Thad Jones

Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists."[1]

For the New Orleans music historian, see Tad Jones.

Thad Jones
Thad Jones
Background information
Birth nameThaddeus Joseph Jones
Born(1923-03-28)March 28, 1923
Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
DiedAugust 20, 1986(1986-08-20) (aged 63)
Copenhagen, Denmark
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger, bandleader
InstrumentsTrumpet, cornet, flugelhorn
Years active1954-1986
LabelsA&M, Blue Note, Debut
Associated actsCount Basie, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk

Biography

Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on March 28, 1923, to Henry and Olivia Jones, a musical family of 10 (an older brother was pianist Hank Jones and a younger brother was drummer Elvin Jones). A self-taught musician, Thad began performing professionally at the age of 16. He served in U.S. Army bands during World War II (1943–46).

After his military service, which included an association with the U.S. Military School of Music and working with area bands in Des Moines and Oklahoma City, Jones became a member of the Count Basie Orchestra in May 1954. He was featured as a soloist on such well-known tunes as "April in Paris", "Shiny Stockings" and "Corner Pocket". However, his main contribution to Basie's organization was nearly two dozen arrangements and compositions, which included "The Deacon", "H.R.H." (Her Royal Highness — in honor of the band's command performance in London), "Counter Block", and lesser known tracks such as "Speaking of Sounds". His hymn-like ballad "To You" was performed by the Basie band combined with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in their only recording together, and the recording Dance Along With Basie contains nearly an entire album of Jones' uncredited arrangements of standard tunes.

In 1959 Jones played cornet on Thelonious Monk's 5 by Monk by 5 album.

Jones left the Basie Orchestra in 1963 to become a freelance arranger and musician in New York City. In 1965 he and drummer Mel Lewis formed the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. The group started with informal late-night jam sessions among New York's top studio musicians. They began performing at the Village Vanguard in February 1966, to wide acclaim, and continued with Jones in the lead for 12 years. They won a 1978 Grammy Award for their album Live in Munich.[2] Jones also taught at William Paterson College in New Jersey, which is now the site of the Thad Jones Archive, containing pencil scores and vintage photos as part of the Living Jazz Archives.

In January 1979,[3] Thad suddenly moved to Copenhagen, Denmark (to the great surprise of his New York bandmates), where several other U.S. jazz musicians had gone to live. There he became the leader of The Danish Radio Big Band, and married a Danish woman (Lis). Jones transformed the Danish Radio Big Band into one of the world's best. The result can be heard on a live-recording from the Montmartre in Copenhagen. In July 1979 Jones formed a new big band, Eclipse, with which he recorded a live album, Eclipse.[4] Several Americans were on the album: pianist Horace Parlan, baritonist Sahib Shihab, trumpeter Tim Hagans and trombonist/vocalist Richard B. Boone, along with trombonists Bjarne Thanning and Ture Larsen, trumpeter Lars Togeby, altoists Ole Thøger and Michael Hove, tenor saxophonist Bent Jædig, and Jesper Lundgaard on bass. Jones further composed for the Danish Radio Big Band and taught jazz at the Royal Danish Conservatory in Copenhagen. He studied composition formally during this period, and also took up the valve trombone.

In February 1985, Jones returned to the U.S. to take over the leadership of the Count Basie Orchestra, upon his former leader's death. Thad fronted the Basie band on numerous tours, also writing arrangements for recordings and performances with vocalist Caterina Valente and the Manhattan Transfer, but had to step down due to ill health. He returned to his home in Copenhagen for the last few months of his life, and died of cancer on August 20, 1986, at Herlev Hospital.[5] In later years his playing ability was diminished due to lip injury, but his composing and arranging skills blossomed.[5] His best-known composition is the standard "A Child Is Born".

At the time of his death, Jones had a six-year-old son, also named Thad (Thaddeus Joseph William Jones), with his wife Lis Jones. He had a daughter Thedia and a son Bruce in the U.S. He was buried in Copenhagen's Vestre Kirkegård Cemetery (Western Churchyard Cemetery).[6]

Thad Jones has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Thad Jones Vej" (Thad Jones Street).

Discography

As leader or co-leader

With the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra
  • Opening Night (2000) Alan Grant Presents
  • Presenting Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra (1966) Solid State Records
  • Presenting Joe Williams and Thad Jones / Mel Lewis, The Jazz Orchestra (1966) Solid State
  • Live at the Village Vanguard (1967) Solid State
  • The Big Band Sound of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Featuring Miss Ruth Brown (1968) Solid State
  • Monday Night (1968) Solid State
  • Central Park North (1969) Solid State
  • Basle, 1969 (recorded 1969, released 1996) TCB Music
  • Consummation (1970) Solid State / Blue Note
  • Live in Tokyo (1974) Denon Jazz
  • Potpourri (1974) Philadelphia International
  • Thad Jones / Mel Lewis and Manuel De Sica (1974) Pausa
  • Suite for Pops (1975) Horizon / A&M
  • New Life: Dedicated to Max Gordon (1975) A&M
  • Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra With Rhoda Scott aka Rhoda Scott in New York with... (1976)
  • Live in Munich (1976) Horizon / A&M
  • It Only Happens Every Time (1977) EMI Records – with Monica Zetterlund
  • Body and Soul aka Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra in Europe (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Berlin
  • A Touch of Class (1978) West Wind Jazz – Live in Warsaw

As sideman

With Pepper Adams

With Manny Albam

With Louis Armstrong

With Count Basie

With Bob Brookmeyer

With Kenny Burrell

With Al Cohn

With Lou Donaldson

With Kenny Drew

With Curtis Fuller

With Dexter Gordon

With Herbie Hancock

With Coleman Hawkins

With Milt Jackson

With J. J. Johnson

With Osie Johnson

  • Swingin' Sounds (Jazztone, 1955)

With Elvin Jones

With Hank Jones

With Yusef Lateef

With Charles Mingus

With Billy Mitchell

With Thelonious Monk

With James Moody

With Oliver Nelson

With Houston Person

With Houston Person

With Paul Quinichette

  • The Kid From Denver (Dawn, 1956)

With Shirley Scott

With Johnny "Hammond" Smith

  • Open House! (Riverside, 1963)

With Sonny Stitt

With McCoy Tyner

With Various Artists

  • Leonard Feather's West Coast Vs. East Coast Allstars -- A Battle Of Jazz (MGM, 1956)

With Ben Webster

With Frank Wess

With Joe Williams

With Phil Woods

As arranger

With Harry James

  • New Versions Of Down Beat Favorites (MGM E4265/SE4265, 1965)[8]
  • Our Leader! (Dot DLP 3801/DLP 25801, 1967)[8]
  • The King James Version (Sheffield Lab LAB 3, 1976)[8]
  • Comin' From A Good Place (Sheffield Lab LAB 6, 1977)[8]
  • Still Harry After All These Years (Sheffield Lab LAB 11, 1979)[8]
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References
  1. Barnhart, Scotty (2005). The World of Jazz Trumpet: A Comprehensive History & Practical Philosophy. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 220. ISBN 978-0634095276.
  2. LA Times, "The Envelope" awards database. (link) Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  3. Smith, Chris (2014). The View From The Back Of The Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis. University of North Texas Press. p. 196-198. ISBN 978-1-57441-653-4.
  4. A Review of Thad Jones' Eclipse Jazztimes, Edition January/February 2005, reviewed by Harvey Siders.
  5. Lis Jones
  6. Reuters. Award-winning poet honored by peers, The Globe and Mail. August 22, 1986.
  7. Thad Jones Eclipse Almusic
  8. "Thad Jones Discography". The Living Jazz Archives, William Paterson University. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
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