Charles McPherson (born July 24, 1939)[1] is an American jazz alto saxophonist born in Joplin, Missouri, United States; raised in Detroit, Michigan; and now lives in San Diego, California. He worked intermittently with Charles Mingus from 1960 to 1974, and as a performer leading his own groups.[1]
Charles McPherson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | July 24, 1939 Joplin, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Alto saxophone |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Labels | Prestige, Mainstream, Xanadu, Arabesque |
| Website | charlesmcpherson |
McPherson also was commissioned to help record ensemble renditions of pieces from Charlie Parker, on the 1988 soundtrack for the film Bird.[1]
In 2020, the JazzTimes magazine readers’ poll named McPherson Artist of the Year, and also selected his album Jazz Dance Suites as Best New Release.[2]
Discography
editAs leader
edit- Bebop Revisited! (Prestige, 1965)
- Con Alma! (Prestige, 1965)
- The Quintet/Live! (Prestige, 1967)
- From This Moment On! (Prestige, 1968)
- Horizons (Prestige, 1969)
- McPherson's Mood (Prestige, 1969)
- Charles McPherson (Mainstream, 1971)
- Siku Ya Bibi (Day of the Lady) (Mainstream, 1972)
- Today's Man (Mainstream, 1973)
- Beautiful! (Xanadu, 1975)
- Live in Tokyo (Xanadu, 1976)
- New Horizons (Xanadu, 1978)
- Free Bop! (Xanadu, 1979)
- The Prophet (Discovery, 1983)
- Follow the Bouncing Ball (Discovery, 1989)
- Illusions in Blue (Chazz Jazz, 1990)
- First Flight Out (Arabesque, 1994)
- Come Play With Me (Arabesque, 1995)
- Live at Vartan Jazz (Vartan, 1997)
- Manhattan Nocturne (Arabesque, 1998)[3]
- But Beautiful (Venus, 2004)
- Charles McPherson with Strings (Clarion, 2005)
- The Journey (Capri Records, 2015)
- Jazz Dance Suites (Chazz Mack, 2020)
As sideman
editWith Barry Harris
- Newer Than New (Riverside, 1961)
- Bull's Eye! (Prestige, 1968)
- Stay Right with It (Milestone, 1978)
- Tokyo 1976 (Xanadu, 1980)
With Charles Mingus
- Mingus (Candid, 1961)
- Mingus at Monterey (Jazz Workshop, 1965)
- Music Written for Monterey 1965 (Jazz Workshop, 1966)
- My Favorite Quintet (Fantasy, 1964)
- Let My Children Hear Music (Columbia, 1972)
- Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert (Columbia, 1973)
- Mingus at Carnegie Hall (Atlantic, 1974)
- The Complete Town Hall Concert (United Artists, 1983)
- The Complete Candid Recordings of Charles Mingus (Mosaic, 1985)
- Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife (Columbia, 1988)
- Charles Mingus Sextet Paris, TNP October 28th 1970 (Ulysse Musique, 1988)
- Live in Chateauvallon, 1972 (France's Concert, 1989)
- Charles Mingus in Paris: The Complete America Session (Sunnyside, 2007)
- Pithycanthropus Erectus (America, 1971)
- Reincarnation of a Lovebird (Prestige, 1974)
- Something Like a Bird (Atlantic, 1980)
With others
- Pepper Adams, Pepper Adams Plays the Compositions of Charlie Mingus (Workshop Jazz, 1964)
- Toshiko Akiyoshi, Just Be Bop (Discomate [Japan], 1980)
- Ray Appleton, Killer Ray Rides Again (Sharp Nine, 1996)
- Jeannie & Jimmy Cheatham, Sweet Baby Blues (Concord Jazz, 1985)
- Kenny Drew, For Sure! (Xanadu, 1981)
- Clint Eastwood, Eastwood After Hours: Live at Carnegie Hall (Warner Bros., 1997)
- Art Farmer, The Many Faces of Art Farmer (Scepter, 1964)
- Lionel Hampton, At Newport '78 (Timeless, 1980)
- Eddie Jefferson, Come Along with Me (Prestige, 1969)
- Eddie Jefferson, There I Go Again (Prestige, 1980)
- LaMont Johnson, New York Exile (Masterscores, 1980)
- Bobby Jones, Arrival of Bobby Jones (Cobblestone, 1972)
- Sam Jones, Cello Again (Xanadu, 1976)
- Dave Pike, Bluebird (Timeless, 1989)
- Jimmy Raney, The Complete Jimmy Raney in Tokyo (Xanadu, 1988)
- Red Rodney, Bird Lives! (Muse, 1974)
- Sonny Stitt & Don Patterson, Sonny Stitt/Don Patterson Vol. 2 (Prestige, 1998)
- Charles Tolliver, Impact (Strata-East, 1976)
- Charlie Parker, Bird (CBS, 1988)
- Don Patterson, Boppin' & Burnin' (Prestige, 1968)
- Don Patterson, Funk You! (Prestige, 1968)
- Larry Vuckovich, City Sounds, Village Voices (Palo Alto, 1982)
- Larry Vuckovich, Blues for Red (Hothouse, 1985)
- Dee Dee Bridgewater, Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album (Phillips, 1996)
References
edit- ^ a b c "Charles McPherson | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
- ^ JazzTimes (2021-02-04). "2020 Readers' Poll Results". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- ^ Fitzgerald, M. Charles McPherson discography as leader, Jazzdiscography.com, accessed March 14, 2013
External links
edit- Charles McPherson NAMM Oral History Interview (2008)