Ray Draper
Encyclopedia
Raymond Allen Draper was an American
hard bop
tuba
player.
in the mid-1950s. As a leader, he recorded his first album, Tuba Sounds (Prestige Records
1957), at the age of 16, with a quintet. His second album was recorded at the age of 17 with slight changes in his quintet, including John Coltrane
.
After his release from prison in the late sixties due to drug use, Draper formed the first jazz rock fusion band composed of established jazz musicians of the day. This preceded Miles Davis's Bitches Brew
, which is normally recognized as the first jazz rock fusion group and recording by two years. Original band members included George Bohannon on trombone, Hadley Caliman
on tenor sax, John Duke on upright bass, Paul Lagos on drums and Tom Trujillo on guitar. This band, after its first live performance at Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go
-where it shared the bill with Nazz-was offered numerous record deals and booked solid at rock venues for the rest of the year.
Ray Draper began using heroin again, whereupon the more experienced band members quit, except for the youngest member, guitarist Tom Trujillo and his landlord, Chuck Goodn. This led to a search for new members and hirings that included New York trumpeter Don Sleet and Ernie Watts
. After two years of searching and many personnel changes, including getting clean from drugs, Draper brought drummer Paul Lagos back, along with saxophonist Richard Aplan, trumpeter Phil Wood, and bassist Ron Johnson. This new group was eventually named Red Beans and Rice, named after their favorite meal cooked by Ray's wife, Ann. This group appeared on bills with some of the day's headlining groups including Jimi Hendrix
, Chicago Transit Authority
, Jethro Tull
, and Gil Scott Heron.
They went on to record the album produced by Jackie Paris titled Red Beans and Rice Featuring Sparerib Ray Draper on Epic Records. But when the band saw that Draper and his manager Forrest Hamilton had put only Ray's picture on the cover, the whole group quit and Draper was on his own once more. After this, he got hooked back on heroin and he sporadically performed and recorded but he was no longer able to recreate the band sound with other players. He left California and returned to New York in the hopes of becoming clean once again. He remarried and had two children with his second wife, continuing to compose for other musicians.
In 1982, coming out of a bank, Ray was held up by a gang of kids. The 13-year-old leader shot him after Ray had given him his money. Ray had been clean of drug use and had been working on a composition, found in his attaché case upon his death.
With Brother Jack McDuff
With Max Roach
With Archie Shepp
With Dr. John
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hard bop
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
player.
Biography
Draper attended the Manhattan School of MusicManhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
in the mid-1950s. As a leader, he recorded his first album, Tuba Sounds (Prestige Records
Prestige Records
Prestige 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...
1957), at the age of 16, with a quintet. His second album was recorded at the age of 17 with slight changes in his quintet, including 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...
.
After his release from prison in the late sixties due to drug use, Draper formed the first jazz rock fusion band composed of established jazz musicians of the day. This preceded Miles Davis's Bitches Brew
Bitches Brew
Bitches Brew is a studio double album by jazz musician Miles Davis, released in April 1970 on Columbia Records. The album continued his experimentation with electric instruments previously featured on his critically acclaimed In a Silent Way album...
, which is normally recognized as the first jazz rock fusion group and recording by two years. Original band members included George Bohannon on trombone, Hadley Caliman
Hadley Caliman
Hadley Caliman , was an American bebop saxophone and flute player.After studying at the Jefferson High School with trumpeter Art Farmer and fellow saxophonist Dexter Gordon, Caliman performed or recorded with Carlos Santana, Joe Henderson, Earl Hines, Freddie Hubbard, Jon Hendricks, Earl Anderza,...
on tenor sax, John Duke on upright bass, Paul Lagos on drums and Tom Trujillo on guitar. This band, after its first live performance at Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
-where it shared the bill with Nazz-was offered numerous record deals and booked solid at rock venues for the rest of the year.
Ray Draper began using heroin again, whereupon the more experienced band members quit, except for the youngest member, guitarist Tom Trujillo and his landlord, Chuck Goodn. This led to a search for new members and hirings that included New York trumpeter Don Sleet and Ernie Watts
Ernie Watts
Ernest James "Ernie" Watts is an American jazz and rhythm and blues musician. He plays saxophone and flute. He might be best known for his work with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and his Grammy Awards as an instrumentalist...
. After two years of searching and many personnel changes, including getting clean from drugs, Draper brought drummer Paul Lagos back, along with saxophonist Richard Aplan, trumpeter Phil Wood, and bassist Ron Johnson. This new group was eventually named Red Beans and Rice, named after their favorite meal cooked by Ray's wife, Ann. This group appeared on bills with some of the day's headlining groups including Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
, Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
, and Gil Scott Heron.
They went on to record the album produced by Jackie Paris titled Red Beans and Rice Featuring Sparerib Ray Draper on Epic Records. But when the band saw that Draper and his manager Forrest Hamilton had put only Ray's picture on the cover, the whole group quit and Draper was on his own once more. After this, he got hooked back on heroin and he sporadically performed and recorded but he was no longer able to recreate the band sound with other players. He left California and returned to New York in the hopes of becoming clean once again. He remarried and had two children with his second wife, continuing to compose for other musicians.
In 1982, coming out of a bank, Ray was held up by a gang of kids. The 13-year-old leader shot him after Ray had given him his money. Ray had been clean of drug use and had been working on a composition, found in his attaché case upon his death.
As leader
- 1957: Tuba Sounds (Prestige) with Webster YoungWebster Young-External links:*...
, Jackie McLeanJackie McLeanJohn 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...
, Mal WaldronMal WaldronMalcolm Earl Waldron was an American jazz and world music pianist and composer, born in New York City.Like his contemporaries, Waldron's roots lie chiefly in the hard bop and post-bop genres of the New York club scene of the 1950s; but with time, he gravitated more towards free jazz and composition...
, Spanky DeBrestSpanky DeBrestJimmy "Spanky" DeBrest was an American jazz bassist.DeBrest played with Lee Morgan in his early years in Philadelphia. In 1957 he was a member of Ray Draper's Quintet, Jackie McLean, pianist Mal Waldron, and drummer Ben Dixon.He played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers until 1958, including...
, Ben Dixon - 1957: The Ray Draper Quintet featuring John Coltrane (New Jazz 8228Prestige 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...
) with John Coltrane, Gil CogginsGil CogginsAlvin Gilbert "Gil" Coggins was an American jazz pianist.Coggins was born to parents of West Indian heritage. His mother was a pianist and had her son start on piano from an early age. He attended school in New York City and the Barbados.In 1946, Coggins met Miles Davis while stationed at...
, Larry RitchieLarry RitchieLarry Ritchie is a jazz drummer and record/CD producer.He has recorded with John Coltrane, Ray Draper, and Jackie McLean. Examples of his jazz work are provided by McLean's Strange Blues and Freddie Redd's Music from The Connection ....
, Spanky DeBrest - 1958: A Tuba Jazz (Jubilee RecordsJubilee RecordsJubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. Jerry Blaine became Abramson's partner. Blaine bought out Abramson's half of the company in 1947. The company name was Jay-Gee Recording...
) with John Coltrane, John Maher, Spansky Debrest, Larrie Ritchie - 1968: Red Beans and Rice (Epic)
As sideman
With John Coltrane- The BelieverThe Believer (John Coltrane album)The Believer is a jazz album credited to John Coltrane released in 1964 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7292. It is an amalgam of two tracks reissued from New Jazz Records 8228 Ray Draper Quintet featuring John Coltrane released in 1960, with three unissued tracks by Coltrane as a leader from two...
(1958) - Like Sonny (1960)
With Brother Jack McDuff
Jack McDuff
"Brother" Jack McDuff was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s, often performing with an organ trio.-Career:...
- Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring? is an album by American organist Brother Jack McDuff recorded in 1970 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1970)
With Max Roach
Max Roach
Maxwell Lemuel "Max" Roach was an American jazz percussionist, drummer, and composer.A pioneer of bebop, Roach went on to work in many other styles of music, and is generally considered alongside the most important drummers in history...
- Award-Winning Drummer (1958)
- Deeds, Not Words (1958)
With Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...
- There's a Trumpet in My SoulThere's a Trumpet in My SoulThere's a Trumpet in My Soul is an album by avant-garde jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp released in 1975 on the Arista Freedom label. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states "Two vocals and a poem recitation weigh down the music a bit, although Shepp gets in some good licks...
(1975)
With Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
- The Sun, Moon & HerbsThe Sun, Moon & HerbsThe Sun Moon & Herbs is a 1971 album by New Orleans R&B artist Dr. John, noted for its contributions from Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, and other well-known musicians. It was originally intended to be a three-album set but was cut down to a single disc...
(1971)