egroj world: David Fathead Newman • Life

Saturday, May 11, 2024

David Fathead Newman • Life

 



David "Fathead" Newman was born in Corsicana, Texas on February 24, 1933. His family soon moved to Dallas, where they settled and David stayed through graduating Lincoln High School. After school, David found gigs in local bands. He received a scholarship to Jarvis Christian College where he studied theology and music.

After two years of college, David decided to go on the road full time with Buster Smith (Charlie Parker's mentor). The band played lots of one-nighters and dance halls, touring Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and sometimes California. On one of those tours, David met Ray Charles.

Ray was working as a sideman with another group on the night's roster. They immediately bonded, both musically and as friends. When Ray started his own band, he called on David to be part of his group. In 1954, David began a twelve year association with the Ray Charles Band. David began as the baritone player and soon became the star tenor soloist.

In 1959, David recorded his first album as a leader titled, "Fathead: Ray Charles Presents 'Fathead'" on Atlantic records. It included Newman's dramatic and now famous rendition of Hard Times.

He returned to Dallas for a short time and led his own bands. Then he moved to New York City where his career took off in many directions.

Newman recorded many albums for Atlantic records, as well as Warner Brothers and Prestige. During this time in NYC, David gigged with Lee Morgan, Kenny Drew Sr., Billy Higgins, Kenny Dorham and so many other of the great jazz musicians hanging out on the New York scene. He gigged around the East Coast with his own quartet and soon began touring Europe and Japan as a leader.

As a studio musician he was very busy working on lots of recording projects with the likes of Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin, Hank Crawford, Aaron Neville, to name a few. After meeting at a studio session, David joined forces with Herbie Mann during "The Family of Mann" era. Cal Tjader (later Roy Ayres) were part of this outstanding group.

It was now time for David Newman to focus on his personal choices and let the public know more about the music that he chose to play. In 1980, Newman, determined to pursue his own musical identity, recorded several mainstream jazz albums for the Muse label. Artists such as Cedar Walton, Jimmy Cobb, Buster Williams, Louis Hayes, and other fine NY musicians, helped round out the rhythm sections.

David returned to Atlantic Records in the late eighties to record several albums. One of he recordings was done live at the Village Vanguard in NYC, featuring Stanley Turrentine and Hank Crawford.

Newman's next recordings were on the Kokopelli label. This was a new label owned by Herbie Mann. David recorded a beautiful CD in tribute to Duke Ellington, titled Mr. Gentle, Mr. Cool. David produced the next one on Kokopelli, titled Under A Woodstock Moon.

The late nineties brought David to the High Note label where he recorded six successful CDs. A memorable recording "I Remember Brother Ray," was released in January 2005 and became the #1 Most Played Jazz Album nationwide.

David Newman has appeared on many television shows including Saturday Night Live, David Sanborn's Night Music, David Letterman, and various featured news segments. David appeared in Robert Altman's film Kansas City and did a national tour with the Kansas City Orchestra, for Verve Records.

David Newman was a musician's musician. Whenever someone wanted to add something special to their own recording, they called ‘Fathead.’ Sadly,"The Blessing,"(2009 HighNote) was to be Newman's last recording but it finds no decline in his creativity or his formidable chops. Ever the master, he leads a band of his friends and preferred sidemen in a fine session caught at the famed Rudy Van Gelder Studio. David Newman's authoritative playing sums up a lifetime of experience and grants us a look at his final intensely personal thoughts on music and, by extension, life itself.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/david-fathead-newman/

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David "Fathead" Newman nació en Corsicana, Texas, el 24 de febrero de 1933. Su familia se trasladó pronto a Dallas, donde se establecieron y David se quedó hasta graduarse en el Lincoln High School. Después de la escuela, David encontró actuaciones en bandas locales. Recibió una beca para el Jarvis Christian College, donde estudió teología y música.

Tras dos años de universidad, David decidió dedicarse a la carretera a tiempo completo con Buster Smith (mentor de Charlie Parker). La banda tocaba en muchas salas de baile, recorriendo Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma y, a veces, California. En una de esas giras, David conoció a Ray Charles.

Ray trabajaba como músico de acompañamiento con otro grupo de la lista de la noche. Enseguida estrecharon lazos, tanto musicales como de amistad. Cuando Ray formó su propia banda, llamó a David para que formara parte de su grupo. En 1954, David comenzó una asociación de doce años con la Ray Charles Band. David empezó como barítono y pronto se convirtió en el tenor solista estrella.

En 1959, David grabó su primer álbum como líder, titulado "Fathead: Ray Charles Presents 'Fathead'" en Atlantic records. En él se incluía la dramática y ahora famosa interpretación de Newman de Hard Times.

Regresó a Dallas durante un breve periodo de tiempo y lideró sus propias bandas. Después se trasladó a Nueva York, donde su carrera despegó en muchas direcciones.

Newman grabó muchos álbumes para Atlantic Records, así como para Warner Brothers y Prestige. Durante su estancia en Nueva York, David tocó con Lee Morgan, Kenny Drew Sr., Billy Higgins, Kenny Dorham y muchos otros grandes músicos de jazz de la escena neoyorquina. Actuó por toda la Costa Este con su propio cuarteto y pronto empezó a hacer giras por Europa y Japón como líder.

Como músico de estudio, estuvo muy ocupado trabajando en numerosos proyectos de grabación con artistas de la talla de Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin, Hank Crawford y Aaron Neville, por nombrar algunos. Tras conocerse en una sesión de estudio, David unió fuerzas con Herbie Mann durante la época de "La familia de Mann". Cal Tjader (más tarde Roy Ayres) formaba parte de este destacado grupo.

Había llegado el momento de que David Newman se centrara en sus decisiones personales y diera a conocer al público la música que había elegido tocar. En 1980, Newman, decidido a perseguir su propia identidad musical, grabó varios álbumes de jazz mainstream para el sello Muse. Artistas como Cedar Walton, Jimmy Cobb, Buster Williams, Louis Hayes y otros excelentes músicos de Nueva York ayudaron a completar las secciones rítmicas.

David volvió a Atlantic Records a finales de los ochenta para grabar varios álbumes. Una de sus grabaciones se realizó en directo en el Village Vanguard de Nueva York, con Stanley Turrentine y Hank Crawford.

Las siguientes grabaciones de Newman fueron con el sello Kokopelli. Se trataba de un nuevo sello propiedad de Herbie Mann. David grabó un hermoso CD en homenaje a Duke Ellington, titulado Mr. Gentle, Mr. Cool. David produjo el siguiente en Kokopelli, titulado Under A Woodstock Moon.

A finales de los noventa, David fichó por el sello High Note, donde grabó seis CD de gran éxito. Una grabación memorable, "I Remember Brother Ray", se publicó en enero de 2005 y se convirtió en el álbum de jazz más reproducido en todo el país.

David Newman ha aparecido en muchos programas de televisión, como Saturday Night Live, David Sanborn's Night Music, David Letterman y varios segmentos de noticias. David apareció en la película Kansas City de Robert Altman e hizo una gira nacional con la Orquesta de Kansas City, para Verve Records.

David Newman era el músico de los músicos. Siempre que alguien quería añadir algo especial a su propia grabación, llamaba a 'Fathead'. Lamentablemente, "The Blessing" (HighNote, 2009) iba a ser la última grabación de Newman, pero en ella no se aprecia ningún declive de su creatividad ni de sus formidables habilidades. Siempre con maestría, dirige a una banda de sus amigos y acompañantes preferidos en una magnífica sesión grabada en el famoso estudio Rudy Van Gelder. La maestría de David Newman resume toda una vida de experiencia y nos permite echar un vistazo a sus últimas e intensas reflexiones personales sobre la música y, por extensión, sobre la vida misma.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/david-fathead-newman/



Tracks:
1 - Girl Talk    6:11
2 - Life    6:58
3 - Alfie    5:59
4 - I Can't Get Started    6:14
5 - Old Folks    6:46
6 - Autumn In New York    6:29
7 - Come Sunday    6:18
8 - What A Wonderful World    7:29
9 - Naima    6:42


Credits:
    Bass – John Menegon
    Co-producer – Houston Person
    Drums – Yoron Israel
    Guitar – Peter Bernstein
    Piano – David Leonhardt
    Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Co-producer – David "Fathead" Newman
    Vibraphone – Steve Nelson

Label:    HighNote Records, Inc. – HCD 7166
Released:    2007
Genre:    Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/9247061-David-Fathead-Newman-Life




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