George Tucker (musician)
Encyclopedia
George Andrew Tucker was an American jazz
double-bassist.
Tucker attended the New York Conservatory of Modern Music, studying bass in the late 1940s. Early in his career he played with Earl Bostic
, John Coltrane
, and Jackie McLean
. He worked in the house band
s of several lauded New York jazz venues, such as the Continental Lounge, The Playhouse, and Minton's; he played with Eric Dolphy
, Clifford Jordan
, Horace Parlan
, Booker Ervin
, Jerome Richardson
, and Junior Mance
during this time. In 1958, he recorded with Melba Liston
on her jazz classic, "Melba and Her 'Bones". In 1960-61 he recorded with Stanley Turrentine
, Parlan, Ervin, Dexter Gordon
, and Shirley Scott
, and in 1962-63 he toured with the trio of Dave Lambert
, John Hendricks
and Yolande Bavan
. Near the end of his life he recorded with Coleman Hawkins
and Jaki Byard
.
With Booker Ervin
With Curtis Fuller
With Dexter Gordon
With Bennie Green
With Clifford Jordan
With Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan
With Horace Parlan
With Freddie Redd
With Stanley Turrentine
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...
double-bassist.
Tucker attended the New York Conservatory of Modern Music, studying bass in the late 1940s. Early in his career he played with Earl Bostic
Earl Bostic
Earl Bostic was an American jazz and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist, and a pioneer of the post-war American Rhythm and Blues style. He had a number of popular hits such as "Flamingo", "Harlem Nocturne", "Temptation", "Sleep", "Special Delivery Stomp", and "Where or When", which showed off his...
, John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
, and Jackie McLean
Jackie McLean
John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra...
. He worked in the house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
s of several lauded New York jazz venues, such as the Continental Lounge, The Playhouse, and Minton's; he played with Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
Eric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist, and bass clarinetist. On a few occasions he also played the clarinet and baritone saxophone. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s...
, Clifford Jordan
Clifford Jordan
Clifford Laconia Jordan was a jazz saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after which he recorded three albums for Blue Note. He also recorded with Horace Silver, J.J. Johnson, Kenny...
, Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan is an American hard bop and post-bop piano player.He is noted for his contributions to the classic Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots....
, Booker Ervin
Booker Ervin
Booker Telleferro Ervin II was an American tenor saxophone player. He was perhaps best known for his association with bassist Charles Mingus....
, Jerome Richardson
Jerome Richardson
Jerome Richardson was an American jazz musician, tenor saxophonist, and flute player, who also played alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet and piccolo...
, and Junior Mance
Junior Mance
Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. is an American jazz pianist and composer.-Biography:...
during this time. In 1958, he recorded with Melba Liston
Melba Liston
Melba Doretta Liston was an American jazz musician . Her collaborations with pianist/composer Randy Weston, beginning in the early 1960s, are widely acknowledged as jazz classics.-Life and career:Liston was born in Kansas City, Missouri...
on her jazz classic, "Melba and Her 'Bones". In 1960-61 he recorded with Stanley Turrentine
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
, Parlan, Ervin, Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
, and Shirley Scott
Shirley Scott
Shirley Scott was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist. She was most known for working with her husband, Stanley Turrentine, and with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis...
, and in 1962-63 he toured with the trio of Dave Lambert
Dave Lambert
David Alden Lambert , was an American jazz lyricist, singer, and an originator of vocalese. He was best known as a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Lambert spent a lifetime experimenting with the human voice, and expanding the possibilities of its use within jazz.Lambert's band debut...
, John Hendricks
John Hendricks
John Hendricks is the founder and chairman of Discovery Communications, a broadcasting and film production company which owns the Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet cable tv networks, among other ventures.-Early life:...
and Yolande Bavan
Yolande Bavan
Yolande Bavan is a singer and actress. Born in Ceylon , she toured Australia and Asia as a performer with Graeme Bell's band early in her career. She is best known for replacing Annie Ross in the legendary vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross after Ross was forced to leave the group due to poor...
. Near the end of his life he recorded with Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was one of the first prominent jazz musicians on his instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
and Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard
Jaki Byard was an American jazz pianist and composer who also played trumpet and saxophone, among several other instruments. He was noteworthy for his eclectic style, incorporating everything from ragtime and stride to free jazz...
.
As Sideman
With Lou DonaldsonLou Donaldson
Lou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.His first recordings were...
- Midnight SunMidnight Sun (Lou Donaldson album)Midnight Sun is an album by jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson recorded for the Blue Note label in 1960 and performed by Donaldson with Horace Parlan, George Tucker, Al Harewood, and Ray Barretto....
(Blue Note, 1960)
With Booker Ervin
Booker Ervin
Booker Telleferro Ervin II was an American tenor saxophone player. He was perhaps best known for his association with bassist Charles Mingus....
- The Book CooksThe Book CooksThe Book Cooks is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Booker Ervin featuring performances recorded in 1960 for the Bethlehem label.-Reception:...
(Bethlehem, 1960)
With Curtis Fuller
Curtis Fuller
Curtis DuBois Fuller is an American jazz trombonist, known as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and contributor to many classic jazz recordings.-Biography:...
- Curtis Fuller Volume 3Curtis Fuller Volume 3Curtis Fuller Volume 3 is an album by American trombonist Curtis Fuller recorded in 1957 and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 1583.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1957) - Two BonesTwo BonesTwo Bones is an album by American trombonist Curtis Fuller recorded in 1958 but not released until the Japanese King Records label issued it in 1979 under license. The session was finally released in the U.S...
(Blue Note, 1958)
With Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
- Doin' AllrightDoin' AllrightDoin' Allright is an album by American jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4 stars and stating "The title of this Blue Note set, Doin' Allright, fit perfectly at the time, for tenor...
(Blue Note, 1961)
With Bennie Green
Bennie Green
Bennie Green was an American jazz trombonist.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and 1960s.-As leader:...
- Back on the SceneBack on the SceneBack on the Scene is an album by American trombonist Bennie Green recorded in 1958 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 3 stars and stated "It's evident from the opening pair of Latin-flavored performances that Back on the...
(Blue Note, 1958) - Walkin' & Talkin'Walkin' & Talkin'Walkin' & Talkin' is an album by American trombonist Bennie Green recorded in 1959 and released on the Blue Note label. It was issued on CD only in Japan, in 2004.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1959)
With Clifford Jordan
Clifford Jordan
Clifford Laconia Jordan was a jazz saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after which he recorded three albums for Blue Note. He also recorded with Horace Silver, J.J. Johnson, Kenny...
- Cliff CraftCliff CraftCliff Craft is an album by American jazz saxophonist Cliff Jordan featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1957)
With Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan
- Havin' a Ball at the Village GateHavin' a Ball at the Village GateHavin' a Ball at the Village Gate is an album by Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan, the re-formed vocal group featuring Dave Lambert and Jon Hendricks with Yolande Bavan after Annie Ross left the group in 1962...
(RCA, 1963)
With Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan
Horace Parlan is an American hard bop and post-bop piano player.He is noted for his contributions to the classic Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots....
- Us ThreeUs ThreeUs Three is the second album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded and released on the Blue Note label in 1960.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1960) - Speakin' My PieceSpeakin' My PieceSpeakin' My Piece is the third album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded and released on the Blue Note label in 1960.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1960) - Headin' SouthHeadin' South (album)Headin' South is the fourth album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded in 1960 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1960) - On the Spur of the MomentOn the Spur of the MomentOn the Spur of the Moment is the fifth album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded and released on the Blue Note label in 1961.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1961) - Up & DownUp & Down (album)Up & Down is the fourth album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded in 1960 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(Blue Note, 1961)
With Freddie Redd
Freddie Redd
Freddie Redd is an American hard bop pianist and composer.His greatest success came in the late 1950s in the play and movie The Connection, in which he both played and acted in New York City, London, and Paris. He also played on the soundtrack album...
- San Francisco SuiteSan Francisco SuiteSan Francisco Suite is an album by American pianist Freddie Redd recorded in 1957 and released on the Riverside label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars and stated "An excellent effort"....
(Riverside, 1957)
With Stanley Turrentine
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
- Look Out!Look Out!Look Out! is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine featuring his earliest recordings as a leader on the Blue Note label performed by Turrentine with Horace Parlan, George Tucker and Al Harewood....
(Blue Note, 1960) - Comin' Your WayComin' Your WayComin' Your Way is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine recorded for the Blue Note label and performed by Turrentine with his brother Tommy Turrentine, Horace Parlan, George Tucker, and Al Harewood...
(Blue Note, 1961) - Up at "Minton's"Up at "Minton's"Up at "Minton's" is an live album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine recorded for the Blue Note label and performed by Turrentine with Grant Green, Horace Parlan, George Tucker, and Al Harewood...
(Blue Note, 1961) - Jubilee Shout!!!Jubilee Shout!!!Jubilee Shout!!! is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine compiled from two sessions recorded for the Blue Note label, the first performed by Turrentine with his brother Tommy Turrentine, Horace Parlan, George Tucker, and Al Harewood in 1961 and a 1962 session with Kenny Burrell added and...
(Blue Note, 1961)