John Jenkins, alto saxophone

[Peter Friedman]

Wonder what happened to alto player John Jenkins?  Was listening to an album on which he was playing, and decided to do a slight bit of research.

I found he was on 12 or 13 sessions. Jenkins first recording was in 1957 and his last in 1990. He recorded for  many of the most significant jazz labels - New Jazz, Blue Note, Prestige, Savoy, Riverside, and Mapleshade.

He played in the Hard Bop style. and I have all of his albums as both leader and sideman on my shelf and enjoy listening to all of them.

Am curious regarding why he did not record more frequently during the late 50's and 60's, his key years . And then what happened as he seemed to fade from the scene.

[jlhoots]

I liked his playing. Let's see if any other posters know more.

[Niko]

in the age of AI, wikipedia is a bit underrated, but it gives a good summary: 

"After leaving the jazz world he worked as a messenger in New York and dabbled in jewelry; he sold brass objects at street fairs in the 1970s. After 1983, he began practicing again and playing live on street corners; shortly before he died he played with Clifford Jordan."

he plays on Play What You Feel by Clifford Jordan, recorded in 1990... iirc, the beginning of the end was the loss of his cabaret card which gave him the choice between leaving music and leaving NY... but I forgot where I read that

[Eric]

6 hours ago, jlhoots said:

I liked his playing. Let's see if any other posters know more.

Same!

[Gheorghe]

I have that one album on BN, the only one on which Dannie Richmond is a drummer for a BN session. 

And it is possible he is a sideman on another, maybe on one of those early Lee Morgans or Hank Mobleys. 

[T.D.]

2 hours ago, Gheorghe said:

I have that one album on BN, the only one on which Dannie Richmond is a drummer for a BN session. 

And it is possible he is a sideman on another, maybe on one of those early Lee Morgans or Hank Mobleys. 

He is a sideman on the early Hank Mobley Sextet BN. I have it as part of the Mosaic Mobley '50s BN set. When I get off work I'll see if he's on any other albums in that Mosaic.

In the esoterica department, there are some rehearsal tracks with Jenkins on the Sun Ra - The Eternal Myth Revealed box set on Transparency. Disc 5 iirc. They date back to 1950s Chicago.

Edited 1 hour ago by T.D.

[Gheorghe]

20 minutes ago, T.D. said:

He is a sideman on the early Hank Mobley Sextet BN. I have it as part of the Mosaic Mobley '50s BN set. When I get off work I'll see if he's on any other albums in that Mosaic.

In the esoterica department, there are some rehearsal tracks with Jenkins on the Sun Ra - The Eternal Myth Revealed box set on Transparency. Disc 5 iirc. They date back to 1950s Chicago.

oh yes I knew it must be with Hank or Lee. I dont have mosaic, I have the individual albums, most of them japanese cardboard cover.

With Sun RA ? That sounds interesting, because Sun RA is something like almost a God for me and my girlfriend..... but I don´t have so early stuff from him, more the 60s and 70´s 

[Peter Friedman]

John Jenkins is also a sideman on - Cliff Jordan - Blue Note.

He is co-leader with Jackie McLean - Alto Madness - Prestige

Jenkins is a sideman on Paul Quinichette - Sunny Side of The Street - Prestige  

and on  the Wilbur Ware album Chicago Calling on Riverside.

There is also the Jordan, Jenkins, Timmons on Prestige

On Savoy he is a leader on Star Eyes,  and  sideman on a Sahib Shihab album.