 | Knowledge |
|
| |  | Cannonball |
Gnibo created an article from about 3753 text blocks
Within a few days word aboutCannonball had spread around town. On the recommendation ofQuincy Jones and Clark Terry, Bob Shad of EmArcy took theunprecedented step of signing Cannonball to an exclusive contractwithout ever having heard him play (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
At the second date, held July 29,the same personnel was used except that J. J. Johnson replacedCleveland. The tunes cut were Cannonball , written by Julian;Nat's Everglades; and You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To. (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
Cannonball 's favorite alto men areCharlie Parker and Benny Carter. That the peerless Benny made animpression on him that is still reflected in his work can beheard by close study of the several slow tempo numbers in thisset. (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
It would be hard to select any oneitem as a complete demonstration of Cannonball 's talent, but mypersonal choice would be the number that bears his name as itstitle-on which, by the way, Nat also delivers what is probablyhis most impressive solo in the entire set. (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
I believe that in the course oflistening to these ten performances you will derive a clearpicture of the magnitude and flexibility of Cannonball 's talent.On a casual first hearing, particularly if you happen to listento one of the faster tunes, you may get the impression that hesounds like Charlie Parker. Up to a point you would be right; butif you were to claim that a new ball player hit the way JackieRobinson used to, or that a new speaker you heard at a banquetreminded you of the way F.D.R. spoke English, would anyderogation, any implication of lack of originality be implied? Isthere any better way of doing any job than the best way?Cannonball sounds like Parker only to the same extent that anytwo other artists in any other field might similarly be compared.Like F.D.R. and the speaker at the banquet, you could say thatParker and Cannonball both spoke the same language (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
Before we go any further it mightbe as well to explain that Cannonball 's nickname has no bearing,except perhaps a coincidental one, on the dynamic manner in whichhe projects his musical thoughts through his alto saxophone. Thename derived originally from cannibal, an honorifictitle imposed on him by high school colleagues as a tribute tohis vast eating capacity. (When you see Cannonball you willobserve that his appetite clearly has not diminished). (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
In the summer of 1955 Cannonball came to New York . On the night after his arrival he and Natvisited the Café Bohemia in Greenwich Village, where OscarPettiford was leading a small group in which the tenor player wasJerome Richardson, whom you will hear on these sides withCannonball. Richardson happened to show-up late that night , soPettiford, who knew little about Cannonball and was not tooanxious to take a chance , grudgingly allowed him to sit in.Pettiford whipped the band into I'll Remember April at aracehorse pace, fully expecting to chase an embarrassedCannonball off the bandstand. Cannon-ball, of course, sailedthrough a long solo with an equanimity that astonished everybody.As you might expect, he remained on the stand as a welcome guestfor the rest of the night (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
The performances on these sides,for which Quincy wrote the arrangements, took place at threesessions held in New York City. At the first date, on July 21,1955, the personnel included Cannonball on alto, his brother NatAdderley on trumpet, Jerome Richardson on tenor, Cecil Payne onbaritone, Jimmy Cleveland on trombone, John Williams on piano,Kenny Clarke on drums and Paul Chambers on bass. At this sessionthe numbers recorded were The Song is You, Cynthia's in Love,Hurricane Connie, and an old pop song called Purple Shades (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
With occasional notable exceptionssuch as the late Fats Navarro, Florida has not made a largecontribution to jazz history. This gap in our culture may be saidto have been filled substantially by the arrival of Cannonball ;and after hearing these sides there can't be much doubt inanybody's mind that he has indeed arrived. I wonder whether thoseyoung students at Dillard High know just how lucky they are. (www.cannonball-....om/288.htm)
|
Home | About | Add URL
Copyright (c) 2000-2009 Gnibo.com, All rights reserved
|
