Gene Ammons • Up Tight

Artist Biography

Gene Ammons, who had a huge and immediately recognizable tone on tenor, was a very flexible player who could play bebop with the best (always battling his friend Sonny Stitt to a tie) yet was an influence on the R&B world. Some of his ballad renditions became hits and, despite two unfortunate interruptions in his career, Ammons remained a popular attraction for 25 years.

Son of the great boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons (who was nicknamed "Jug") left Chicago at age 18 to work with King Kolax's band. He originally came to fame as a key soloist with Billy Eckstine's orchestra during 1944-1947, trading off with Dexter Gordon on the famous Eckstine record Blowing the Blues Away. Other than a notable stint with Woody Herman's Third Herd in 1949 and an attempt at co-leading a two tenor group in the early '50s with Sonny Stitt, Ammons worked as a single throughout his career, recording frequently (most notably for Prestige) in settings ranging from quartets and organ combos to all-star jam sessions. Drug problems kept him in prison during much of 1958-1960 and, due to a particularly stiff sentence, 1962-1969. When Ammons returned to the scene in 1969, he opened up his style a bit, including some of the emotional cries of the avant-garde while utilizing funky rhythm sections, but he was still able to battle Sonny Stitt on his own terms. Ironically the last song that he ever recorded (just a short time before he was diagnosed with terminal cancer) was "Goodbye."

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Biografía del artista

Gene Ammons, que tenía un tono enorme e inmediatamente reconocible en el tenor, era un jugador muy flexible que podía tocar el bebop con los mejores (siempre luchando contra su amigo Sonny Stitt con un empate) y, sin embargo, era una influencia en el mundo del R&B. Algunas de sus interpretaciones de baladas se convirtieron en éxitos y, a pesar de dos desafortunadas interrupciones en su carrera, Ammons siguió siendo una atracción popular durante 25 años.

Hijo del gran pianista de boogie-woogie Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons (apodado "Jug") dejó Chicago a los 18 años para trabajar con la banda de King Kolax. Originalmente llegó a la fama como solista clave con la orquesta de Billy Eckstine durante 1944-1947, intercambiando con Dexter Gordon en el famoso disco de Eckstine Blowing the Blues Away. Aparte de una notable temporada con Woody Herman's Third Herd en 1949 y un intento de co-liderar un grupo de dos tenor a principios de los'50 con Sonny Stitt, Ammons trabajó como single a lo largo de su carrera, grabando frecuentemente (más notablemente para Prestige) en escenarios que iban desde cuartetos y combos de órgano hasta jam sessions de estrellas. Los problemas de drogas lo mantuvieron en prisión durante gran parte de 1958-1960 y, debido a una sentencia particularmente dura, de 1962-1969. Cuando Ammons regresó a la escena en 1969, abrió un poco su estilo, incluyendo algunos de los gritos emocionales de la vanguardia mientras utilizaba secciones rítmicas funky, pero aún así fue capaz de luchar contra Sonny Stitt en sus propios términos. Irónicamente, la última canción que grabó (poco antes de que le diagnosticaran un cáncer terminal) fue "Goodbye".

 

 

 

Tracklist:
1. The Breeze And I
2. Carbow
3. Moonglow
4. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
5. I'm Beginning To See The Light
6. Jug's Blue Blues
7. Lester Leaps In
8. The Five O'Clock Whistle
V9. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
10. Song Of The Islands
11. Up Tight
12. Travelin'
13. Soft Summer Breeze
14. Don't Go To Strangers

Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone);
Walter Bishop, Jr., Patti Brown (piano);
Arthur Davis, George Duvivier (bass);
Arthur Taylor (drums);
Ray Barretto (congas).

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