulette, 1961)
- Back with Basie (Roulette, 1962)
- Basie in Sweden (Roulette, 1962)
- On My Way & Shoutin' Again! (Verve, 1962)
- This Time by Basie! (Reprise, 1963)
With Bob Brookmeyer
- Jazz Is a Kick (Mercury, 1960)
- Back Again (Sonet, 1978)
With Kenny Burrell
- Blues - The Common Ground (Verve, 1968)
- Ellington Is Forever (Fantasy, 1975)
- Ellington Is Forever Volume Two (Fantasy, 1975)
With Al Cohn
- Four Brass One Tenor (RCA Victor, 1955)
With Lou Donaldson
- Sassy Soul Strut (1973)
With Kenny Drew
- Lite Flite (SteepleChase, 1977)
With Curtis Fuller
- Imagination (Savoy, 1959)
With Dexter Gordon
- Ca'Purange (Prestige, 1972)
- Tangerine (Prestige, 1972)
With Herbie Hancock
- Speak Like a Child (Blue Note, 1968)
With Coleman Hawkins
- Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra (Crown, 1960)
- The Hawk Swings (Crown, 1960)
With Milt Jackson
- For Someone I Love (Riverside, 1963)
With J. J. Johnson
- J.J.! (RCA Victor, 1964)
With Osie Johnson
- Swingin' Sounds (Jazztone, 1955)
With Elvin Jones
- Elvin! (Riverside, 1961–62)
- And Then Again (Atlantic, 1965)
- Midnight Walk (Atlantic, 1966)
- Mr. Jones (Blue Note, 1973)
With Hank Jones
- Groovin' High (Muse, 1978)
With Yusef Lateef
- Yusef Lateef's Detroit (Atlantic, 1969)
With Charles Mingus
- The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1954)
With Billy Mitchell
- A Little Juicy (Smash, 1963)
With Thelonious Monk
- 5 by Monk by 5 (1959)
With James Moody
- Great Day (Argo, 1963)
With Oliver Nelson
- More Blues and the Abstract Truth (Impulse!, 1964)
- The Spirit of '67 with Pee Wee Russell (Impulse!, 1967)
With Houston Person
- Houston Express (Prestige, 1970)
With Houston Person
- Houston Express (Prestige, 1970)
With Paul Quinichette
- The Kid From Denver (Dawn, 1956)
With Shirley Scott
- For Members Only (Impulse!, 1963)
- Roll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands (Impulse!, 1966)
- Open House! (Riverside, 1963)
With Sonny Stitt
- Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones (Roost, 1955)
- Stitt Goes Latin (Roost, 1963)
- Broadway Soul (Colpix, 1965)
- Goin' Down Slow (Prestige, 1972)
With McCoy Tyner
- Today and Tomorrow (Impulse!, 1964)
With Various Artists
- Leonard Feather's West Coast Vs. East Coast Allstars -- A Battle Of Jazz (MGM, 1956)
With Ben Webster
- Soulmates (with Joe Zawinul) (Riverside, 1963)
- See You at the Fair (Impulse, 1964)
With Frank Wess
- Opus de Blues (Savoy, 1959 [1984])
- Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me (Prestige, 1963)
With Joe Williams
- At Newport '63 (RCA Victor, 1963)
With Phil Woods
- Round Trip (Verve, 1969)
As arranger
With Harry James
References
- Barnhart, Scotty (2005). The World of Jazz Trumpet: A Comprehensive History & Practical Philosophy. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 220. ISBN 978-0634095276.
- LA Times, "The Envelope" awards database. (link) Retrieved April 30, 2008.
- Smith, Chris (2014). The View From The Back Of The Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis. University of North Texas Press. p. 196-198. ISBN 978-1-57441-653-4.
- A Review of Thad Jones' Eclipse Jazztimes, Edition January/February 2005, reviewed by Harvey Siders.
- Lis Jones
- Reuters. Award-winning poet honored by peers, The Globe and Mail. August 22, 1986.
- Thad Jones Eclipse Almusic
- "Thad Jones Discography". The Living Jazz Archives, William Paterson University. Retrieved November 24, 2018.