Frank Wess
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Frank Wess | |
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 Frank and Jimmy Owens (1977)
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| Background information | |
| Born | January 4, 1922 |
| Origin | Kansas City |
| Genre(s) | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute |
| Years active | 1950s - |
| Associated acts | Count Basie, Frank Foster, Hank Jones |
Frank Wess (born January 4, 1922 in Kansas City) is an American jazz musician, who has played saxophone (both alto and tenor) and flute. For his place in jazz flute history see
Contents |
[edit] Life and career
He began with classical music and played in Oklahoma. He later switched to jazz on moving to Washington, D. C. and by nineteen was working in the Big Bands. His career was interrupted during World War II although he did play with a military band in the period. On returning from service he joined Billy Eckstine's orchestra.[1]
[edit] With Count Basie
He returned to DC a few years after this and received a degree in flute at the city's Modern School Of Music. From 1953 he joined Count Basie's band, playing flute and tenor sax. He reverted to alto sax in the late '50s, and left Basie's band in 1964. From 1959 to 1964 he won Down Beat's critic poll for flute.[2]
[edit] ..and after
He was a member of Clark Terry's big band from 1967 into the '70s and played in the New York Quartet (with Roland Hanna).[3] Since then he has done a variety of TV shows and telethons.[4] In the '80s and '90s, he worked with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Buck Clayton, Benny Carter, Billy Taylor, Harry Edison, Mel Tormé, Ernestine Anderson, Louie Bellson, John Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Dick Hyman, Byron Stripling, Jane Jarvis, Frank Vignola[5] and was a featured member of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra.
In 2007 Wess was named an NEA Jazz Master by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts.
[edit] Selected recordings
- Jazz For Playboys (1956) with guitarist Kenny Burrell
- Wheelin' and Dealin' (1957) with John Coltrane and pianist Mal Waldron, who composed much of the music.
- Southern Comfort (1962)
- Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me (1963)
these two are now released on one CD, "The Long Road"
- Going Wess (1993) trio, Wess playing mainly tenor saxophone.
- Hank and Frank - (2002) with pianist Hank Jones, both men in their 80s.
Two for the Blues(with Frank Foster)
[edit] External links
- frankwess.org
- Down Beat magazine critic's poll winner (flute): 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964
- 2007 NEA Jazz Masters
