Frank Wess

[Hardbopjazz]

Anyone know if he's still playing? Kind of up there in age. Listening to Gene Ammon's Angel Eyes and I am digging his flute playing. He also plays Tenor Sax.

[Hardbopjazz]

t appears that only 3 of 4 of his albums are still in print.

[brownie]

Frank Wess is due to play on June 18 at Central Park as part of the Newport Jazz Festival 50th anniversary celebrations.

http://www.summerstage.org/

Should be a good opportunity for a New Yorker hardbopper to check him out! Oh those lucky New Yorkers

[Dan Gould]

As far as his recording career goes, he's at the top of his game with another old pro on this album from last year:

[sheldonm]

I saw Frank several weeks ago in Chicago.....still playing, still sounds good!

Mark

[Hardbopjazz]

Frank Wess is due to play on June 18 at Central Park as part of the Newport Jazz Festival 50th anniversary celebrations.

http://www.summerstage.org/

Should be a good opportunity for a New Yorker hardbopper to check him out! Oh those lucky New Yorkers

Thanks,

Lucky? Maybe

[mikeweil]

Never heard a bad note comin' out of his horns! One of the best!

All of his Savoy dates I have are very nice.

But on this one,

there are three tenors, Gene Ammons, Frank Foster, and Wess, and he wins, to my ears!

The stuff I have heard from the 1980's and newer in smal grooup contexts is also very good.

[tooter]

I like the albums by the New York Jazz Quartet, the post 1974 version with Wess, Roland Hanna, George Mraz, Ben Riley but not on all the albums. Albums [song of the Black Knight], [surge], [blues for Sarka] and [Oasis] that I know of.

[Dave James]

The latest batch of Fantasy reissues includes one from Wess. It's from their Moodsville series, but don't let that deter you. Some nice slow to mid-tempo tunes with Wess on both tenor and flute. I'm not much of a flute fan, but even those pieces work for me. Good stuff.

Up over and out.

[Brad]

Agree with Dave on this. It's a very nice album. Nothing original I think is coming out but it's real solid stuff. Even those who aren't crazy about flute will enjoy this one.

He also just recently made an album with Jerry Dodgion that is quite impressive.

[alankin]

I wouldn't call Frank Wess inactive.

He's also played on the following CDs that have been released over the last twelve months:

Flutology - First Date (Capri)

Butch Miles - Straight on Till Morning (Nagel Heyer)

Andy Bey - American Song (Savoy)

Joan Stiles - Love Call (Zoho)

Libby York - Sunday in New York (Blujazz)

Sarah Partridge - Blame It On My Youth (Nagel Heyer)

Grady Tate - All Love: Grady Tate Sings (441 Records)

And he's only 82!!

[gmonahan]

I revived this thread to wish the great Frank Wess a happy birthday--85 today. He's one of those artists who never disappoints. I love his tenor, of course, but that flute--man, I do love his flute playing. Happy birthday Mr. Wess!

[Peter Friedman]

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to see Frank Wess live back in October 2006. He was playing in a quartet with Michael Weiss on piano. The music was excellent. Both Wess and Weiss played at the top of their game. The creativity and swing were simply outstanding. It was some of the best live jazz I have heard in a long long time.

[garthsj]

For me as a teenager, that great Savoy album, OPUS DE JAZZ, with Frank Wess, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Eddie Jones, and Kenny Clarke (October 28, 1955) was a defining moment in my jazz education. It still is ... I have been through about five different formats of this session over the years, and it still ranks in my top ten. Since then I have tried to accumulate almost everything that Frank has done ... he never fails to please. His playing on the Bill Charlap Gershwin album is a wonder to listen to.

Frank's recent album with Hank Jones, HANK AND FRANK, (their combined age is over 170!) on the Lineage label is highly recommended. Click here: http://tinyurl.com/y4gvt3

[Bright Moments]

he is excellent on this one:

and

this one:

Edited February 8, 2007 by Bright Moments

[tooter]

The album [Jazz for Playboys] is available for download on Crabbit and Daft. Kenny Burrell too.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

that would of been cool if he made an album called "wess coast jazz"

[couw]

that would of been cool if he made an album called "wess coast jazz"

he did do North, South, East, ... Wess!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Here are two that I particularly like, that haven't been mentioned.

With Bobby Forrester and Tootsie Bean - a great session from 1993.

A 1991 live session in Japan with Junior Mance.

MG

[robviti]

i picked this one up during my hunt for ojc deletions:

[mr jazz]

He's in fine form playing flute on the recent (and excellent) Jon Faddis release-Teranga

[paul secor]

Check out Joe Newman's Jive at Five (OJC). Frank Wess plays some very fine tenor, and the record itself is a very good one.

Also, Frank Wess has a couple of good alto solos (on "Choose Now" and "Focus") on Philly Joe Jones/Dameronia: Look Stop and Listen (Uptown LP).

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

He's in fine form playing flute on the recent (and excellent) Jon Faddis release-Teranga

"Teranga" is the Wolof word for welcome. It doesn't list personnel on CD Universe. Does the album include Senegalese musicians?

MG

[mr jazz]

He's in fine form playing flute on the recent (and excellent) Jon Faddis release-Teranga

"Teranga" is the Wolof word for welcome. It doesn't list personnel on CD Universe. Does the album include Senegalese musicians?

MG

Yes. here's an info link

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:wzfuxqrdld6e

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

He's in fine form playing flute on the recent (and excellent) Jon Faddis release-Teranga

"Teranga" is the Wolof word for welcome. It doesn't list personnel on CD Universe. Does the album include Senegalese musicians?

MG

Yes. here's an info link

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:wzfuxqrdld6e

Thanks very much Mr J

MG