Buckshot LeFonque
Encyclopedia
Buckshot LeFonque was a musical group project of Branford Marsalis
. The name Buckshot LeFonque was a pseudonym used by jazz saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley
for contractual reasons on the album Here Comes Louis Smith
(1958). After playing with Sting, Miles Davis
and other artists, Marsalis founded this band to create a new sound by merging classical jazz
with rock
, pop
, R&B
and hip-hop influences.
(1994) (which featured mostly DJ Premier
produced tracks) and the follow-up Music Evolution (1997) (which featured mostly Frank McComb
on the vocals). Other frequent collaborators were Branford Marsalis' brother, Delfeayo Marsalis, and the rapper
, Uptown.
Live band members included:
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
. The name Buckshot LeFonque was a pseudonym used by jazz saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley
Julian Cannonball Adderley
Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley was a jazz alto saxophonist of the hard-bop era of the 1950s and 1960s....
for contractual reasons on the album Here Comes Louis Smith
Here Comes Louis Smith
Here Comes Louis Smith is the debut album by American trumpeter Louis Smith recorded in 1958 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1958). After playing with Sting, Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
and other artists, Marsalis founded this band to create a new sound by merging classical jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
with rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and hip-hop influences.
Career
Two albums were released, Buckshot LeFonqueBuckshot LeFonque (album)
Buckshot LeFonque is the self-titled debut album from the loose collective of musicians that was the brainchild of jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The album can partly be seen as a collaboration between Marsalis and hip-hop producer DJ Premier, early on in its creation the plan was for Premier...
(1994) (which featured mostly DJ Premier
DJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
produced tracks) and the follow-up Music Evolution (1997) (which featured mostly Frank McComb
Frank McComb
Frank McComb is a soul singer and keyboardist. Often compared to Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder, McComb has collaborated with many renowned recording artists including Prince, Chaka Khan, Teddy Pendergrass, Gerald Levert, and Teena Marie.- Early career :Frank McComb began his career in February...
on the vocals). Other frequent collaborators were Branford Marsalis' brother, Delfeayo Marsalis, and the rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
, Uptown.
Live band members included:
- Branford MarsalisBranford MarsalisBranford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
- MC as well as tenorTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, altoAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
and soprano saxophoneSoprano saxophoneThe soprano saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument, invented in 1840. The soprano is the third smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists of the soprillo, sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, contrabass and tubax.A transposing instrument pitched in... - Frank McCombFrank McCombFrank McComb is a soul singer and keyboardist. Often compared to Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder, McComb has collaborated with many renowned recording artists including Prince, Chaka Khan, Teddy Pendergrass, Gerald Levert, and Teena Marie.- Early career :Frank McComb began his career in February...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and vocals - 50 Styles:The Unknown Soldier, Ricky Dacosta - rapper
- Joey CalderazzoJoey CalderazzoJoey Calderazzo is a jazz pianist.Inspired by a friend who lived next door, Calderazzo began his piano studies at age seven. He progressed rapidly in a house where other family members were also playing drums and singing, and at 14 became the youngest member of brother Gene Calderazzo's rock band...
- keyboards / first tour - Kermith Campbell - keyboards / until McComb was available
- Russell GunnRussell GunnRussell Gunn is an American contemporary Neo-bop jazz musician, known primarily for his trumpet playing and Grammy nominated recording, Ethnomusicology vol. 1....
- trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air... - John Touchy - Trombone - first tour
- Carl Burnett - acousticAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
and electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Reggie Washington - upright and electric bass / first half of first tour
- Reginald Veal - upright and electric bass / second half of first tour
- Eric RevisEric RevisEric Revis is a jazz bassist and composer. Revis came to prominence as a jazz bassist with the legendary Betty Carter in the mid-1990s and since 1997 has been a solid member of Branford Marsalis's ensemble...
- upright and electric bass / second tour - DJ Apollo - turntables "Wheels O Steel"
- DJ PremierDJ PremierChristopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
- turntables, beats, drum programming, production - Rocky Bryant - drums and percussion, beat sample triggering
- Mino CineluMino CineluMino Cinelu is a French musician. He plays multiple instruments. He is a composer, programmer and producer; and is most often associated primarily for his work as a jazz percussionist.-Biography:Cinelu was born in Saint-Cloud, Hauts-de-Seine...
- percussion / first tour - Black Heart the group - rappers / first tour
Albums
- Buckshot LeFonqueBuckshot LeFonque (album)Buckshot LeFonque is the self-titled debut album from the loose collective of musicians that was the brainchild of jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The album can partly be seen as a collaboration between Marsalis and hip-hop producer DJ Premier, early on in its creation the plan was for Premier...
(1994) - Music Evolution (1997)
Singles
- "Breakfast @ Denny's" (1994)
- "Some Cow Fonque" (1994)
- "No Pain, No Gain" (1995)
- "Another Day" (1997)
- "Music Evolution" (1997)
Soundtracks
- "Jazz Thing" with Gang StarrGang StarrGang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
from Mo' Better BluesMo' Better BluesMo' Better Blues is a 1990 drama film starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee, who also directed. It follows a period in the life of a fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam as a series of bad decisions result in his jeopardizing both his relationships and his playing career...
(1990) - "Reality Check" from Clockers (1995)
- "Some Cow Fonque (More Tea, Vicar?)" from Men in BlackMen in Black: The Album-Sample Credits:*"Men in Black" featuress a sample from "Forget Me Nots" by Patrice Rushen written by Patrice Rushen, Terry McFadden and Fred Washington...
(1997)