Woody Sonship Theus
Woody "Sonship" Theus (* 21st June 1952 in Los Angeles as Woodrew Theus II ; † 18th March 2011 ) was an American drummer of modern jazz , in particular by its intense cymbal work noticed.
Live and act
Theus was already playing the flute , violin , trumpet and piano at the age of twelve, but then decided on drums. Influenced by the album Sun Ship by John Coltrane , he adopted the name "Sonship" in 1970 for religious reasons. In the same year he recorded a first album (Harold Johnson Wide Open ) and played regularly with his schoolmate Larry Nash in a jazz club. While he was still in high school, John Klemmer and Bobby Hutcherson brought him in to perform; he was also involved in Harold Land's album Choma (Burn) . Since 1972 he has given concerts with Charles Lloyd , with whom he recorded several albums; Since 1982 he became known to a European audience on several tours with Lloyd's Quartet, to which Michel Petrucciani belonged at the time . In 1973 he also worked with Woody Shaw , then with Eddie Henderson . He has also performed with McCoy Tyner ( The Greeting , 1978), John McLaughlin (with the One Truth Band at the Montreux Jazz Festival ), Freddie Hubbard , Michal Urbaniak and Pharoah Sanders . Since the mid-1980s, a kidney disease prevented him from going on tour regularly. He was still working on recordings by Horace Tapscott ( Octet Live , 1987), Michael Session ( 'n Session , 1990), Harold Land ( Damisi , 1991), the Jazz Symphonics James Newton ( Suite for Frida Kahlo , 1993) and Wadada Leo Smith ( Golden Hearts Remembrance ). In 2004 a benefit concert took place for him in Los Angeles.
Discographic notes
- Woody Shaw Song of Songs ( Contemporary 1973, with Emanuel Boyd, Bennie Maupin , Ramon Morris, George Cables , Henry Franklin )
- Horace Tapscott Live at Lobero (Nimbus West 1981, with Roberto Miranda)
- Charles Lloyd Montreux '82 ( Elektra 1982, with Michel Petrucciani, Palle Danielsson )
Web links
- Obituary (Modern Drummer)
- Entry (Jazzindex, as Sunship Theus )
- Woody Sonship Theus at Discogs (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Sometimes there is also the spelling "Sunship"
- ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, March 18, 2014)
- ^ Sonship Theus Benefit in Los Angeles , All About Jazz November 3, 2004
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Theus, Woody Sonship |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Theus, Woodrow II (real name); Theus, Sunship; Theus, Son Ship |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 21, 1952 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | los Angeles |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 18, 2011 |