Jan 21, 2025 7:54 PM
Southern California Fires Hit the Jazz Community
Roy McCurdy and his wife had just finished eating dinner and were relaxing over coffee in their Altadena home, when he…
David “Fathead” Newman, who invented the image of a rough, bluesy Texas tenor player in jazz, died Jan. 20 near his home in Upstate New York following a long battle with cancer. He was 75.
Newman was born in Dallas on Feb. 24, 1933. In his teens he backed saxophonist Red Connors alongside Ornette Coleman. Shortly afterwards he worked in Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker’s barnstorming r&b bands. When Walker’s pianist, Ray Charles, left the group, he hired Newman on baritone in 1954. Newman returned to tenor and backed Brother Ray for the next 10 years—creading driving solos on the band’s classic Atlantic recordings. Other r&b stars in the Atlantic roster (notably Aretha Franklin and Dr. John) also relied on Newman’s hearty tone. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, Newman also worked with King Curtis, Herbie Mann and Blue Mitchell. His own Atlantic albums at this time were often comprised of straightforward versions of pop hits. Throughout the years, Newman also played in crowd-pleasing duos with Hank Crawford and Stanley Turrentine. One of Newman’s best traditional jazz performances was his understated role on Junior Mance’s Truckin’ And Trackin’ session in 1983 (Bee Hive). Other dimensions to his work include his sensitive interpretations of Ellington on Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool (Kokopelli).
Recommended recordings: House Of David (Rhino); Still Hard Times (Muse). —Aaron Cohen
Gerald and John Clayton at the family home in Altadena during a photo shoot for the June 2022 cover of DownBeat. The house was lost during the Los Angeles fires.
Jan 21, 2025 7:54 PM
Roy McCurdy and his wife had just finished eating dinner and were relaxing over coffee in their Altadena home, when he…
“She said, ‘A lot of people are going to try and stop you,’” Sheryl Bailey recalls of the advice she received from jazz guitarist Emily Remler (1957–’90). “‘They’re going to say you slept with somebody, you’re a dyke, you’re this and that and the other. Don’t listen to them, and just keep playing.’”
Feb 3, 2025 10:49 PM
In the April 1982 issue of People magazine, under the heading “Lookout: A Guide To The Up and Coming,” jazz…
The Old Country: More From The Deer Head Inn arrives 30 years after ECM issued the Keith Jarret Trio live album At The Deer Head Inn.
Jan 21, 2025 7:38 PM
Last November, Keith Jarrett, who has not played publicly since suffering two strokes in 2018, greenlighted ECM to drop…
As Ted Nash, left, departs the alto saxophone chair for LCJO, Alexa Tarantino steps in as the band’s first female full-time member.
Mar 4, 2025 1:29 PM
If only because openings for JLCO’s 15 permanent positions appear about as frequently as sub-freezing days on the…
Larry Appelbaum with Wayne Shorter in 2012.
Feb 25, 2025 10:49 AM
Larry Appelbaum, a distinguished audio engineer, jazz journalist, historian and broadcaster, died Feb. 21, 2025, in…
