Charles McPherson (musician)
Encyclopedia
Charles McPherson is an American
jazz
alto saxophonist
born in Joplin, Missouri
and raised in Detroit, Michigan
, most notable for his work from 1960-1972 with Charles Mingus
.
McPherson also was commissioned to help record ensemble renditions of pieces from Charlie Parker
on the 1988 soundtrack for the film Bird.
With Clint Eastwood
With Charles Mingus
With Charles Tolliver
With Toshiko Akiyoshi
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
alto saxophonist
Alto saxophone
The 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...
born in Joplin, Missouri
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
and raised in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, most notable for his work from 1960-1972 with 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...
.
McPherson also was commissioned to help record ensemble renditions of pieces from Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
on the 1988 soundtrack for the film Bird.
As leader
- Manhattan Nocturne (Arabesque RecordsArabesque RecordsArabesque Records is an American classical and jazz record label.Arabesque began as a classical music subsidiary of the Caedmon company. In 1988, Marvin Reiss and Ward Botsford bought the company, turning it into an independent, and continued releasing classical until 1992, when it switched focuses...
) - Come Play With Me (Arabesque Records)
- First Flight Out (Arabesque Records)
- Illusions In Blue (Chazz Jazz)
- The Prophet (Discovery RecordsDiscovery RecordsDiscovery Records was a United States-based record label known for its recordings of jazz music.Discovery was founded in 1948 by jazz fan and promoter Albert Marx...
) - Follow the Bouncing Ball (Musicraft RecordsMusicraft RecordsMusicraft Records was a United States based record label active in the 1930s and 1940s.Musicraft's catalog encompassed many different musical styles, including classical, folk, jazz, Latin, popular vocal, and calypso....
) - Charles McPherson (Mainstream RecordsMainstream RecordsMainstream Records was an American record label, which released jazz, rock music, and soundtracks during the 1970s.It was founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, and in its early history reissued material from Commodore Records and Time Records in addition to some new jazz material...
) - Bebop Revisited! (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - Con Alma! (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - Live In Tokyo (Xanadu RecordsXanadu RecordsXanadu Records was a jazz music record label specializing in bebop throughout the 1970s and 1980s founded by Don Schlitten, recording and issuing recordings by some legendary names in jazz music.-Discography:...
) - New Horizons (Xanadu RecordsXanadu RecordsXanadu Records was a jazz music record label specializing in bebop throughout the 1970s and 1980s founded by Don Schlitten, recording and issuing recordings by some legendary names in jazz music.-Discography:...
) - Free Bop (Xanadu RecordsXanadu RecordsXanadu Records was a jazz music record label specializing in bebop throughout the 1970s and 1980s founded by Don Schlitten, recording and issuing recordings by some legendary names in jazz music.-Discography:...
) - Mcpherson's Mood (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - Siku Ya Bibi (Mainstream RecordsMainstream RecordsMainstream Records was an American record label, which released jazz, rock music, and soundtracks during the 1970s.It was founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, and in its early history reissued material from Commodore Records and Time Records in addition to some new jazz material...
) - The Quintet Live! (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - 1973: Today's Man (Mainstream RecordsMainstream RecordsMainstream Records was an American record label, which released jazz, rock music, and soundtracks during the 1970s.It was founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, and in its early history reissued material from Commodore Records and Time Records in addition to some new jazz material...
) - with Barry HarrisBarry HarrisBarry Doyle Harris is an American bebop jazz pianist and educator.-Biography:Harris left Detroit for New York City in 1960...
, Lawrence Evans, Billy HigginsBilly HigginsBilly Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, beginning in 1958...
, Richard WilliamsRichard Williams (musician)Richard Gene Williams was an American jazz trumpeter.Williams was born in Galveston, Texas, and played tenor saxophone early in his life before picking up trumpet as a teenager. He played in local Texas bands and attended Wiley College, where he majored in music...
, Cecil BridgewaterCecil Bridgewater-Biography:Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, and in the 1970s he was married to Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 1970 he played with Horace Silver, and following this with Thad Jones and Mel...
, Frank WessFrank WessFrank Wess is an American jazz musician, who has played saxophone and flute.-Biography:...
, Julius WatkinsJulius WatkinsJulius Watkins was an American jazz musician, and one of the first jazz French horn players. He won the Down Beat critics poll in 1960 and 1961 for "miscellaneous instrument" with French horn named as the instrument....
, Chris WoodsChris Woods (musician)Chris Woods was an American jazz alto saxophonist.Woods played locally in Memphis early in his career before moving to St. Louis to play with the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra and trumpeter George Hudson. He then joined Tommy Dean's combo, recording with them for Town and Country, Miracle, and States...
, Garnett BrownGarnett BrownGarnett Brown is a jazz trombonist who has worked with The Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Hampton, and others.He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and later studied film scoring and electronic music at UCLA In 1974 he won the Down Beat Reader's poll for trombonist, and... - From This Moment On! (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - Horizons (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - Live At The Cellar (Cellar Jazz)
- Live At The Five Spot (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
)
As sideman
With Kenny DrewKenny Drew
Kenneth Sidney "Kenny" Drew was an American jazz pianist.-Biography:Born in New York City, New York, he first recorded with Howard McGhee in 1949, and over the next two years recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Coleman Hawkins, Milt Jackson, Charlie Parker, Buddy Rich, and Dinah Washington...
- For Sure!For Sure!For Sure! is a jazz album by pianist Kenny Drew, recorded in 1978 for Xanadu Records.-Track listing:#"For Sure" #"Mariette" #"Arrival" #"Blues Wail" #"Dark Beauty" #"Context"- Personnel :* Kenny Drew - piano...
(Xanadu RecordsXanadu RecordsXanadu Records was a jazz music record label specializing in bebop throughout the 1970s and 1980s founded by Don Schlitten, recording and issuing recordings by some legendary names in jazz music.-Discography:...
)
With Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
- Eastwood After HoursEastwood After HoursEastwood After Hours is a two disc set taken from an October 1996 concert at Carnegie Hall to honor Clint Eastwood for all of the work he has done on behalf of the world of jazz.-Disc One:# "Misty" – 4:08# "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – 5:00...
With 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...
- Let My Children Hear MusicLet My Children Hear MusicLet My Children Hear Music is a 1972 jazz album by Charles Mingus. In the original liner notes, Mingus described it as "the best album I have ever made".-Track listing:All tracks composed by Charles Mingus....
(Columbia, 1971) - Charles Mingus and Friends in ConcertCharles Mingus and Friends in ConcertCharles Mingus and Friends in Concert is a live album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus recorded at the Philharmonic hall of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1972 and released on the Columbia label...
(Columbia, 1972) - Mingus at Carnegie HallMingus at Carnegie Hall-Track listing:# "C Jam Blues" - 24:32# "Perdido" - 21:53*Recorded on January 19, 1974 at Carnegie Hall, New York City-Personnel:*Charles Mingus - bass*Jon Faddis - trumpet*Charles McPherson - alto saxophone...
(Atlantic, 1974)
With Charles Tolliver
Charles Tolliver
Charles Tolliver is an American jazz trumpeter and composer. Tolliver was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where, as a child, he received his first trumpet as a gift from his grandmother. He attended Howard University in the early 1960s as a pharmacy student, when he decided to pursue music as a...
- Impact (Strata-East, 1973)
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...
- Just Be BopJust Be BopJust Be Bop is a jazz album recorded by pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi around 1980 and released in Japan on the Discomate record label.-Track listing:#"Kelo" – 5:02#"But Beautiful" – 5:15#"Serpent's Tooth" – 5:25...
(1980)