Ira Sullivan
Ira Brevard Sullivan, Jr. (* 1. May 1931 in Washington, DC ) is an American jazz musician ( trumpet , flugelhorn , saxophone , flute ) and composer of hard bop .
Live and act
Ira Sullivan learned the trumpet from his father and the saxophone from his mother. At the beginning of his musical career in the 1950s he was a member of the house orchestra of the jazz club The Bee Hive in Chicago and accompanied guest soloists such as Bennie Green , Lester Young , Roy Eldridge , Paul Quinichette , Sonny Stitt and Charlie Parker . He then worked for Bill Russo in 1955 and briefly at Art Blakey in 1956 , followed by recordings with JR Monterose in 1956 and Red Rodney in 1957.
In the early 1960s, Sullivan settled in Fort Lauderdale (Florida), played with local musicians - including Joe Gallivan and the young musicians Jaco Pastorius and Pat Metheny, and renounced an international career. In the mid-1970s, several recordings followed in quintet and quartet formations; Sullivan also worked on the recordings of Philly Joe Jones and Red Garland . In 1980 there was a re-encounter with Red Rodney and the formation of a quintet, thus giving Sullivan a stronger presence at international festivals.
His colleague Red Rodney describes his status as a multi-instrumentalist: “Ira has a different attitude towards each of his instruments, his flugelhorn style is completely different from that of the trumpet, his tenor entirely from his alto, his soprano is extremely modern, his flute magnificent. He can play as freely as the so-called free jazzers , but his music is always lyrical and has a melodic tendency ”. And Art Farmer noted, “Ira is a 'wizard'. It seems that everything he does becomes moving music. "
Discography (selection)
- As a leader
- Billy Taylor Introduces Ira Sullivan ( ABC Paramount , 1956)
- Nicky's Tune , 1958 ( Delmark Records , 1970)
- Bird Lives! ( Vee-Jay Records , 1962)
- Ira Sullivan ( Flying Fish Records , 1978)
- with Red Rodney:
- Night And Day , 1981, ( Muse Records , 1983)
- Spirit Within , 1981, ( Elektra / Musician , 1982)
- Sprint , 1982, (Elektra / Musician, 1983)
- As a sideman
- Red Rodney: Modern Music from Chicago ( Fantasy Records , 1955)
- Eddie Harris : Come on Down! ( Atlantic Records , 1970)
- Philly Joe Jones: Philly Mignon ( Galaxy Records , 1978)
- Red Rodney: Live At The Village Vanguard (Muse Records, 1980)
- Mike Reed : Stories and Negotiations ( 482 Music , 2010)
- Roberto Magris : Sun Stone (JMood, 2019)
Literature and Sources
- Bielefeld Jazz Catalog, 1988 and 2001.
- Richard Cook , Brian Morton : The Penguin Guide of Jazz on CD . 6th edition. Penguin, London 2002, ISBN 0-14-051521-6 .
- Martin Kunzler : Jazz Lexicon . Rowohlt, Reinbek 1993.
Web links
- Biography at Allmusic
- Extensive discography at jazzdiscography.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ Both quotations quoted. according to Kunzler, p. 1129
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sullivan, Ira |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sullivan, Ira Brevard junior (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 1, 1931 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Washington, DC |