Thad Jones

Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists".
Biography
Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan to Henry and Olivia Jones, a musical family of 10 (an older brother was pianist Hank Jones and a younger brother was drummer Elvin Jones). A self-taught musician, Thad began performing professionally at the age of 16. He served in U.S. Army bands during World War II (1943–46).
After his military service, which included an association with the U.S. Military School of Music and working with area bands in Des Moines and Oklahoma City, Jones became a member of the Count Basie Orchestra in May 1954. He was featured as a soloist on such well-known tunes as "April in Paris", "Shiny Stockings", and "Corner Pocket". However, his main contribution to Basie's organization was nearly two dozen arrangements and compositions, which included "The Deacon", "H.R.H." (Her Royal Highness – in honor of the band's command performance in London), "Counter Block", and lesser known tracks such as "Speaking of Sounds". His hymn-like ballad "To You" was performed by the Basie band combined with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in their only recording together, and the recording Dance Along With Basie contains nearly an entire album of Jones's uncredited arrangements of standard tunes. In 1959, Jones played cornet on Thelonious Monk's 5 by Monk by 5 album.
Jones left the Basie Orchestra in 1963 to become a freelance arranger and musician in New York City. In 1965, he and drummer Mel Lewis formed the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. The group started with informal late-night jam sessions among New York's top studio musicians. They began performing at the Village Vanguard in February 1966, to wide acclaim, and continued with Jones in the lead for 12 years. They won a 1978 Grammy Award for their album Live in Munich. Jones taught at William Paterson College in New Jersey, which is now the site of the Thad Jones Archive, containing pencil scores and vintage photos as part of the Living Jazz Archives.
In January 1979, Thad suddenly moved to Copenhagen (to the great surprise of his New York bandmates), where several other U.S. jazz musicians had gone to live. There he became the leader of The Danish Radio Big Band, and married a Danish woman, Lis.
Jones transformed the Danish Radio Big Band into one of the world's best. The result can be heard on a live-recording from the Montmartre in Copenhagen. In July 1979, Jones formed a new big band, Eclipse, with which he recorded a live album, Eclipse. Several Americans were on the album: pianist Horace Parlan, baritonist Sahib Shihab, trumpeter Tim Hagans, and trombonist/vocalist Richard B. Boone. The rest of the band comprised trombonists Bjarne Thanning and Ture Larsen, trumpeter Lars Togeby, altoists Ole Thøger and Michael Hove, tenor saxophonist Bent Jædig, and bassist Jesper Lundgaard. Jones further composed for the Danish Radio Big Band and taught jazz at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen. He studied composition formally during this period, and also took up the valve trombone.
In February 1985, Jones returned to the U.S. to take over the leadership of the Count Basie Orchestra, upon his former leader's death. Jones fronted the Basie band on numerous tours, also writing arrangements for recordings and performances with vocalist Caterina Valente and the Manhattan Transfer, but had to step down due to ill health. He returned to his home in Copenhagen for the last few months of his life, and died of cancer on August 20, 1986, aged 63, at Herlev Hospital.
In later years his playing ability was diminished due to a lip injury, but his composing and arranging skills blossomed. His best-known composition is the standard "A Child Is Born".
At the time of his death, Jones had a six-year-old son, also named Thad (Thaddeus Joseph William Jones), with his wife, Lis Jones. He had a daughter Thedia and a son Bruce in the U.S. He was buried in Copenhagen's Vestre Kirkegård Cemetery (Western Churchyard Cemetery).
Thad Jones has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Thad Jones Vej" (Thad Jones Street).
Discography
As leader or co-leader
The Fabulous Thad Jones (Debut, 1954)
Detroit – New York Junction (Blue Note, 1956)
The Magnificent Thad Jones (Blue Note, 1956)
The Magnificent Thad Jones Vol.3 (Blue Note, 1956)
Mad Thad (Period, 1957)
Sonny Rollins Plays (Period, 1957) split album with Sonny Rollins
The Jones Boys (Period, 1957) with Jimmy Jones, Eddie Jones, Quincy Jones and Jo Jones
Olio (Prestige, 1957) with Frank Wess, Teddy Charles, Mal Waldron, Doug Watkins, Elvin Jones
After Hours (Prestige, 1957) with – Frank Wess, Kenny Burrell, Mal Waldron, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor
Keepin' Up with the Joneses (MetroJazz, 1958) as The Jones Brothers with Hank Jones and Elvin Jones
Motor City Scene (United Artists, 1959)
Mean What You Say (Milestone, 1966) by the Thad Jones/Pepper Adams Quintet
Greetings and Salutations (Four Leaf Clover, 1977) with Mel Lewis, Jon Faddis and the Swedish Radio Jazz Group (Lennart Åberg, Arne Domnérus, Bengt Hallberg, Georg Riedel, Rune Gustafsson, ...)
The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet (Artists House, 1978) with Mel Lewis, Harold Danko, Rufus Reid
Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and UMO (RCA, 1978) with Mel Lewis and UMO (the Finnish 'New Music Orchestra')
Live at Montmartre (Storyville, 1978) with Idrees Sulieman, Allan Botschinsky, Jesper Thilo, NHOP
A tribute to Monk and Bird (Tomato, 1978) with George Adams, George Lewis, Stanley Cowell, Reggie Workman, Lenny White, Heiner Stadler
Eclipse (Metronome, 1979) with Tim Hagans, Sahib Shihab, Horace Parlan, Jesper Lundgaard
Jazz Gala 79 (America, 1979) with Carmen McRae, Joe Williams, Claude Bolling, Cat Anderson – live in Midem
Live at Slukefter (Metronome, 1980) with Tim Hagans, Sahib Shihab, Horace Parlan, Jesper Lundgaard
With the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra
Opening Night (Alan Grant Presents, 2000) – recorded in 1966
Presenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra (Solid State Records, 1966)
Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra (Solid State, 1966)
Live at the Village Vanguard (Solid State, 1967)
The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones/Mel Lewis featuring Miss Ruth Brown (Solid State, 1968)
Monday Night (Solid State, 1968) – live
Central Park North (Solid State, 1969)
Consummation (Solid State/Blue Note, 1970)
Live in Tokyo (Denon Jazz, 1974)
Potpourri (Philadelphia International, 1974)
Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica (Pausa, 1974)
Suite for Pops (Horizon/A&M, 1975)
New Life: Dedicated to Max Gordon (A&M, 1975)
Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott (Barclay, 1976) – a.k.a. Rhoda Scott in New York with...
Live in Munich (Horizon/A&M, 1976)
It Only Happens Every Time with Monica Zetterlund (EMI Records, 1978) – recorded in 1977
Body and Soul (West Wind Jazz, 1978) – Live in Berlin. a.k.a. Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe
A Touch of Class (West Wind Jazz, 1978) – Live in Warsaw
Basle, 1969 (TCB Music, 1996) – recorded in 1969
With DR Big Band
As chief conductor
By Jones, I think we've got it (Metronome/Atlantic, 1978) – recorded live at Jazzhus Montmartre, Copenhagen
A good time was had by all (Metronome/Storyville, 1979) – recorded live at Jazzhus Montmartre, Copenhagen in 1978
As sideman
With Count Basie
Basie (Clef, 1954)
Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings (Clef, 1955) with Joe Williams
April in Paris (Verve, 1956)
The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards with Joe Williams
Metronome All-Stars 1956 (Clef, 1956) with Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams
Basie in London (Verve, 1956)
One O'Clock Jump (Verve, 1957) with Joe Williams and Ella Fitzgerald
Count Basie at Newport (Verve, 1957)
The Atomic Mr. Basie (Roulette, 1957) – aka Basie and E=MC2
Basie Plays Hefti (Roulette, 1958)
Sing Along with Basie (Roulette, 1958) – with Joe Williams and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Hall of Fame (Verve, 1959) – recorded in 1956
Basie One More Time (Roulette, 1959)
Breakfast Dance and Barbecue (Roulette, 1959)
Everyday I Have the Blues (Roulette, 1959) – with Joe Williams
Dance Along with Basie (Roulette, 1959)
Not Now, I'll Tell You When (Roulette, 1960)
The Count Basie Story (Roulette, 1960)
Kansas City Suite (Roulette, 1960)
The Legend (Roulette, 1961)
Back with Basie (Roulette, 1962)
Basie in Sweden (Roulette, 1962)
On My Way & Shoutin' Again! (Verve, 1962)
This Time by Basie! (Reprise, 1963)
With Bob Brookmeyer
Jazz Is a Kick (Mercury, 1960)
Back Again (Sonet, 1978)
With Kenny Burrell
Blues - The Common Ground (Verve, 1968) – recorded in 1967-68
Ellington Is Forever (Fantasy, 1975)
Ellington Is Forever Volume Two (Fantasy, 1977) – recorded in 1975
With Dexter Gordon
Ca'Purange (Prestige, 1973) – recorded in 1972
Tangerine (Prestige, 1975) – recorded in 1972
With Coleman Hawkins
Coleman Hawkins and His Orchestra (Crown, 1960)
The Hawk Swings (Crown, 1961) – recorded in 1960
With Elvin Jones
Elvin! (Riverside, 1962) – recorded in 1961–62
And Then Again (Atlantic, 1965)
Midnight Walk (Atlantic, 1966)
Mr. Jones (Blue Note, 1973) – recorded in 1972
With Oliver Nelson
More Blues and the Abstract Truth (Impulse!, 1965) – recorded in 1964
The Spirit of '67 with Pee Wee Russell (Impulse!, 1967)
With Shirley Scott
For Members Only (Impulse!, 1963)
Roll 'Em: Shirley Scott Plays the Big Bands (Impulse!, 1966)
With Sonny Stitt
Sonny Stitt Plays Arrangements from the Pen of Quincy Jones (Roost, 1955)
Stitt Goes Latin (Roost, 1963)
Broadway Soul (Colpix, 1965)
Goin' Down Slow (Prestige, 1972)
With Ben Webster
Soulmates (with Joe Zawinul) (Riverside, 1963)
See You at the Fair (Impulse, 1964)
With Frank Wess
Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me (Prestige, 1963)
Opus de Blues (Savoy, 1984) – recorded in 1959
With others
Pepper Adams, Pepper Adams Plays the Compositions of Charlie Mingus (Workshop Jazz, 1964) – recorded in 1963
Manny Albam, Brass on Fire (Sold State, 1966)
Louis Armstrong, Louis Armstrong and His Friends (Flying Dutchman/Amsterdam, 1971) – recorded in 1970
Al Cohn, Four Brass One Tenor (RCA Victor, 1955)
Lou Donaldson, Sassy Soul Strut (1973)
Kenny Drew, Lite Flite (SteepleChase, 1977)
Curtis Fuller, Imagination (Savoy, 1960) – recorded in 1959
Herbie Hancock, Speak Like a Child (Blue Note, 1968)
Milt Jackson, For Someone I Love (Riverside, 1963)
J. J. Johnson, J.J.! (RCA Victor, 1965) – recorded in 1964
Osie Johnson, Swingin' Sounds (Jazztone, 1955)
Hank Jones, Groovin' High (Muse, 1978)
Yusef Lateef, Yusef Lateef's Detroit (Atlantic, 1969)
Charles Mingus, The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus (Bethlehem, 1955) – recorded in 1954
Billy Mitchell, A Little Juicy (Smash, 1964) – recorded in 1963
Thelonious Monk, 5 by Monk by 5 (1959)
James Moody, Great Day (Argo, 1963)
Houston Person, Houston Express (Prestige, 1971)
Paul Quinichette, The Kid From Denver (Dawn, 1956)
Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Open House! (Riverside, 1963)
McCoy Tyner, Today and Tomorrow (Impulse!, 1964) – recorded in 1963-64
Joe Williams, At Newport '63 (RCA Victor, 1963)
Phil Woods, Round Trip (Verve, 1969)
Various Artists, Leonard Feather's West Coast Vs. East Coast Allstars -- A Battle Of Jazz (MGM, 1956)
As arranger
With Harry James
New Versions Of Down Beat Favorites (MGM E4265/SE4265, 1965)
Our Leader! (Dot DLP 3801/DLP 25801, 1967)
The King James Version (Sheffield Lab LAB 3, 1976)
Comin' From A Good Place (Sheffield Lab LAB 6, 1977)
Still Harry After All These Years (Sheffield Lab LAB 11, 1979)
References
External links
[ That Jones at Allmusic.com]
1923 births
1986 deaths
Bebop trumpeters
Mainstream jazz trumpeters
Post-bop trumpeters
Hard bop trumpeters
Jazz arrangers
United States Army personnel of World War II
American jazz bandleaders
Big band bandleaders
American jazz trumpeters
American male trumpeters
American jazz composers
American male jazz composers
American expatriates in Denmark
American music arrangers
African-American musicians
Musicians from Copenhagen
Musicians from Pontiac, Michigan
Grammy Award winners
Deaths from bone cancer
Count Basie Orchestra members
Blue Note Records artists
20th-century American composers
Burials at Vestre Cemetery, Copenhagen
Deaths from cancer in Denmark
American emigrants to Denmark
DR Big Band members
Jazz musicians from Michigan
The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra members
Orchestra U.S.A. members
20th-century jazz composers
20th-century American male musicians