George Coleman

George Coleman ( born March 8, 1935 in Memphis ( Tennessee)) is an American tenor saxophonist.

Life and work

George Coleman began his career as a jazz musician in the 50s as a companion of blues legend BB King. With Booker Little, he then went to Chicago, he worked in New York with Lee Morgan and Jimmy Smith. In 1958 he became a member of the group of Max Roach and Kenny Dorham, 1959-61 of the Slide Hampton Octet; In 1961 he appeared at the last recordings Booker Little's before his untimely death ( Booker Little and Friend ). In 1962, he briefly played with Wild Bill Davis. These were followed by joint performances and recordings with Johnny Griffin, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Chet Baker and Ahmad Jamal. On the side of Miles Davis (Seven Steps to Heaven, Miles Davis in Europe in 1963, My Funny Valentine, 1964) and Herbie Hancock ( Maiden Voyage, 1965), he contributed to the development of legendary jazz albums in. In 1964 he played with Lionel Hampton, in the next ten years he worked as a freelance musician with Lee Morgan, Elvin Jones, Shirley Scott, and Cedar Walton. In 1975 he formed with Walton, Sam Jones and Billy Higgins, the lineup Eastern Rebellion. In the 1980s and 90s he worked as a band leader with Higgins, Harold Mabern, Jamil Nasser, Idris Muhammad and Ray Drummond. In 1996 he made his album Danger High Voltage, including with Gary Smulyan, Jim Rotondi and Ned Otter in octet occupation. In 2012, he works with his organ Quintet, playing in the inter alia, Mike LeDonne and Russell Malone.

A wide recognition for its distinctive, lyrical, forceful style has been denied him until today.

His wife was the organist Gloria Coleman († 2010); their son, George Coleman Jr., is active in the New York jazz scene as a drummer.

Discography (excerpt)

Albums under his own name

  • Playing Changes ( Ronnie Scott 's Jazz House, 1979)
  • Manhattan Panorama ( Evidence, 1989) with Harold Mabern, Jamil Nasser, Idris Muhammad
  • My Horns of Plenty ( Verve, 1991) with Mabern, Ray Drummond, Billy Higgins
  • Blues Inside Out ( Ronnie Scott 's Jazz House, 1997)
  • I Could Write a Book: The Music of Richard Rodgers ( Telarc, 1998) with Mabern, Nasser, Billy Higgins
  • Danger High Voltage ( Two & Four Recordings, 2000) with Gary Smulyan, Mabern, Ray Drummond, George Coleman Jr.
  • Dynamic Duo with Tete Montoliu, ( Timeless 2002)
  • Four Generations of Miles ( Chesky, 2002) with Mike Stern, Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb

Important albums as a sideman

  • My Funny Valentine ( Miles Davis, 1964)
  • Maiden Voyage ( Herbie Hancock, 1965)
367138
de