David "Fathead" Newman

David " Fathead " Newman ( born February 24, 1933, Corsicana, Texas; † January 20, 2009 in Kingston, New York ) was an American tenor saxophonist in jazz and blues field. The suffix " Fathead " he had allegedly because he easily appropriated many pieces of music and mastered by heart.

Life and work

First, Newman played after high school in Dallas, then in the group of alto saxophonist Buster Smith ( Charlie Parker as before ) and then joined Red Connors on. Since 1952 he was in rhythm and blues bands, such as T -Bone Walker and Lowell Fulson at, active; From 1954 he was engaged for a decade at Fulsons former pianist Ray Charles. When Charles began as a baritone saxophonist; later he worked as a tenor soloist of the most widely used in the band. Since the 1950s, Newman was also a studio musician, especially for Atlantic Records, often work when a hard, driving tenor saxophone was required; he played for Aretha Franklin, BB King, the Average White Band, Eric Clapton, Natalie Cole, Aaron Neville and Dr. John as well as in the 1960s for King Curtis and Herbie Mann in the 1970s.

Newman led his own bands over and over again and put plates since 1959 's of his own, some with his saxophone colleague Hank Crawford. He was invited to recordings but also by Stanley Turrentine, Red Garland, Jimmy McGriff, Blue Mitchell (1970), Roy Ayers (1971) or Junior Mance (1983). For his work with Dr. John and Art Blakey in 1990 he was nominated for a Grammy.

Newman died on 20 January 2009 from the effects of a pancreatic tumor, in which he suffered since 2008.

Discography (selection)

  • House of David ( Rhino 1952-1989 )
  • Lone Star Legend ( 1981)
  • Still Hard Times ( Muse, 1982; Hank Crawford, Larry Willis, Walter Booker, Jimmy Cobb)
  • Heads Up (1987 )
  • Bluesiana Triangle (1990 )
  • Blue Greens and Beans (1990 )
  • Blue Head (1990 )
  • Bigger And Better (1993 )
  • Mr. Gentle, Mr. Cool ( Kokopelli, 1994 with Jim Pugh, Ron Carter, Lewis Nash )
  • Under a Woodstock Moon (1996 )
  • It's Mr. Fathead (1998)
  • Chillin ' (1999)
  • Captain Buckles (2000)
  • Davey Blue ( 2001)
  • The Gift (2003)
  • I Remember Brother Ray (2005)
  • Cityscape (2006)
T-Bone Walker Village Vanguard John Hicks (jazz pianist) Curtis Fuller The Washington Post Integrated Authority File
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