FULLER UP HOME GRIM REAPER PAGE CAUSES OF DEATH SEARCH BY NAME GET IN TOUCH SHAMEFUL DISCLAIMER    Fuller Up The Dead Musician Directory    Albert Thornton Grey Al Grey March 24, 2000 Age 74 Diabetes    OBITUARY  BIOGRAPHY   LINKS

OBITUARY 

NY TIMES Al Grey, 74, a Sly Trombonist Who Played With Count Basie             By BEN RATLIFF                 The trombonist Al Grey, a member of the Count Basie band through                 various stretches from 1957 to 1977 and a strong, humorous            improviser, died on Friday at a hospital in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 74            and lived in Great Neck, N.Y.             The cause was complications from diabetes, said his companion, Rosalie            Soladar.             Mr. Grey exemplified the musicians that Basie sought and cultivated: a            disciplined section player who could also step forward for solos and            transcend that role with style.             His signature was the plunger mute, and he used it swaggeringly, making            his malingering, behind-the-beat notes plump and juicy. He knew how to            insinuate slyness into standards and ballads, but he was probably at his            best on the blues; he needed a tenacious rhythm section as a bed for his            authoritative dance-band riffs.             He joined the band at the beginning of Basie's tenure with Roulette            records and played with it through the 60's -- the last great decade of            Basie music -- except for a stint as lead a small group with the            saxophonist Billy Mitchell. Along with the tenor saxophonist Eddie            (Lockjaw) Davis, Mr. Grey was a principal soloist for the band in the            late 60's; some of his best work can be heard on the 1966 album            "Sinatra at the Sands," with the Basie band accompanying Frank Sinatra,            as well as the recording of a performance of the band from the same Las            Vegas engagement, "Count Basie Live at the Sands (Before Frank)."             Mr. Grey was born in Aldie, Va., and learned to play trombone from his            father, an instructor for a youth orchestra in Pottstown, Pa. He worked in            a Navy band during World War II, and musicians he encountered there            recommended him to Benny Carter, whose band he joined in 1946.             After the Basie years Mr. Grey was a busy freelancer. He led a band            with the saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, and of another with his son, Mike,            also a trombonist. He toured a little with Norman Granz's Jazz at the            Philharmonic and played with George Wein's Newport All-Stars.             In addition to his son Mike, of Las Vegas, he is survived his sons Albert            Jr., Ernest and Robert, of Philadelphia; a brother, Richard, of Reading,            Pa.; a sister, Jenny Beck of Philadelphia; and four grandchildren.    Fuller Up is Sponsored by: (References by satisfied customers)    Open letter from an old friend      God, I just found about about Al 3-24-2000. Nobody told me. I last saw Al at  Carnegie Hall on 10-6-99 when Tony Bennett did his concert there re: Duke  Ellington. There is a very special relationship between Al and I for we share  the same birthday 6-6. His in 1926 and mine in 1937. I had the very distinct  pleasure of playing with Al in 1976 at Jack Teagardens House on a Sunday  afternoon in 1976. You see, Jack had a complete recording studio in his  house. All were there, Mr. Armstrong, Pete Fountain, Don Hewell, Nappy  LaMare, Charlie "Little "T", myself, Of course Al Grey and many more. I will  always remember Al for that great flashing smile and his personality. To his  son Mike I say I only wish I could have known him longer. I remember the days  when we would celebrate out mutual birthday by having a bagel & iced tea in  Santa Monica early in the morning. Dear Al, you have done so many things that  it makes me immensely proud to have known you and even more to have you as a  friend. May you now rest in peace knowing that there will never be another.  One time just as Frank Sinatra told Tony Bennett that he was the best  baritone of the 20th century, You, Mr. "G" were and are the greatest slide  trombone player of the 20th century. God, I love you so much. RIP Joe Domke 28936 Flowepark Drive. Canyon Country, Ca 91351

 

 

BIOGRAPHY

All-Music Guide   Born: June 6 , 1925 in Aldie, VA Died: March 24, 2000 in Scottsdale, AZ   Al Grey's trademark phrases and often-humorous use of the plunger mute  have long made him quite distinctive. After getting out of the service, he was  with the orchestras of Benny Carter (1945-46), Jimmie Lunceford (1946-47),  Lucky Millinder and Lionel Hampton (off and on during 1948-53). Grey was a  well-featured soloist with the classic Dizzy Gillespie globetrotting orchestra  during 1956-57 (taking an exciting solo at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival on  a blazing version of "Cool Breeze"). He was with Count Basie's Orchestra on  three separate occasions (1957-61, 1964-66 and 1971-77), led a band with  Billy Mitchell in the early '60s and had a group with Jimmy Forrest after leaving  Count in 1977. In recent years Grey has performed and recorded often with   Clark Terry, made a CD with the Statesmen of Jazz and for a time led a quintet  that featured his son Mike Grey on second trombone. Al Grey recorded as a   leader for Argo (1959-64), Tangerine, Black & Blue, Stash, Chiaroscuro and   Capri and co-led an excellent Pablo date in 1983 with J.J. Johnson. -- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

 

LINKS

NPR Al Grey Profile Jazzcanadiana bio 1992 Photo by Lothar Jung Down Beat Bio Fuller Up is Sponsored by: (References by satisfied customers)