Wilbur Harden
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Harden was an American
jazz
trumpeter, flugelhorn
ist and composer.
Harden is most known for his recordings with saxophonists Yusef Lateef
and John Coltrane
, and also with trombonist Curtis Fuller
. One of the first jazz trumpeters to double on flugelhorn, Harden started playing less frequently due to illness. He started his career with Roy Brown
and Ivory Joe Hunter
, before moving to Detroit in 1957 to play with Yusef Lateef
's quintet. In late 1958 Harden fell seriously ill, spending four whole years under medical care. His last recording session took place in 1960 with Curtis Fuller
's group, following a brief release from the hospital. After that, he quit playing and died in 1969 in New York
, completely forgotten by the jazz world.
He is a 1991 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
.
With Curtis Fuller
With Yusef Lateef
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...
trumpeter, flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
ist and composer.
Harden is most known for his recordings with saxophonists Yusef Lateef
Yusef Lateef
Dr. Yusef Lateef is an American Grammy Award-winning jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community after his conversion to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam in 1950.Although Lateef's main instruments are the tenor saxophone and flute, he is known for...
and 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 also with trombonist 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:...
. One of the first jazz trumpeters to double on flugelhorn, Harden started playing less frequently due to illness. He started his career with Roy Brown
Roy Brown
Roy Brown may refer to:*Roy Brown , English professional footballer who was the first black player to play for Stoke City.*Roy Brown , English footballer...
and Ivory Joe Hunter
Ivory Joe Hunter
Ivory Joe Hunter was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist. After a series of hits on the US R&B chart starting in the mid 1940s, he became more widely known for his hit recording, "Since I Met You Baby" . He was billed as The Baron of the Boogie, and also known as The...
, before moving to Detroit in 1957 to play with Yusef Lateef
Yusef Lateef
Dr. Yusef Lateef is an American Grammy Award-winning jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community after his conversion to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam in 1950.Although Lateef's main instruments are the tenor saxophone and flute, he is known for...
's quintet. In late 1958 Harden fell seriously ill, spending four whole years under medical care. His last recording session took place in 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:...
's group, following a brief release from the hospital. After that, he quit playing and died in 1969 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, completely forgotten by the jazz world.
He is a 1991 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and distinctive art form indigenous to America...
.
As leader
- Countdown (1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - The King and I (1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - Mainstream 1958Mainstream 1958Mainstream 1958: The East Coast Jazz Scene is a 1958 album by jazz musician Wilbur Harden.-Track listing:Track# "Wells Fargo" — 7:19# "West 42nd Street" — 7:49# "E.F.F.P.H" — 5:24# "Snuffy" — 9:35...
(1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - Jazz Way OutJazz Way OutJazz Way Out is a 1958 album by jazz musicians John Coltrane and Wilbur Harden.-Track listing:Track# "Dial Africa" — 8:42# "Oomba" — 5:32# "Gold Coast" — 14:33-Personnel:Recorded June 24, 1958 in Hackensack, NJ....
(1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - AfricaDial Africa: The Savoy SessionsDial Africa: The Savoy Sessions is a 1958 album by jazz musicians John Coltrane and Wilbur Harden.-Track listing:Track# "Dial Africa II" — 8:42# "Anedac" — 5:14# "B.J. II" — 4:55# "B.J...
(1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - TanganyikaTanganyika StrutTanganyika Strut is a 1958 album by jazz musicians John Coltrane and Wilbur Harden.-Track listing:Track# "Tanganyika Strut" — 10:00# "B.J...
(1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
)
As sideman
With John ColtraneJohn 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...
- Gold CoastGold Coast (album)Gold Coast is a 1958 album by jazz musicians John Coltrane and Wilbur Harden.-Track listing:Track# "Tanganyika Strut" — 10:00# "Dial Africa" — 8:03# "Gold Coast" — 14:33# "B.J...
(1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - StardustStardust (John Coltrane album)Stardust is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1963 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7268. It is assembled from unissued results of two separate recording sessions at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958...
(1958; 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...
) - Standard ColtraneStandard Coltrane (album)Standard Coltrane is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1962 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7243. It is assembled from unissued results of a single recording session at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958...
(1958; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - The Master (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...
) - BahiaBahia (album)Bahia is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1965 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7353. It is assembled from unissued results of two separate recording sessions at the studio of Rudy Van Gelder in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1958...
(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...
)
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:...
- Images of Curtis FullerImages of Curtis FullerImages of Curtis Fuller is an album by jazz trombonist Curtis Fuller, released in 1960 on Savoy Records.-Track listing:#"Accident"#"Darryl's Minor"#"Be Back Ta-Reckla"#"Judyful"#"New Date"#"Accident"...
(1960; Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
)
With Yusef Lateef
Yusef Lateef
Dr. Yusef Lateef is an American Grammy Award-winning jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and a spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community after his conversion to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam in 1950.Although Lateef's main instruments are the tenor saxophone and flute, he is known for...
- Jazz And The Sounds Of Nature (Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - Gong! (Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - Prayer To The East (Savoy RecordsSavoy RecordsSavoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
) - The Sounds Of Yusef (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...
) - Other Sounds (New Jazz)