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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZADDERLEY, Julian 'Cannonball'(b 15 Sep. '28, Tampa FL; d 8 Aug. '75, Gary IN) Alto, later also soprano sax, composer. Nickname said to be from 'cannibal', a reference to his capacity for food as a teenager. From musical family; directed high school band in Florida '48--56 and US Army bands c'50--53; signed first record contract '55 (Spontaneous Combustion on Savoy reissued debut recordings with Paul Chambers, Kenny Clarke and others). Formed first combo with brother Nat '56 (two-CD Sophisticated Swing on EmArcy Verve reissues four LPs, 36 tracks incl. 'Sermonette' and 'Funky Train'). He made quintet LP Somethin' Else '58 on Blue Note with Miles Davis and Art Blakey; played and recorded with Davis sextet with John Coltrane '58--9 incl. seminal album Kind Of Blue. Toured late '59 with George Shearing, then re-formed with Nat, the combo one of the most popular in the history of jazz. The quintet first incl. Bobby Timmons on piano; after some changes, Joe Zawinul for some years. Became sextet with addition of Yusef Lateef '61, replaced by Charles Lloyd '63; became quintet again mid-'65. Personnel remained constant from mid-'60s with Roy McCurdy (b 28 Nov. '36, Rochester NY), drums and Vic Gaskin (b 23 Nov. '34, Bronx NY), bass; Gaskin replaced '69 by Walter Booker (b 17 December 1933, Prairie View TX; d 24 November 2006). Zawinul succeeded by George Duke '71. First LP to make pop chart featured Nancy Wilson on Capitol '62, then Jazz Workshop Revisited '63 on Riverside, then LP and title single Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! '66 (Zawinul comp.) made no. 11 on USA pop single chart, 13 on album chart. Live Why Am I Treated So Bad! also did well '67, title comp. by Roebuck Staple; with Zawinul's electric piano definitely a pretaste of jazz-funk. Other chart albums incl. two-disc live The Price You Got To Pay To Be Free '71; in all the band had five singles in Hot 100; of twelve LPs charted '62--75 in USA eight were live recordings. Others incl. Accent On Africa '68 with additional brass and reeds, female voices; Adderley played alto, electric alto and soprano and the album may have been arr. and cond. by mystery man H. B. Barnum. Adderley's style was rooted in the tradition of his generation, infl. by Charlie Parker and Benny Carter, but also receptive to contemporary commercial taste, communicating with rare skill; like anyone making money in jazz he was accused of selling out, but made friends for the music and kept the flame burning. Toured overseas, made albums with Coltrane (In Chicago '59), Bill Evans '61, Ray Brown, JATP, others; prod. LPs by Bud Powell, Wes Montgomery, others; active in music education. Film work incl. Clint Eastwood's Play Misty For Me '71; he even dabbled in acting. At the height of his career he suffered a stroke; died a few days later. Among compositions was Big Man on the John Henry legend; LP with Joe Williams released after his death. Over 30 CDs available '97 incl. seven vols of The Cannonball Adderley Collection on Landmark, four-CD set Sophisticated Swing: The Emarcy Small Group Sessions '56--8 on Verve. |