Biographies » Cannonball Adderley, by Scott Yanow

Cannonball Adderley, Alto Saxophonist
Born: Julian Edwin Adderley on September 15, 1928 in Tampa, FL
Died: August 8, 1975 in Gary, IN

One of the great alto saxophonists, Cannonball Adderley had an exuberant and happy sound that communicated immediately to listeners. His intelligent presentation of his music (often explaining what he and his musicians were going to play) helped make him one of the most popular of all jazzmen.

Adderley already had an established career as a high school band director in Florida when, during a 1955 visit to New York, he was persuaded to sit in with Oscar Pettiford's group at the Cafe Bohemia. His playing created such a sensation that he was soon signed to Savoy and persuaded to play jazz full-time in New York. With his younger brother, cornetist Nat, Cannonball formed a quintet that struggled until its breakup in 1957. Adderley then joined Miles Davis, forming part of his super sextet with John Coltrane and participating on such classic recordings as "Milestones" and "Kind of Blue".

Marc Johnson gained his initial reputation as a member of Bill Evans' last rhythm section and his work with Bass Desires (a group featuring both Bill Frisell and John Scofield on guitars) showed off his versatility.

Source: ~Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)

Articles» Erroll Garner, by Scott Yanow

Erroll Garner Trio - Earl's Tune (1972)  

Erroll Garner (1921-1977, Pianist/Composer)
by critic Scott Yanow

One of the most distinctive of all pianists, Erroll Garner proved that it was possible to be a sophisticated player without knowing how to read music, that a creative jazz musician can be very popular without watering down his music, and that it is possible to remain an enthusiastic player without changing one's style once it is formed.

A brilliant virtuoso who sounded unlike anyone else, on medium tempo pieces, Erroll Garner often stated the beat with his left hand like a rhythm guitar while his right played chords slightly behind the beat, creating a memorable effect. His playful free-form introductions (which forced his sidemen to really listen), his ability to play stunning runs without once glancing at the keyboard, his grunting, and the pure joy that he displayed while performing were also part of the Erroll Garner magic.

Read the full article » ~allmusic.com

Scott Yanow's official website: ~www.scottyanow.com

Biographies: Scott Yanow (jazz critic/journalist)

Scott Yanow (born: 1954)

(from his own words; taken from Scott Yanow's official website)

Jazz caught my ear from the time I was 15. I first heard Dixieland in the Danny Kaye movie The Five Pennies and on a daily radio show hosted by the late Benson Curtis. I discovered Swing when I ran across Chuck Cecil's Swinging Years on the radio.

At college, roommates thought I had a huge record collection when they saw my 25 Lps, but were dismayed to find out that it was all dixieland and swing. One day at a used record store, I ran across a $1.99 Charlie Parker LP that, among other songs, included "White Christmas." I had never heard of "Groovin’ High" or "A Night In Tunisia" but at least I had heard "White Christmas" somewhere! I played the album two or three times each day for a week. It took about five days for my ears to be opened and then I became quite anxious to learn about all eras of jazz. Within two months I was into John Coltrane's 1966 explorations with Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis' Live/Evil, quite a jump from Pete Fountain. My desire to own and hear every jazz recording is still my goal.