Historical Dictionary of Jazz. John S. Davis
Victor Feldman, Sam Jones, Louis Hayes, and Charles Lloyd, among others. The late 1960s began to reflect an influence of electric jazz and avant-garde jazz in Adderley’s playing. Adderley died from a stroke in 1975 and was soon thereafter inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame. He still remains one of the greatest influences on alto saxophonists today. Notable recordings: Somethin’ Else (1958, Blue Note); Phenix (1975, Fantasy); and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (1996, Capitol rerelease). See also SOUL JAZZ.
ADDERLEY, NATHANIEL “NAT” (1931–2000)
Nat Adderley was a hard bop cornetist and trumpet player who played in a style influenced by Miles Davis. Adderley played in his brother Cannonball’s original group and then went on to work as a sideman with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, trombonist J. J. Johnson, and clarinetist Woody Herman. He joined the Cannonball Adderley quintet in 1959 and remained with the group until 1975. Many great compositions, including “Work Song” and “The Old Country,” were written by Adderley during this time. After his brother’s death in 1975, he continued to play with his own groups and recorded extensively with such artists as Ron Carter, Johnny Griffin, and Sonny Fortune, including an exciting group he led with trombonist J. J. Johnson. Adderley joined the faculty of the Florida Southern College in 1997 as an artist in residence, just three years before dying from complications of diabetes.
ADLER, LARRY (1914–2001)
Adler took up the harmonica at age 10 and began performing professionally as a teenager in New York. Sir Charles Cochran, a theater manager from Sussex England, heard Adler perform at the age of 20 and recruited him to move to London to perform in one of Cochran’s revues. Adler further refined his harmonica skills as a classical performer and quickly gained recognition as an elite performer. Malcolm Arnold, Darius Milhaud, Vaughn Williams, and Gordon Jacob all wrote pieces for Adler as a featured soloist with orchestra. Toward the later part of Adler’s career, he began teaching in addition to composing more. Some of his work is captured on the scores to the films Genevieve and King and Country.
AFFINITY
A post-bop quartet made up of Bobby Lurie (drums), Rob Sudduth (tenor saxophone), and a rotating bass chair of Michael Silverman and Richard Sanders, led by soprano saxophonist Joe Rosenberg. Inspired by the work of Ornette Coleman and other free jazz leaders, much of the material is targeted toward collective intellectual improvisation. The repertoire of the group ranges from free jazz artists Eric Dolphy and Anthony Braxton to straight-ahead artists including Art Blakey and Cedar Walton.
AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ
A style arising out of New York City, Afro-Cuban jazz consists of a blending of Cuban and African polyrhythms with jazz improvisation. At the center of the rhythmic identity of Afro-Cuban jazz is the clave, an offbeat, repeated rhythmic pattern. Although Cuban music remained separate from swing music prior to the 1940s, the rise of bebop in 1945 included an increased influence and incorporation of Afro-Cuban styles. The collaboration between bebop trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie and Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo in Gillespie’s orchestra proved significant in the rise of the genre, producing such tunes as “A Night in Tunisia,” the original version of “Manteca,” and “Tin Tin Deo.” Gillespie remained at the forefront of the genre throughout his career, later working with other artists in Afro-Cuban jazz including Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. See also LATIN JAZZ.
AIRTO
See MOREIRA, AIRTO (1941–).
AJAX RECORDS
A record company founded by H. S. Berliner in 1921. Berliner had recording studios in Montreal, Canada, and New York City. Poor distribution to the southern and central areas of the United States led to a short business life of the company. Prior to their closing in 1926, Ajax cut records for artists Rosa Henderson, Edna Hicks, and Mamie Smith.
AKINMUSIRE, AMBROSE (1982–)
A trumpet player, Akinmusire was born and raised in Oakland, California, and attended Berkeley High School. He caught the attention of saxophonist Steve Coleman while Coleman was presenting a workshop at the school and was hired by Coleman as a member of his Five Elements band for a European tour. Akinmusire was also a member of the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Akinmusire studied at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and returned to California to begin studies for a master of music degree at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, attending the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. He won both the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition in 2007, the same year he recorded his debut album, Prelude . . . to Cora (2008, Fresh Sound New Talent). He moved back to New York City and performed with jazz artists Vijay Iyer, Esperanza Spalding, and Jason Moran. After signing with the Blue Note label, Akinmusire recorded the album When the Heart Emerges Glistening (2011), featuring his quintet. He won the North Sea Jazz Festival’s Paul Acket Award in 2014. Most recently, he has delved into classical and hip-hop styles. Akinmusire has recorded five albums as leader and collaborated on another 32. He was named the winner in the 2018 DownBeat magazine International Critics Poll in the category of trumpet.
AKIYOSHI, TOSHIKO (1929–)
Originally from Japan, Akiyoshi made a name for herself in the world of jazz through her work as pianist, arranger, and composer. Discovered in 1952 by pianist Oscar Peterson while he was on a tour of Japan, Akiyoshi recorded with Peterson’s own rhythm section of Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and J. C. Heard on her first release, titled Toshiko’s Piano. Upon moving to the United States in 1956 to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Akiyoshi began learning the art of arranging and composition. Along with her husband Lew Tabackin, Akiyoshi formed a big band in the Los Angeles area in 1973. Using Akiyoshi’s compositions and arrangements for the group, the Toshiko Akiyoshi–Lew Tabackin Big Band would hold a strong presence in the jazz world by 1980. After moving to New York City in 1982, the band was started up once again and continued touring, recording, and performing regularly, all the while driven by the energetic writing and conducting of Akiyoshi. She has been the recipient of multiple Grammy nominations and DownBeat Critics Poll awards, and in 2007 she was honored with the title of NEA Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Although her big band no longer performs or records, she continues to appear as a pianist and guest bandleader. Notable recordings: Toshiko Akiyoshi–Lew Tabackin Big Band (1974–1976, Novus) and Carnegie Hall Concert (1991, Columbia).
ALBAM, MANNY (1922–2001)
Albam started in the music world as a baritone saxophonist but quickly gained a reputation as a standout arranger in New York. His work was performed by jazz big bands led by Don Joseph, Bob Chester, Georgie Auld, Sam Donahue, Charlie Barnet, and Jerry Wald. In the 1950s, he elected to stop performing and focused his efforts on composition and leading ensembles for the next two decades. Many prominent musicians were attracted to Albam’s works, which were featured by groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Rich. Albam released one title under his name during this time, The Jazz Greats of Our Time (1957, MCA), which featured top-flight soloists. Albam is not heard on the album but is instead featured as a conductor/arranger for most of the material. He also explored classical music and composed several works, including his “Concerto