David "Fathead" Newman (1933-2009): The Last Decades

David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): Zijn vroegste jaren (Nederlands) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): De laatste twintig jaren. (Nederlands) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): His early days in music. (English) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): The last decades of his career. (English)

A (limited) list of tunes played by Fathead Newman.

Hank Crawford R.I.P.

DAVID "FATHEAD" NEWMAN (1933-2009): The Last Decades Of His Career.

Hans Koert

Last week we got the sad news that David Newman, known as David "Fathead" Newman , passed away on the age of 75. He was one of my favourite tenor saxophone player I heard in concert eleven years ago and love to commemorate him in this two-part blog. The first part is titled: David "Fathead" Newman (1933-2009): His Early Days in Music and the second: David "Fathead" Newman (1933-2009): The Last Decades Of His Career. James Clay - Cookin'at the Continental (Antilles 314-510 724 (1992)
The concert, eleven years ago, was with Houston Person as well, in a series of concert titled Boss Tenors accompanied by the Rein De Graaff Trio ( Rein De Graaff – Koos Serierse and Eric Ineke). I remember this concert, the first day of February 1998 at the Porgy en Bess Jazz Club in Terneuzen, in the southwest part of The Netherlands, as a very inspiring one. As far as I know this tour was never recorded (although I do have some airshots from a concert of this group from the 5th of February 1998 at the Boerenhofstede in Laren ( centre of The Netherlands), but a previous tour (1990) with David Fathead Newman and Marchel Ivery and the same Dutch rhythm section was released on an album titled Blue Greens & Beans.

The two "Boss Tenors" at the Porgy en Bess - Terneuzen concert. f.l.t.r. Fathead Newman and Houston Person ( February 1998) (photo courtesy: Hans Koert)

In fact Rein had invited James Clay to play besides Fathead Newman, but two weeks before the tour should start, he had to go to hospital for a surgery. Both James Clay as Fathead Newman had been students on the same high school in Dallas. Fathead Newman recorded some tracks with James Clay, who plays the tenor sax too, in a 1991 recording titled Cookin’ At The Continental. Also a young Roy Hargrove played some tracks (Sister Sadie and Moanin’) on this album. (Didn't Roy actually grew up in Dallas too?)

Kansas City Band - KC After Dark (More music from Robert Altman's Kansas City) (Verve 537322) (1997)

Roy loved to have Fathead Newman on his recordings. You can find David on the Vibe album (1992) and Family (1995) and much later on his 2005 funky styled RH Factor album Distractions. David Fathead Newman also played the flute and that’s not one of my favourite instruments; I like him playing the saxophone. The 1994 album Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool is a tribute to Duke Ellington which surprises because of the use of a bass (Peter Washington) and a piccolo bass ( played by Ron Carter).

David "Fathead" Newman - Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool - A Tribute to Duke Ellington ( Kokopelli KOKO 1300). With autograph!

In the mid 1990s Fathead Newman was one of the members to play in the movie soundtrack of Kansas City and I love to share with you a fragment of the tune Indiana as played in a "jam session" with the Hey Hey Club All-Stars (or Kansas City Band) featuring Fathead Newman on the alto sax, Geri Allen on piano, Christian McBride on bass and Victor Lewis on drums: Indiana.

"Fathead" Newman (Porgy en Bess - Terneuzen (The Netherlands) (February 1998) (photo courtesy Hans Koert)
Love to finish this small homage to David Fathead Newman with a film fragment made during a 2005 recording session for the new album by Freddy Cole titled This Love of Mine. This fragment was used in the documentary The Cole Nobody Knows

A great saxophone player has passed away ....: David Fathead Newman (1933-2009)

Hans Koert - keepswinging@love.nl

Hank Crawford (1934-2009)

In the first part of this contribution, posted in David "Fathead" Newman (1933-2009): His Early Days In Music, I talked about his cooperation with Hank Crawford. Yesterday I learned, that Bennie Ross Crawford, Jr., Hank for friends, passed away last Thursday (29th of January 2009), aged 75 years too, a few days after his close friend and colleague Fathead Newman.

An (incomplete) list of tunes played by FATHEAD NEWMAN:
A more complete discography is to be found here .
dream bags - ray charles band (541100)
ain't misbehavin' - ray charles band (5611200
blues waltz - ray charles with the raylets (5807050
hard times / willow weep for me – ray charles band (581105)
it had to be you - ray charles band ( 590623)
sonic boom / fathead / mercenary / mumbo jumbo / sneaky pete- lee morgan quintet (670428)
clincher - david "fathead" newman sextet ( 701103)
jubilee craw / precious lord / roadhouse symphony / say it isn't so / sugar ditch / time is on our side / tragick magick - hank crawford band ( 850405)
four buster - david "fathead" newman sextet ( 860000)
candy - david "fathead" newman - dr. john ( 890900)
skylark - david fathead newman-rein de graaff trio ( 900501)
blue greens & beans / good bait / montana banana / night in tunesia / wide open spaces - marchel ivery-david fathead newman-rein de graaff trio ( 900501 )
cookin' at the continental / wide open spaces / moanin' / sister sadie - james clay sextet ( 910618 )
alter ego - roy hargrove quintet (920100)
almost cried / azure / come sunday / creole love call / don't get around much anymore / happy reunion / i let a song go out of my heart / jeep's blues / mr. gentle & mr. Cool / prelude to a kiss / what am i here for? - david "fathead" newman sextet ( 940627)
nearness of you / thirteenth floor - roy hargrove quintet ( 950126 )
blues in the dark / cherokee / froggie bottom / harvard blues / i left my baby / indiana / king porter stomp / moten swing / prince of wails / st louis blues – kansas city band ( or hey hey club all-stars) ( 950511)
all the things you are / all the things you are - pete christlieb-david fathead newman-toon roos-reinn de graaff trio ( 960400 )
sky blues / under a woodstock moon blue - david "fathead" newman sextet ( 960617 )
delilah scot - shirley scott trio (960711)
softly as in a morning sunrise / blue bossa / blues up and down / pennies from heaven / you changed- david fathead newman-houston person-rein de graaff trio ( 980205 )

fast lane - david fathead newman quintet (20030000 )
out in the cold again / this love of mine - freddy cole quintet (20050215 )
bu bop bass / flankin / flower is a lonesome thing / goldfinger / here comes sonny man / it was a very good year / pharoah's gold / sneakin' in / suki duki - david fathead newman septet ( 20050817)
can't stop / distractions ( intro) / distractions-2 / distractions-3 / distractions-4 / family / on the one - roy hargrove rh factor (20051000)
Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

Some sites you should visit too:
Sounds From The Heart - Danilo Brito Daniel Volovets The Paull Sisters Oscar Alemán Flexible Records Latest Keep Swinging News Letter

David "Fathead" Newman (1933-2009): His Early Days In Music

David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): Zijn vroegste jaren (Nederlands) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): De laatste twintig jaren. (Nederlands) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): His early days in music. (English) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): The last decades of his career. (English)

A (selective) David "Fathead" Newman discography

Hank Crawford R.I.P.

David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): His Early Days In Music.
Hans Koert
Last week we got the sad news that David Newman, better known as David Fathead, Newman, passed away on the age of 75 years. He was one of my favourite tenor saxophone player I heard in concert, for the first time, eleven years ago at the Porgy en Bess Jazz Club in Terneuzen ( in the southwest part of The Netherlands) and love to commemorate him in this two-part blog. The first part is dedicated to his early career; the second part to the last two decades.



David "Fathead" Newman. (Porgy en Bess, Terneuzen - The Netherlands), February 1998) (photo courtesy: Hans Koert)
David “Fathead” Newman was born in Corsicana, Texas in February 1933, but he was raised in Dallas. There he went to Lincoln High School. It was around that time that he got his nickname Fathead, which means in American slang that you are a stupid person. He got that name from his music teacher because he played in the school band at a rehearsal with his sheet music upside down on the music stand.
He went to the Jarvis Christian College to study theology and music. He finished his study to become a full time professional jazz player in the band of Buster Smith, nicknamed The Professor, followed by the band of Red Connors. With these bands the played at dance gigs and one-nighters all all-round the south eastern states of the US He also played in Rhythm & Blues bands, which were very popular in those days, like Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker. Ray Charles and his Orchestra in 1960. Fathead Newman is, almost hidden, behind the second Raelett from the left.
He learned Ray Charles while playing in those bands and when Ray started his own band, David was asked to join; first on baritone saxophone, later on the tenor sax. So he did and he played in the Ray Charles band for a decade being his main saxophone player. It must have been with this band ( incl. The Raeletts) that David visited The Netherlands for the very first time (I didn't found the complete line-up). On the 11th of May 1963 this band performed in the Houtrusthallen in The Hague and the RAI in Amsterdam. Three month later they’re back again, now for a concert at the Kurhaus in Scheveningen ( near The Hague). Ray Charles at the RAI concert in Amsterdam. ( 11th of May, 1963) ( photo courtesy Nico Van Der Stam)
Love to share with you a 1963 fragment of that band, which shows David in a short solo, near the end of the tune Just A Little Lovin'.

In November 1958 he makes the first recordings under his own name, titled Fathead on the Atlantic label; a lot of recordings will follow. In my collection I do have the 1967 Blue Note Sonic Boom in which David Fathead Newman plays the tenor saxophone in the Lee Morgan Quintet and another album with the Hank Crawford Orchestra, with David on saxophone, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Dr. John on piano and Houston Person on tenor saxophone.

Hank Crawford and Fathead Newman Hank Crawford was in the Ray Charles band too that visited the Netherlands. David made a lot of great recordings with Hank Crawford, who even joined him in his first Atlantic recording Fathead mentioned above. I played myself their 1985 Roadhouse Symphony album, which was made in honour of the 1950s Ray Charles recordings with some groovy tracks like the title tune Roadhouse Symphony or Tragick Magick. (to be continued)
Hans Koert - keepswinging@live.nl


The second part is titled: David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): The Last Decades Of His Career.

Hank Crawford (1934-2009)

In this first part I talked about Fathead Newman's cooperation with Hank Crawford. Yesterday I learned, that Bennie Ross Crawford, Jr., Hank for friends, passed away two days earlier, Thursday the 29th of January 2009, aged 75 years too, a few days after his close friend and colleague Fathead Newman.

A (SELECTIVE) DISCOGRAPHY OF DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN
(as I found in my collection).
You can find a more extensive and complete discography on David Fathead Newman’s own site.

freddie green/king of rhythm session ( = 1 track: as ray charles orchestra)(1959)
les tresors du city jazz 1956/CD 64 (= 1 track as ray charles orchestra) (1956)
lee morgan/sonic boom ( 1967)
rein de graaff/confirmation (1996)
hank crawford/roadhouse symphony (1985)
james clay/cookin' at the continental (1991)
roy hargrove/the vibe (1992)
kansas city band/ a robert altman film ( 1995)
kansas city band/ kc after dark (1995)
roy hargrove/family (1995)
david fathead newman-marchel ivery-rein de graaff trio/blue greens & beans (1990)
david "fathead"newman/mr. gentle mr. cool (1994)
david fathead newman/cityscape (2005)
rh factor/distractions (2005)

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl


Some sites you should have seen before leaving this page:
David "Fathead" Newman site Boss Tenors (Concert Fathead Newman en Houston Person) Now's The Time Oscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Keep Swinging News letter Keep Swinging Contributions

David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): Zijn vroegste jaren

David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): Zijn vroegste jaren (Nederlands) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): De laatste twintig jaren. (Nederlands) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): His early days in music. (English) David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): The last decades of his career. (English)
Een (selectieve) David "Fathead" Newman discografie
Hank Crawford R.I.P.

David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): Zijn vroegste jaren.
Hans Koert
Afgelopen week overleed saxofonist en fluitist David Newman, beter bekend onder de naam David Fathead Newman, op 75 jarige leeftijd. Hij was één van mijn favoriete saxofonisten, die ik elf jaar geleden voor het eerst live hoorde spelen tijdens een tournee met het Rein De Graaff Trio in Porgy en Bess, Terneuzen. In twee blogs wil ik iets over zijn leven en muziek vertellen. Vandaag het eerste deel over het begin van zijn carrière bij o.a. de Ray Charles band. Deel twee heet: David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009): De laatste twintig jaren, over de laatste 20 jaren.

David "Fathead" Newman. (Porgy en Bess, Terneuzen, februari 1998) (foto: Hans Koert)
David “Fathead” Newman werd geboren in Corsicana, Texas in februari 1933, maar hij groeide op in Dallas. Daar bezocht hij de Lincoln High School. Het was tijdens zijn studie op die school dat hij zijn bijnaam Fathead kreeg, dat in American slang, Bargoens zo je wilt, zo iets als sukkel betekent. Zijn muziekleraar noemde hem zo, toen hij eens tijdens een repetitie van het schoolorkest met zijn bladmuziek ondersteboven op de lessenaar zat te spelen; toen al speelde en improviseerde hij uit zijn hoofd.

Na zijn middelbare school ging hij naar het Jarvis Christian College om theologie te studeren, maar maakte die studie niet af en ging als muzikant aan de slag bij het orkest van Buster Smith, bijgenaamd de Professor. Daarna speelde hij ook nog eens bij Connors, waardoor hij in het schnabbel circuit terechtkwam van dansavonden in de parochiezaal tot optredens in de kroeg. Hij ging ook spelen in Rhythm & Blues bands, zoals die van Lowell Fulson en T-Bone Walker, die erg populair waren in die dagen. Ray Charles and his Orchestra in 1960. Fathead Newman zit gedeeltelijk verstopt achter de tweede Raelett van link.

Daar leerde hij Ray Charles kennen en toen Ray een eigen band oprichtte werd hij gevraagd om er bij te komen; eerst als baritonsaxofonist, later op tenor. Met deze band moet hij in mei 1963 ook in Nederland opgetreden hebben ( al heb ik de precieze bezetting niet kunnen achterhalen), in de Houtrusthallen in Den Haag en in de RAI in Amsterdam. Drie maanden later is de band van Ray Charles weer terug in Nederland; dan voor een concert in het Kurhaus in Scheveningen.

Ray Charles tijdens het concert in de RAI, Amsterdam ( 11 mei 1963) ( foto Nico van der Stam)

Ik vind het leuk om uit die periode een fragment te laten zien, waarin we de band van Ray Charles zien optreden met een tenorsolo van David Fathead Newman: Just A Little Lovin'

In november 1958 maakte hij zijn eerste opnamen op het Atlantic label onder eigen naam, getiteld Fathead en daarna zouden nog heel wat opnamen volgen. Ik heb mijn verzameling eens omgekeerd en kwam o.a. een Blue Note met het Lee Morgan Quintet tegen met een opname uit 1967 getiteld Sonic Boom, waarin Fathead Newman tenorsax speelt.
Hank Crawford en Fathead Newman

Een andere plaat is die met het Hank Crawford Orkest, waarin Fathead Newman op tenor, Randy Brecker op trompet, Dr. John aan de toetsen en Houston Person, die eveneens op de tenor te horen is. Hank Crawford (altsax)zat samen met Fathead Newman in het Ray Charles-orkest en bezocht ook in 1963 Nederland. Fathead maakte prachtige opnamen met Hank Crawford, die ook present was op de eerder genoemde Atlantic LP Fathead. Ik heb enkele nummers van hun Roadhouse Symphony album gespeeld, een eerbetoon aan hun periode bij Ray Charles (Precious Lord and Tragick Magick). (wordt vervolgd)

Hans Koert

Hank Crawford (1934-2009)

Op de dag dat ik deze blog publiceerde, donderdag 29 januari 2009, overleed Hank Crawford. In deze bijdrage heb ik over de samenwerking tussen Fathead en Hank gesproken. Bennie Ross Crawford, Jr., Hank voor zijn vrienden, overleed een paar dagen na zijn collega en vriend Fathead Newman eveneens op de leeftijd van 75 jaar.

EEN (SELECTIEVE) DISCOGRAFIE VAN DAVID FATHEAD NEWMAN
(zoals ik die in mijn verzameling heb gevonden).

Je vindt een uitgebreide discografie op David Fathead Newman’s eigen site:

freddie green/king of rhythm session ( = 1 track: as ray charles orchestra)(1959)
les tresors du city jazz 1956/CD 64 (= 1 track as ray charles orchestra) (1956)
lee morgan/sonic boom ( 1967)
rein de graaff/confirmation (1996)
hank crawford/roadhouse symphony (1985)
james clay/cookin' at the continental (1991)
roy hargrove/the vibe (1992)
kansas city band/ a robert altman film ( 1995)

kansas city band/kc after dark (1995)
roy hargrove/family (1995)
david fathead newman-marchel ivery-rein de graaff trio/blue greens & beans (1990)
david "fathead"newman/mr. gentle mr. cool (1994)
david fathead newman/cityscape (2005)
rh factor/distractions (2005)

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

Een aantal linken die je ook gezien moet hebben:
David "Fathead" Newman site Boss Tenors (Concert Fathead Newman en Houston Person) Now's The Time Daniel Volovets Oscar Aleman Choro Music Flexible Records Hit of the Week-Durium Keep Swinging News letter Keep Swinging Contributions