Alphonse Mouzon
Alphonse Mouzon ( born November 21, 1948 in Charleston, South Carolina ) is a drummer, composer and producer.
Career
After finishing school in 1966 Mouzon moved to New York and began short to play Carnegie orchestra on the Broadway musical "Promises, Promises " and Ross. But his first big break came when the saxophonist Billy Harper, who played with Mouzon Lonnie Liston Smith and pianist at a wedding, Alphonse recommended for a disc recording with the composer, arranger and pianist Gil Evans.
So it came to Alphonse Mouzons recording debut, which is documented on Gil Evans album " Blues in Orbit" from 1969. This plate and the children to meet at jam sessions musicians have led to concerts with George Benson, Chubby Checker, Robin Kenyatta, Anita O'Day, Stanley Turrentine and others, some of which are documented on disk.
Mid-1969 hit Mouzon vibraphonist Roy Ayers, who brought him into his band " Ubiquity ". It was followed by a tour of the USA and Europe, amongst others, to the Montreux Jazz Festival. In addition, a disk recording was with this band.
After his time with Roy Ayers Mouzon went to soul singer and composer Eugene McDaniels. In his band was also the bassist Miroslav Vitous young Czech. The band played the album " Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse" on Atlantic Records a, a protest album against the Vietnam war and discrimination against blacks. Countless rap groups sampelten Mouzons Grooves this record.
The mid-1970s got Mouzon a call from Joe Zawinul, who asked him if he would be interested to start with Wayne Shorter and Miroslav Vitous a band. Mouzon was immediately interested. He knew the three musicians from a common project. Weather Report was born.
In early 1972 took McCoy Tyner Mouzon in his band. The first album on Milestone Records and Mouzon, "Sahara", was nominated for a Grammy. Alphonse Mouzon in 1972 was also a record deal with Blue Note Records offered. Four plates emerged on Blue Note 1972-1975 under his own name.
Larry Coryell, Alphonse Mouzon and keyboardist Mike Mandel founded in late 1973 the band The Eleventh House, bringing added the trumpeter Randy Brecker and bassist Danny Trifan.
In December 1974, Mouzon "Mind Transplant " brought out on Blue Note Records. Mouzon worked with three guitarists - Tommy Bolin, Lee Ritenour and Jay Graydon. Mouzon has appeared in May 1975 as a "special guest " at the concert of " guitar gods " Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin at the Nassau Coliseum, Long Iceland, NY, in front of tens of thousands of people.
As Mouzons contract had expired with Blue Note, he signed a contract with the German label MPS ( Music Production Black Forest). Mouzons new producer was Joachim Ernst Berendt. When the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1976 Mouzon guested with the German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff and bassist Jaco Pastorius Trio.
In 1979, Mouzon was responsible for the Poussez Disco Project! responsible as a producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist. The eponymous LP was created with various studio musicians and singers. The album was a huge success in the discos and is today regarded as a classic of the genre. Followed in 1980 with Leave That Boy Alone! another LP. Unlike the debut album Mouson was seen here on the cover.
From 1978 to 1982 worked and toured Mouzon especially with Herbie Hancock, but also with his own bands or occasionally as "featured artist". In the summer of 1980, Mouzon has performed with Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin and John Lucien at the Berklee Jazz Festival.
In 1992, Mouzon his own record label " Tenacious Records ". Published between 1992 and 2001 Mouzon on his label five new productions and re-released eight of his recorded in the 1980s, Smooth Jazz albums.
In late summer 1998, the Eleventh House Reunion Band tour went with three original members from the 1970s on tour: trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Larry Coryell and Alphonse Mouzon on drums, as well as the young bassist Richard Bona. The band toured in various formations across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Randy Brecker was replaced in late 1998 by the trumpeter Shunzo Ono and saxophonist Donald Harrison.
Mouzon was the summer of 2002 on a short tour with " Just Friends ," which toured in 1991. The band again consisted of Jasper van't Hof (keyboards and piano), Bob Malach on saxophone, Michał Urbaniak on violin and the old Weather Report colleagues Miroslav Vitous on bass. In addition Mouzon guested with his band at the Long Beach Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.
In the winter of 2003 Mouzon toured with his trio ( Ernie Watts - saxophone, Jeff Berlin - bass) through Europe in 2009 with Joey DeFrancesco and Larry Coryell.
Alphonse Mouzon also be seen as an actor in several films, including Tom Hanks movie "That thing you do" (1996 ) and Robert Davi 's " The Dukes " (2007). For both films contributed Mouzon in film music.
Published in 2008, Alphonse Mouzon, the Cd " Jazz in Bel- Air", a live recording of his quintet and in 2011 the album " Angel Face " with ao trumpeters Arturo Sandoval, Wallace Roney and Shunzo Ono, bassist Christian McBride, saxophonist Ernie Watts and Bob Mintzer and pianist Kenny Barron and Cedar Walton.
Discography ( under his own name )
- The Essence of Mystery, 1972
- The Funky Snakefoot, 1973
- Mindtransplant, 1975
- The Man Incognito 1975
- Virtue, 1976
- Back Together again, 1977
- In search of a dream, 1978
- Baby Come Back, 1979
- By All Means, 1980
- Morning Sun, 1981
- Step Into the Funk, 1982 ( later Distant Lover published)
- The Sky is the limit 1985
- Back To Jazz 1985
- Eleventh House, 1985
- Love Fantasy 1987
- Early Spring, 1988
- As you wish, 1989
- Infinity - NOW, 1990
- The Survivor, 1992
- On top of the world, 1994
- The Night is silent young 1996
- Absolute Greatest Love songs & Ballads, 1998
- Live in Hollywood, 2001
- Jazz in Bel-Air, 2008
- Angel Face, 2011
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