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Ahmad Alaadeen

Born in Kansas City, on July 24, 1934, Alaadeen grew up around music. “I listened to all types of styles. I went to Philharmonic concerts, loved Lester Young, liked T-Bone Walker and was crazy about Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. He began on the saxophone when he was in sixth grade, in time also mastering flute, clarinet and oboe. He studied at R.T. Coles High School under the tutelage of Leo H. Davis, a well respected music instructor reported to have taught Charlie Parker. “The way he taught improvisation was to sing the melody in my ear when I soloed so I’d always keep the melody in mind.” Alaadeen debuted as a professional with Davis’ concert band playing e-flat horn when he was 14 and his first major job was playing baritone sax with the great pianist-bandleader Jay McShann. In later years he would rejoin McShann on tenor. Alaadeen studied at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music (studying flute since the educators did not think of the saxophone as a legitimate instrument), St. Mary’s University (where he studied oboe) and DePaul University. He served in the military during 1957-59, being the Jazz saxophonist and principal oboist with the 4th Army Band. After his discharge, Alaadeen spent time in Chicago, playing in a program led by pianist-composer Richard Abrams that was the beginning of the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians); other members included trumpeter Lester Bowie and bassist Malachi Favors. He picked up a lot of experience living and playing in such cities as New York, Chicago, Denver, Houston, San Antonio and St. Louis. In addition to McShann, he had opportunities to work in a countless number of settings including stints with Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra, The Glen Miller ghost band under the direction of Tex Beneke, Della Reese, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, T-Bone Walker, Claude “Fiddler” Williams and with R&B stars, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations, Four Tops and Sam Cooke. After returning to Kansas City, Alaadeen not only played music locally but also became a very significant educator, teaching Jazz in both the school system and privately. “I always tell my students that playing Jazz is a hard life, that it is important to always study and be current, and that they should not be afraid to make mistakes.” His skills as a teacher were recognized when he was inducted into the R.T.

Coles/Lincoln High School “Outstanding Alumni Hall Of Fame.” During 1990-91, he won songwriting competitions sponsored by Billboard for his songs Big Six, Wayne Himself and Blues For R.C. Along the way he recorded with Jay McShann, Crown Prince Waterford, the City Light Orchestra and countless others. He led the Deans of Swing in the 1990s, and the ensemble was picked in 1996 as Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band. To document his music, Alaadeen started the ‘ASR label. Each of his CDs, which include Blues For RC and Josephine Too, Time Through The Ages, New Africa Suite and And The Beauty Of It All, features him with some of Kansas City’s top young Jazz players. He also prepared many of his original compositions for performance by large Jazz ensemble through his publishing company, Fandeen Publishing Company, Inc. In 2009, Alaadeen authored The Rest of the Story: Jazz Improvization and History, a method manual in which he shares the secrets of how he learned the music as handed down to him by the masters. Alaadeen was recognized in his community and state as a master of the distinctive sound known as Kansas City Jazz with his receipt of numerous awards including Kansas City's Jazz Heritage Award, the Missouri Humanities Council's Community Heritage Award, the Missouri Arts Award and Kansas City’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2000, Congresswoman Karen McCarthy recognized Alaadeen in the United States House of Representatives for the contributions he has made to his community's understanding of its heritage and in 2002, Missouri Governor Bob Holden honored Alaadeen at an official dinner at the Governor's Mansion in Jefferson City. In an effort to acknowledge Alaadeen for making a significant impact in the history, development and performance of Jazz, and to applaud Alaadeen for his outstanding achievements in the art form of Jazz, Alaadeen was issued a Proclamation from the Office of the Governor, State of Missouri. The American Jazz Museum honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Cancer claimed Ahmad Alaadeen's life on August 15, 2010 at the age of 76.

Awards

2010, American Jazz Museum Lifetime Achievement Award

Gear

Selmer Mark VI Tenor Yamaha Custom Soprano

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Take Five With Ahmad Alaadeen

by AAJ Staff
January 13, 2008

Meet Ahmad Alaadeen: Born in Kansas City, Alaadeen grew up around music. “I listened to all types of styles. I went to Philharmonic concerts, loved Lester Young, liked T-Bone Walker and was crazy about Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson." He began on the saxophone when he was in sixth grade, in time also mastering flute, clarinet and oboe. Alaadeen debuted as a professional when he was fourteen, and his first major job was playing baritone sax with the great pianist/bandleader Jay McShann. ...

184

Album Review

Ahmad Alaadeen: Time Through The Ages

by Jim Santella
January 1, 1999

Alaadeen has been working in the mainstream of jazz for over forty years, starting out with legends such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Stan Kenton. Released in mid-1997, Time Through The Ages places the saxophonist in acoustic small group settings with varying personnel. More information concerning the session leader may be found at http://www.successmarketplace.com/shops/asrrecords/asr.html#artist .

Duke Pearson’s “Jeannine" is presented as a sextet arrangement with both trumpet and flugelhorn playing counterpoint to Alaadeen’s tenor lines. The familiar ...

Book / Magazine

Dysfunctional: Life Journeys of a Second Generation Jazz Musician

Source: The Independent Ear by Willard Jenkins
September 8, 2011

Dysfunctional is the curious title of a gritty and revealing autobiography written figurative minutes before the passing on to ancestry of a Kansas City treasure, master saxophonist Ahmad Alaadeen. Subtitled “life journeys of a second generation jazz musician," that's precisely where Alaadeen places himself in the jazz lineage—among the second generation of musicians who came up through the world of music, likely because he was among the generation that came up at the tail end of the so-called swing era ...
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123

Obituary

Ahmad Alaadeen Funeral / Wake / Memorial Services Info: Jazz Saxman-Educator-Composer-Author Dies at 76

Source: JAZZzology by Richard Watters
August 17, 2010

Ahmad S. Alaadeen an American “Jazz Master" saxophonist, composer, educator, author has died at the age of 76 years on August 15th, 2010...noted for his contribution to the world of jazz for 60+ years he was particularly well known in the Kansas City, Mo jazz scene and 35 years as an educator. He had a career in jazz and music that spanned six decades having performed with the likes of Jay McShann, Eddie “Cleanhead" Vinson, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan ...
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359

Obituary

Ahmad Alaadeen, 76, Jazz Master, Dies

Source: DeBlaze & Associates
August 16, 2010

Crosses Six Decades of Jazz Music “Jazz does not belong to one race or culture, but is a gift that America has given the world." —Alaadeen Ahmad S. Alaadeen Saxophonist, Composer, Educator, Author July 24, 1934—August 15, 2010 KANSAS CITY, Missouri—August 16, 2010—Ahmad Alaadeen, whose virtuosity crossed more than six decades of the jazz music genre, died peacefully at his home in Kansas on Sunday, August 15 at the age of 76. Cause of death was ...
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138

Award / Grant

Alaadeen to Receive the American Jazz Museum's Lifetime Achievement Award

Source: Michael Ricci
April 15, 2010

Kansas City, MO. The American Jazz Museum will pay special tribute to the Jazz legacy and genius of Duke Ellington as well as, honoring Clark Terry and Kansas City based Jazz Legend Alaadeen. Thursday, April 29th (Ellington's 111th Birthday) is Ellington Education Day at the American Jazz Museum's Blue Room starting with a 10:00 am panel session with Dan Morgenstern (moderator), Barrie Hall, Clark Terry and KC legend Alaadeen. The Blue Room is located in Kansas City's Jazz District at ...
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209

Book / Magazine

Alaadeen: The Rest of the Story

Source: DeBlaze & Associates
July 6, 2009

The Rest of the Story Ahmad S. Alaadeen Spiral Bound Manual; 53 pages ISBN: 6-38087-01012-6 Fandeen Publising 2009

User-Friendly Jazz Improvisation Methods to Finding Yourself as a Soloist

“...Alaadeen is a wise elder in this music we call jazz and young musicians would do well to devour the practical wisdom he lays down in The Rest of the Story." --Willard Jenkins, Journalist / Broadcaster / Producer

“(The Rest ...
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247

Event

Celebrating Bird! A Tribute to Charlie "Bird" Parker

Source: ASR Records - Publicity Division
August 9, 2008

CELEBRATING BIRD! A Tribute to Charlie “Bird" Parker Family to Attend Lament and Celebration 1pm, Sunday, August 24th, at the Grave Site Afterwards at the Historic Mutual Musician's Foundation Kansas City, Missouri: August 29th is Charlie “Bird" Parker's birthday but Kansas City is celebrating it on Sunday, August 24th so more people can come. This year's annual Tribute to Charlie Bird Parker will begin at 1pm at the Lincoln Cemetery grave site nearby at ...
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129

Education

Alaadeen's The Rest of the Story

Source: All About Jazz
June 11, 2008

Alaadeen Writes “The Rest of the Story" Jazz Master Alaadeen has been awarded a grant from the Fund for Folk Culture to write “The Rest of the Story", a jazz methods manual based on his approach to teaching. This project is made possible by a grant from the Fund for Folk Culture's Artist Support Program, underwritten by the Ford Foundation with additional support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Based in Austin, Texas, the Fund for Folk ...
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144

Recording

'ASR Records Announces Release of New CD by Alaadeen

Source: ASR Records - Publicity Division
August 4, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Liner Notes and Biography By Scott Yanow -- Alaadeen, who is equally skilled and original on tenor and soprano saxophones, has made a major impact on the Kansas City jazz scene ever since he settled in K.C. in the early 1970s. He has the ability to caress melodies with a great deal of warmth, yet is never shy to stretch himself and take chances, pushing the music forward. He is heard at his very best on his recent ...
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Music Industry

Kansas City Jazz Master - Ahmad Alaadeen

Source: All About Jazz
March 12, 2004

'ASR Records Artist and Kansas City Jazz Master, Ahmad Alaadeen, recently concluded a series of master classes and jazz education residencies in the region. January and February 2004 concluded with Alaadeen having worked with students ranging from middle school and junior high age at the historic Mutual Musicians Foundation in Kansas City's 18th and Vine Jazz District; to spending two days with the university-level saxophone studio members and jazz ensembles at Emporia State University.

In January, Alaadeen was a featured ...
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"One of those Midwest gems who stardom eludes because of geographics..." Nancy Ann Lee, JazzTimes "Kansas City’s pure treasure…Reedman personified...one of the most prolific disciples of John Coltrane. A beautiful cat, spiritual and a deep thinker who’s musical talent has great healing potential as well as most entertaining." Butch Berman, Berman Music Foundation “Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the man who has revitalized our music community and introduced a new generation to the sweet sounds of Kansas City Jazz. The great state of Missouri understands the importance of his humanitarian efforts and distinguishes his effort by presenting him with the Governor’s 2000 Community Heritage Award.” … Excerpt form Congressional Record: October 13, 2000, REP

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Ahmad Alaadeen

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