Britt Woodman
Encyclopedia
Britt Woodman was a jazz trombonist. He is perhaps best known for his work with Duke Ellington
and Charles Mingus
.
He knew Mingus from childhood, but first worked with Phil Moore
and Les Hite
. After service in World War II
he played with Boyd Raeburn
before joining with Lionel Hampton
in 1946. In the 1950s he would work with Ellington. As a member of Ellington's band he can be heard on The Complete Porgy and Bess
, Such Sweet Thunder
, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook
, Black, Brown, and Beige
and Indigos
.
In 1960 he moved on from Ellington to work in a pit orchestra. Later he worked with Mingus and can be heard on the 1963 album Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
. In the 1970s he led his own octet and worked with Toshiko Akiyoshi
. In 1989 he was in the personnel for the album Epitaph (Mingus)
.
Steve Turre
, among others, have cited him as an influence.
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
and Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music...
.
He knew Mingus from childhood, but first worked with Phil Moore
Phil Moore (jazz musician)
Phil Moore was an African American jazz pianist, orchestral arranger, band leader, and recording artist.-Biography:...
and Les Hite
Les Hite
Les Hite was an American jazz bandleader.Hite attended the University of Illinois and played saxophone with family members in a band in the 1920s. Following this, he played with Detroit Shannon and then the Helen Dewey Show, but when this group disbanded abruptly, Hite relocated to Los Angeles...
. After service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he played with Boyd Raeburn
Boyd Raeburn
Albert Boyd Raeburn was an American jazz bandleader and bass saxophonist.Boyd Raeburn was born in Faith, South Dakota, and became one of the greatest and least-known of jazz bandleaders during the 1940s...
before joining with Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
in 1946. In the 1950s he would work with Ellington. As a member of Ellington's band he can be heard on The Complete Porgy and Bess
The Complete Porgy and Bess
This 1956 recording based on George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess was the second "complete" recording of the opera after the 1951 version recorded several years earlier, and the first recording of the work to feature jazz singers and musicians instead of operatic singers and a classical orchestra...
, Such Sweet Thunder
Such Sweet Thunder
Such Sweet Thunder is a Duke Ellington album, released in 1957 . The record is a twelve part suite based on the work of William Shakespeare.-Track listing:#"Such Sweet Thunder" - 3:22...
, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song book is a 1957 album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Duke Ellington orchestra, focusing on Ellington's songs....
, Black, Brown, and Beige
Black, Brown, and Beige (album)
Black, Brown and Beige is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington and his orchestra, featuring Mahalia Jackson.The album is a recording of a revised version of Ellington's Black, Brown and Beige suite...
and Indigos
Indigos (album)
Ellington Indigos is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington.The stereo CD reissue released by Columbia in 1987 contains a track listing and cover art that is drastically different from the original mono LP...
.
In 1960 he moved on from Ellington to work in a pit orchestra. Later he worked with Mingus and can be heard on the 1963 album Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is a 1963 album by jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus.- Historical Context :...
. In the 1970s he led his own octet and worked with Toshiko Akiyoshi
Toshiko Akiyoshi
is a Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger and bandleader. Among a very few successful female instrumentalists of her generation in jazz, she is also recognized as a major figure in jazz composition. She has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best...
. In 1989 he was in the personnel for the album Epitaph (Mingus)
Epitaph (Mingus)
Epitaph is a composition, and a live album, by jazz musician Charles Mingus. It is over 4000 measures long, takes more than two hours to perform, and was only completely discovered during the cataloguing process after his death...
.
Steve Turre
Steve Turre
Steve Turre is a trombonist, recording artist, arranger, and educator. In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist....
, among others, have cited him as an influence.
Discography
- 1956: The Complete Porgy and BessThe Complete Porgy and BessThis 1956 recording based on George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess was the second "complete" recording of the opera after the 1951 version recorded several years earlier, and the first recording of the work to feature jazz singers and musicians instead of operatic singers and a classical orchestra...
- with Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions... - 1957: Such Sweet ThunderSuch Sweet ThunderSuch Sweet Thunder is a Duke Ellington album, released in 1957 . The record is a twelve part suite based on the work of William Shakespeare.-Track listing:#"Such Sweet Thunder" - 3:22...
- Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions... - 1957: Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington SongbookElla Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington SongbookElla Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song book is a 1957 album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Duke Ellington orchestra, focusing on Ellington's songs....
Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
and Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions... - 1957: IndigosIndigos (album)Ellington Indigos is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington.The stereo CD reissue released by Columbia in 1987 contains a track listing and cover art that is drastically different from the original mono LP...
- Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions... - 1958: Black, Brown, and BeigeBlack, Brown, and Beige (album)Black, Brown and Beige is a 1958 jazz album by Duke Ellington and his orchestra, featuring Mahalia Jackson.The album is a recording of a revised version of Ellington's Black, Brown and Beige suite...
- Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions... - 1961: Smooth as the WindSmooth as the WindSmooth as the Wind is an album by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell with strings and brass recorded in late 1960 and early 1961 and released on the Riverside label.-Reception:...
- Blue MitchellBlue MitchellRichard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:... - 1962: The Magic TouchThe Magic TouchThe Magic Touch can refer to an R&B female vocal group from Long Island, which featured Pat Carty as lead vocalist [Diane Tyler would later take over as lead], Marsha Bivens and LaRonda Williams, that recorded the hit single Step Into My World on the Black Falcon label in April 1971, or a 1962...
- Tadd DameronTadd DameronTadley Ewing Peake "Tadd" Dameron was an American jazz composer, arranger and pianist. Saxophonist Dexter Gordon called Dameron the "romanticist" of the bop movement, while reviewer Scott Yanow writes that Dameron was the "definitive arranger/composer of the bop era".-Biography:Born in Cleveland,... - 1963: Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MingusMingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MingusMingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is a 1963 album by jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus.- Historical Context :...
- Charles MingusCharles MingusCharles Mingus Jr. was an American jazz musician, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist.Mingus's compositions retained the hot and soulful feel of hard bop and drew heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of Third stream, free jazz, and classical music... - 1966: HappeningsHappenings (Hank Jones & Oliver Nelson album)Happenings is an album by American jazz pianist Hank Jones and composer/arranger Oliver Nelson featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
- Hank JonesHank JonesHenry "Hank" Jones was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored him with the NEA Jazz Masters Award...
and Iliver Nelson - 1979: Passion Flower: Zoot Sims Plays Duke Ellington - Zoot SimsZoot SimsJohn Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano.-Biography:He was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. Growing up in a performing family, Sims learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age...
with the Benny CarterBenny CarterBennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
Orchestra, Al AaronsAl AaronsAlbert "Al" Aarons is a jazz trumpeter.Aarons was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit. He began to gain attention as a trumpet player in 1956, and started working with jazz artist Yusef Lateef and pianist Barry Harris in the later part of that...
, Oscar BrashearOscar BrashearOscar Brashear is an American jazz trumpeter and session musician.After studying at DuSable High School he worked briefly with Woody Herman before going on to join Count Basie '68-9, returning to freelance in Chicago with Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon and James Moody...
, Bobby BryantBobby Bryant (musician)Bobby Bryant was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist.Bryant also played saxophone in his youth. He moved to Chicago in 1952, where he studied at the Cosmopolitan School of Music until 1957. Remaining in the city until 1960, he played with Red Saunders, Billy Williams, and other ensembles...
, Earl GardnerEarl Gardner (musician)Earl Wesley Gardner, Jr. is an American jazz trumpeter. He is probably best known for his stint in the house band on Saturday Night Live, a chair he has held since 1985.In 1976, he joined The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra....
, J.J. JohnsonJ.J. JohnsonJ. J. Johnson was a United States jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. He was sometimes credited as Jay Jay Johnson....
, Grover MitchellGrover MitchellGrover Curry Mitchell was a jazz trombonist and bandleader. He was born in Alabama, but his parents moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was eight...
, Benny PowellBenny PowellBenny Powell was an African American jazz trombonist. He played both standard trombone and bass trombone....
, Britt Woodman, Marshall RoyalMarshall RoyalMarshall Royal was an American clarinettist and alto saxophonist best known for his work with Count Basie, with whose band he played for nearly twenty years....
, Frank WessFrank WessFrank Wess is an American jazz musician, who has played saxophone and flute.-Biography:...
, Buddy ColletteBuddy ColletteWilliam Marcel "Buddy" Collette was an American tenor saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist. He was highly influential in the West coast jazz and West Coast blues mediums, also collaborating with saxophonist Dexter Gordon, drummer Chico Hamilton, and his lifelong friend, bassist Charles...
, Plas JohnsonPlas JohnsonPlas John Johnson Jr. is an American soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, probably most familiar as the lead on Henry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme"....
, Jimmy RowlesJimmy RowlesJimmy Rowles was an American jazz pianist who was best known as an accompanist. He also released a number of albums under his own name, and explored various idioms including swing and cool jazz. - Biography :Born in Spokane, Washington, Rowles studied at Gonzaga College in Spokane, Washington...
, John CollinsJohn Collins (jazz guitarist)John Elbert Collins was a jazz guitarist who accompanied many swing era names from 1935–1950, including Art Tatum, Roy Eldridge, Billie Holiday and Lester Young. His longest association was with Nat "King" Cole, 1951-1965. Known for his rhythm work, he soloed infrequently...
, Andy SimpkinsAndy SimpkinsAndy Simpkins was an American jazz bassist.Born Andrew Simpkins in Richmond, Indiana, he first became known as a member of the group The Three Sounds, with which he performed from 1956 to 1968. After that, until 1974, he was a member of pianist George Shearing's group, and from 1979 to 1989 toured...
, Grady TateGrady TateGrady Tate, , is a hard bop and soul-jazz drummer and singer.He has played with Lional Hampton, Jimmy Smith, Grant Green, Lena Horne, Astrud Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie, Chris Connor, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Cal Tjader, Peggy Lee, Bill Evans, Duke Ellington, Count...
, Benny Carter (arr, cond) Hollywood, CA, August 14, 1979
- 1989: Epitaph (Mingus)Epitaph (Mingus)Epitaph is a composition, and a live album, by jazz musician Charles Mingus. It is over 4000 measures long, takes more than two hours to perform, and was only completely discovered during the cataloguing process after his death...
External links
- [ All Music]