Charles McPherson

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Charles McPherson 2006, 106th and Broadway

Charles McPherson (born July 24, 1939 in Joplin , Missouri ) is an American jazz musician ( alto saxophone , tenor saxophone , flute ).

Life and work

McPherson grew up in Detroit . He started playing the flugelhorn in school (because no other instrument was available). At the age of 13 he switched to the alto saxophone and a little later received lessons in harmony from Barry Harris , in whose band he also played. After studying at the Larry Teal School of Music , McPherson moved to New York City in 1959 , where he met Harris and the trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer , who was also from Detroit . With Hillyer, he joined Charles Mingus in 1960 . With interruptions he played in Mingus' band until 1972, toured with him through Europe, played at the Berlin Jazz Days and took part in the recordings of various albums (including Mingus , Town Hall Concert , Music Written for Monterey , Let My Children Hear Music , Blue Bird and the concerts Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert 1972 and Mingus at Carnegie Hall , 1974).

He also appeared with Harris, played for Art Farmer , Bobby Jones and Lionel Hampton and was able to record his first own record in 1964. In 1967 he won the Down Beat Poll for saxophonists, who deserve further attention. After further records he played at the Newport Jazz Festival and appeared again in 1974 with Mingus at Carnegie Hall , in whose big band production Me, Myself An Eye (1978) he was also involved. In 1976 he played with Ronnie Scott 's in London. In the next few years he appeared with Dexter Gordon and Howard McGhee , but also with Nat Adderley , with Charlie Shoemake or with Toshiko Akiyoshi and turned to neobop . In 2012 he leads a joint quintet with Tom Harrell .

Since 1978 he has taught at the University of San Diego , but continued to perform; his son, drummer Chuck McPherson, became a member of his quartet. In Clint Eastwood's feature film Bird , he played those ensemble and solo parts of Charlie Parker for which original Parker recordings were not used. McPherson continued to record under his own name. In 2002 he played in the production "Scenes in the City - The Music of Charles Mingus" as a soloist with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra .

Discographic notes

literature

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personal data
SURNAME McPherson, Charles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz musician (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute)
DATE OF BIRTH July 24, 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH Joplin , Missouri