Jump to content

Hadley Caliman


Dave James

Recommended Posts

Hadley Caliman was a name I was not familiar with until a couple of years ago. I became aware of him though some good friends of mine whose son was a pretty fair high school tenor player. He took some lessons from Mr. Caliman over the course of several months. After learning of him, I began keeping my eyes peeled for examples of his work, but with little success. The only place I found him was as part the sax section on some of the recordings on the Gerald Wilson Mosaic.

Fortunately, the good folks at Dusty Groove have recently taken care of this by offering two of Caliman's 1970's recordings, "Celebration" and "Projecting", both on the Japanese Catalyst label. This is pretty good stuff. Caliman has a tenor sound that's similar to Coltrane's and he's that rara avis who can actually play the flute in a manner that doesn't make you want to run screaming into the next room. Nice straight up post bop.

Is anyone aware of anything else he has out as a leader? Opinions?

Up over and out.

Edited by Dave James
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 69
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

One word:

IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!!

On Mainstream, early 70s, not quite like anything else, DESPERATELY needs reissuing. Cheap & inadequate description = the followup to Filles that Miles never made. Made w/ Bobby Hutcherson's early 70s band w/o Bobby, pretty "trippy" but DAMN does it hold up well today to these ears.

Hadley's been on the scene since the late 40s, had a long bout w/drug addiction (which he speaks of openly). Those Catalyst sides are good, espescially the one w/Elvin. Hadley had another Mainstream album before IAPETUS that I've not heard, but its reputation ain't so great. IAPETUS, however, is one-of-a-kind in my book, one of those "lost treasures" that time is trying REALLY hard to forget. It ain't "straight ahead jazz", though. Not everybody would share my enthusiasm I'm sure, if for no other reason than I've hyped the damn thing so much that it'll probably seem anti-climatic. But I can't help myself. I really do think it's THAT good.

Caliman can also be heard on Santana's CARAVANSERI, playing the saxophonic skronk that opens the album.

Chuck Nessa has spoken to Hadley fairly recently for the Uptown Mingus set booklet. Maybe he has current info.

Edited by JSngry
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ghost of miles;

Yeah...these are CD reissues. I checked Dusty Groove about an hour ago and they still had both in stock. Downside is they're Japanese and cost too much.

Jim;

Thanks for the additional info/thoughts on Caliman. Hopefully someone will get around to issuing more of his recordings. Based on what I've heard so far, I'd like to hear more. And you're right, the date with Elvin Jones kicks some serious butt.

Chuck;

Indeed. My friend's have a second home up on the Columbia River at Cathlamet and that's when they hooked up with Mr. Caliman. I thought they told me he'd relocated, but I could be wrong.

Up over and out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The follow-up to Filles that Miles never made...and with Hutch...I take your word for it ....wow!Let's make some noise and get this out again.The only thing I have with Caliman on is Julian Priester's peerless "Love,Love"-I dare say there are loads of undiscovered gems from that era(if late 60's jazz is your bag)Anybody know if Tootie Heath's Kawaida has been reissued anywhere?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The follow-up to Filles that Miles never made...and with Hutch...I take your word for it ....wow! Let's make some noise and get this out again.

Just to clarify, it's with Hutch's BAND of the time - Bayete Todd Cochrane, James Leary, & the amazing Woody Theus (aka Sonship), with spot appearances from Victor Pantoja & Luis Gasca. Bobby himself is not on it.

But hey, you wanna make some noise, you got my support. The last I heard, Mainstream is in the hands of Sony. In the meantime, be on the lookout for used vinyl.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah, the ferocious poetic license and non sequitir work of that fine tribe of bards, the inspired writing staff at Dusty Groove ...

• A description of Caliman's Celebration

" ... Caliman's tunes and playing have a lightly magical feel to them -- a sadness behind the sun, done at a complicated level that we appreciate more and more over the years."

• And a description of Projecting

"Soaring spiritual magic from Hadley Caliman ... hitting those angular reed notes he laid out so well on so many Fantasy sessions during the 70s, and which shine even more brightly under his own light of leadership!"

What sayest thou, sweet cringe meter? Begone that sadness behind the sun! Let soar your spiritual magic, your own lusty light of leadership!

:w

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadness behind the sun? Is that the inverse of the cloud's silver lining? And angular reed notes? Geez, I get a hernia just TRYING to visualize what THOSE must involve. WTF? da'Groove done outdid themselves w/those, and THAT takes some doing...

But the cringe-o-meter will revert to "happy" when the music is heard. Those Calliman Cataylst sides are nice.

Edited by JSngry
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More!

Farewell Tribute Concert

Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Hadley Caliman

SEATTLE, WA -- March 24, 2003-- Cornish College of the Arts is pleased to present legendary jazz saxophonist Hadley Caliman in a Farewell Tribute Concert on Saturday, April 12th at 8 pm in PONCHO Concert Hall.

Caliman will retire from Cornish College of the Arts this spring after 20 years of dedicated service to jazz education in the North West. The concert celebrates Caliman's musical career and his long-term dedication to education. Caliman will be joined by Cornish College colleagues Dawn Clement, piano; Chuck Deardorf, bass; and D'Vonne Lewis, drums. The program will include jazz and rhythm & blues standards, as well as original works.

Hadley Caliman began playing the saxophone at age 16. He was an early disciple of Dexter Gordon, and took lessons from Gordon as a teenager. Caliman was the youngest member in Roy Porter's seventeen piece band. Caliman has performed and recorded with such notable musicians as Santana, Freddy Hubbard, Earl Hines, Jon Hendricks, Julian Priester, Amos Milburn, Gerald Wilson, Don Ellis, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Eddie Henderson, and Bobby Hutcherson.

Caliman's long career includes more than 100 recording sessions, working with artists ranging from Charles Brown to The Grateful Dead. His four albums as a leader, recorded for Mainstream and Catalyst in the 70's, are collector's items. Notably, Caliman appeared as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center in a tribute to Dexter Gordon, sitting in Dexter Gordon's chair. Caliman has been on the faculty at Cornish College of the Arts since the 80's and performs regularly in Seattle. In addition to performing at numerous Northwest festivals and venues, Caliman also appears regularly at local clubs such as Tula's, Mona's, and Club Habana.

source:

http://www.cornish.edu/main.asp?pg=546&sid=22

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reading stuff about the Seattle scene makes me wish I was back there. Year round quality straight ahead with healthy doses of improv/avant throughout the year and during the Earshot fest. Not to mention the closeness of the Vancouver festival.

Edited by shrugs
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Anybody know if Tootie Heath's Kawaida has been reissued anywhere?

Yes, on a very obscure chaepo CD Jim Sangrey and I discussed on the late BNBB, under Herbie Hancock's name, "folio collection, The Jazz Masters, 100 anos de Swing, EF 20015. Obviously a Spanish issue. Graphics and credits are negigible, but sound is okay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Hadley's first Mainstream LP entitled "Hadley Caliman" is rather better than the two stars AMG gives it (there's a surprise) .

It is however nothing especially memorable heavily indebted to Trane and modal vamps with a tcickle of electric miles added to some track. His tone is the most appealing thing about the album, it's a slight pinched nasal tone thats really distinctive even if the compositions aren't.

Glad I picked it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I just came across this excellent article on Hadley Caliman

which was written by Todd Matthews and originally appeared

in a recent issue of Earshot Jazz Magazine.

Hadley Caliman's Survival Skills

Living on the East Coast the only knowledge I have had

of Mr. Caliman is seeing those rather uncomplimentary

photos of him on his Mainstream albums of the early 1970's

while purusing Jazz LP offerings on ebay (I don't own either

of them myself).

Apparently Mr. Caliman is quite a formidable tenor saxophonist

with a style all his own who has overcome many obstacles over

the years.

The article talks about a new album he has in the works that

includes a number of standards such as Delilah, Close Your Eyes,

That Old Black Magic and You Leave Me Breathless. Apparently

he is seeking a new producer to complete the project. At 72 years

of age I hope he can put it together soon. I would buy it in an instant!!

In the meantime I'll have to search out some of his recordings from

the 1970s.

Don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn, I didn't even know this thread was here. I'm pleased to report that I've heard Mr. Caliman's quartet at Tula's in Seattle twice over the last couple of months. Huge highlight of the first night I saw him: Mamacita, which the band took at a terrific tempo, and nailed. There's loads of joy in Hadley's playing, which is what it's all about, imho...when he walks on the stand and puts the reed in his mouth, he's there, and it's all about the notes and the fun. As a special bonus, Julian Priester showed up that first night (I didn't even know he was alive--turns out he's in residence at Cornish here in Seattle) and sat in on a few tunes! I spoke with Hadley afterwards, thanked him for the music, and he couldn't have been nicer. He said he's working on trying to get his old sides reissued, and (surprise) that he's on the Carmell Jones Select (which I then purchased).

He's playing at Tula's in Seattle again on September 30, and I'll be there...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...