The Great Sidemen

[Lyndon]

Kenny Kirkland
Billy Childs
Herbie Hancock
Larry Koonze

[Steve Reynolds]

that's it?

point being?

[Frisco]

Lou Costello
Ed McMahon
Robin

[lazy]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

that's it?

point being?

I prefer sidewomen!

[Tom K]

Piglet

[lazy]

Originally Posted by Tom K

Piglet

Yes indeed!!!
He was a great sideman for Pooh!






Isn't it ironic his nick is Winnie?..

[Dr Dave]

Let's get serious here. First, the obvious:

Art Taylor, who played on a jillion Blue Note sessions but wasn't featured as a leader until relatively late in life.

Billy Higgins.

Mulgrew Miller.

Ray Drummond.

Red Garland.

Jimmy Heath.

Come to think of it, Joe Henderson played on a lot of other people's sessions.

The inimitable, irreplacable Hank Jones.

so many more...

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Come to think of it, Joe Henderson played on a lot of other people's sessions.

I like Henderson's own dates well enough, but of the ones I've heard except for 'State of the Tenor' I've preferred his work as a sideman.

[bostontricky]

Originally Posted by Sergio Zamora

I like Henderson's own dates well enough, but of the ones I've heard except for 'State of the Tenor' I've preferred his work as a sideman.

I feel the same way about Freddie Hubbard as a sideman, but maybe more for some of the albums he was in on: Free Jazz, Blues and the Abstract Truth, Out To Lunch, Speak No Evil, Ascension, Dialogue, Mosaic, Maiden Voyage...that's a tremendous range of material there as well.

[clinthopson]

I think of players like Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson as "front line" players even when they're in somebody else's band.

In fact, my concept of sidemen are they players who fill out a big band's sections and who rarely took solos.

Like, Chris Griffin, Charlie Fowlkes, Billy May, Ray Linn, Jack Nimitz, etc. etc. They took an occcasional solo but for the most part were supporting players for the star soloists.

I don't think of rhythm section players as sidemen, they are the foundation of the band.

Ellington didn't have many sidemen, virtually all of his players were virtuosos.

That's just my opinion.

[lazy]

Originally Posted by clinthopson

I think of players like Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson as "front line" players even when they're in somebody else's band.

In fact, my concept of sidemen are they players who fill out a big band's sections and who rarely took solos.

Like, Chris Griffin, Charlie Fowlkes, Billy May, Ray Linn, Jack Nimitz, etc. etc. They took an occcasional solo but for the most part were supporting players for the star soloists.

I don't think of rhythm section players as sidemen, they are the foundation of the band.

Ellington didn't have many sidemen, virtually all of his players were virtuosos.

That's just my opinion.

I agree very much with what you said yet one could be also a virtuoso and a sideman. It's not a contradiction. The best sideman IMO is also able of leading his own groups but contributes to a partnership something unique which gets the most out of the rest.

Jim Hall is that kind of player.
Wayne Shorter is an amazing sideman. His work with Blakey, Miles and Weather Report prooves it.

[saltwatersnow]

mark wastell is the great sideman of eai

[burning dog]

Joe Henderson on Basra, Unity and The Real McCoy was a major reason for the great music, he also played with distinction on Song For My Father and many others. Wynton Kelly also appeared on other players "classic" albums.

Of the contemporary "out" players, William Parker is always a great asset to any band, and of the "young" lions, Jeff "Tain" Watts.

If you are talking about players who rarely made records under their own name you will be mostly talking about bass players and drummers. Paul Chambers, Richard Davis, Roy Haynes etc.

And as somebody mentioned Billy Higgins

[LeMo]

Originally Posted by burning dog

Joe Henderson on Basra, Unity and The Real McCoy was a major reason for the great music, he also played with distinction on Song For My Father.

Yes, indeed.

[graypencil]

Along with the concept of "great sidemen", you've got to include the very essential section lead players and "straw bosses" of the big bands:

Marshall Royal with Basie was the consummate lead alto and straw boss .. Same with Jerome Richardson, Dick Oatts, and Jerry Dodgion with the Jones/ Lewis/ Vanguard band..

Lead Trumpet guys like Conrad Gozzo, Bernie Glow, Al Porcino, and today ,Wayne Bergeron and Rick Baptiste..

Bone guys like Urbie Green, Butter Burgess, Kai Winding, Gil Fallco, and Andy Martin..

And lets not forget the "New York house rhythm secion " of the 50s/60s ..who made hundreds of jazz albums:

Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson and Hank Jones ..

[Gary Sisco]

Wynton Marsalis

[JazzAt52ndStreet]

Wynton?..I definatly consider him a front line player.

Joe Chambers
George Coleman
Paul Desmond

[Steve Reynolds]

point missed

[bostontricky]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

point missed

Tribute where tribute is due:

Don Zimmer
Mel Stottlemyre

[Steve Reynolds]

nothing like another picture of the fucking GERBIL

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by JazzAt52ndStreet

Wynton?..I definatly consider him a front line player.

He was real good in that Tain Watts album from a few years ago.

[Gary Sisco]

He always sounds at his best on other people's records. There, he just has to play. On his own, he apparently thinks he has to make some kind of point. He doesn't. That is, he doesn't, and he doesn't have to. Seems like he can just relax and play when on other people's dates. That's why I included him.

Actually, the category makes no sense anyway, as nearly every "great" sideman has also been a leader, and vice versa.

[al j]

Butch Fucking Warren

[Lois Gilbert]

Kind of a broad notion for a thread. Now if you want to talk about the best "sidepeople" on piano, or bass or drums or any other instruments, that's a different story

[José Domingos Raffaelli]

Harry Carney
Lawrence Brown
Cootie Williams
Johnny Hodges
Jimmy Blanton
Jo Jones
Walter Page
Freddie Greene
Paul Chambers
Dannie Richmond
Willie Smith
Wardell Gray
Serge Chaloff
Wardell Gray
Sam Jones
Charlie Shavers
Scott LaFaro
Eddie Gomez
Al Haig
Duke Jordan
Barney Bigard

[crawjo]

[doc wilko]

Uh, Ron Carter, or is he inadmissable because he did record as a leader? I wonder whether he makes everybody sound great? He certainly sounds good with McCoy Tyner and also with Joey Baron. And he wasn't too shabby with Tony Williams.

[Surfer]

Isnt Dolphy the ultimate sideman?

[Elliot]

Did I miss it, or has no one mentioned Paul Chambers, who was seemingly on every single jazz session in the 1950s?

Originally Posted by Surfer

Isnt Dolphy the ultimate sideman?

Yep!

He and Richard Davis. *THE* greatest sidemen of all time.