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James Spaulding
James Spaulding, has established his reputation as a masterful soloist for ensemble performances, and for many years was among the busier sidemen for Blue Note Records. An exceptional saxophonist and flutist, he is one of the many fine artists to come out James has worked with Sun Ra, Freddie Hubbard, Max Roach, and more...of the Indianapolis, Indiana area. James is a modernist, with solid roots in classical jazz; his saxophone style is an extension of the Charlie Parker influence, but his overall concept incorporates much of the broad jazz saxophone heritage.
Spaulding's musical training started early, as he came from a musical family in his place of birth Indiana (his father was a professional musician who played the guitar and led his own big band, traveling throughout the country). James began playing a bugle when he was in grade school. He later took up the trumpet and saxophone on his own, and while in high school studied clarinet. He made his professional debut playing around Indianapolis with a rhythm "n" blues group. He has performed as a sideman and been recorded on over 100 recordings... See discography »
From 1954 to 1957, Spaulding was in the army playing in service bands. When he was discharged, he settled in Chicago where he performed in clubs leading his own group, and had a stay with the Sun Ra Orchestra. He also furthered his flute studies there at the Chicago Cosmopolitan School of Music. In 1962, he arrived in New York City, and subsequently was associated with notables such as Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Max Roach and the Ellington Orchestra. In 1975, he received a bachelor's degree in music from Livingston College in New Jersey where he taught flute as an adjunct professor. James' daughters, Gina and Yvonne Spaulding were on the cover of his very first recording: "The Legacy of Duke Ellington," recorded in 1975. Mr. Spaulding's range of performance experiences extends nationally and internationally, from the concert stage to jazz clubs to colleges and street fairs. His original music, a suite entitled "A Song of Courage," was performed by him with full orchestra and choir at the Voorhees Chapel at the Rutgers University campus from funds awarded him by the National Endowment for the Arts. He holds a historically significant place in jazz reference books including, The Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Seventies by Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler; The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz by Brian Case and Stan Britt; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz edited by Barry Keinfeld, just to name a few.
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Alan Shorter: Mephistopholes To Orgasm Revisited
by Chris May
It is often said of a musician, be they alive or no longer with us, that they deserve to be better known. This is emphatically true of the wayward trumpeter and composer Alan Shorter, who was overshadowed during his lifetime by his brother, Wayne Shorter, and who continues to be passed over today in 2024. Some responsibility for his obscurity lies with Alan Shorter himself. Known as Doc Strange to his teenage schoolmates in Newark, New Jersey, ...
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The music world has changed considerably since Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie founded their boutique reissue label Mosaic Records back in 1983. From its inception, vinyl was still the preferred format, shortly to be overtaken by the popularity of the compact disc. At the cusp of vinyl's recent resurgence, Mosaic briefly got back into that format only to find themselves on the brink of closing up shop. Fortunately, the powers that be have forged on and recent CD boxed sets ...
read moreJames Spaulding: An Emotion Of Notes
by Maxwell Chandler
James Spaulding's pedigree is an impressive one. He has been called upon to add his touch on both alto saxophone and flute for countless classic 1960s Blue Note albums. Now, as a leader and owner of the Speetones label he continues to add to his rich legacy. AAJ contributor Maxwell Chandler spoke with Spaulding about his long and distinguished career, his work on some of the classic Blue Note releases of the 1960s, playing with Max Roach, Sun ...
read moreJames Spauding: The Spoiler & The Right Touch
by Francis Lo Kee
Stanley Turrentine The Spoiler Blue Note-RVG 2007 Duke Pearson The Right Touch Blue Note-RVG 2007
Alto saxophonist and flutist James Spaulding has been an important contributor to modern jazz for decades. Both Duke Pearson's The Right Touch (1967) and Stanley Turrentine's The Spoiler (1966) are arranged by composer/pianist Pearson who calls ...
read moreJames Spaulding: Round To It!
by Brandt Reiter
High quality hard bop from one of the pillars of the music.
Master alto saxophonist and flutist James Spaulding has been an A-list sideman since the late fifties, when he worked frequently with Sun Ra. During the sixties he could be found on countless Blue Note recordings, lending invaluable support to such legendary artists as Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, and Freddie Hubbard. (The Joe Chambers ballad “Mirrors," from Hubbard's 1964 release Breaking Point, in which Spaulding's delicate flute inseparably twines ...
read moreMcCoy Tyner: Tender Moments
by Donald Elfman
Now 66 years old, McCoy Tyner has made countless albums and become an elder statesman of jazz. He is certainly best known as the pianist in the transformational John Coltrane Quartet of the '60s, but it was with Blue Note recordings like this one from 1967, recently reissued in remastered form, that he revealed his personality as a composer, arranger, and soloist.Tender Moments was one of Tyner's first major explorations of the world of colors and textures available ...
read moreMcCoy Tyner: Tender Moments
by Norman Weinstein
This is the first, and arguably, the finest big band album the distinguished pianist ever recorded. Six horns are utilized, with the neglected James Spaulding alternating on flute and alto sax along with tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin, trombonist Julian Priester, trumpeter Lee Morgan, and the exotic horns, with Bob Northern on French horn and Howard Johnson on tuba. There are six Tyner originals gracing the frustratingly brief album (38 minutes). But repeated listening reveals something very subtle and seductive about ...
read moreJazz Musician of the Day: James Spaulding
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All About Jazz is celebrating James Spaulding's birthday today!
James Spaulding, has established his reputation as a masterful soloist for ensemble performances, and for many years was among the busier sidemen for Blue Note Records. An exceptional saxophonist and flutist, he is one of the many fine artists to come out James has worked with Sun Ra, Freddie Hubbard, Max Roach, and more...of the Indianapolis, Indiana area. James is a modernist, with solid roots in classical jazz...James Spaulding, has established ...
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James Spaulding & "Swing Expression" the Jazz Legacy Series
Source:
All About Jazz
Creole Music Supper Club, in association with Brownstone Entertainment Complex, LLC, proudly present: “The Jazz Legacy Series" Combine the exquisite dining experience of “Creole" with the flavor of internationally known jazz artists... toss in the nostalgia of an ambiance found in elegant supper clubs and you have our “Jazz Legacy Series". Brownstone Entertainment Complex, LLC; bringing jazz back uptown to what was once the spawning ground of the be-bop era, and its traditions. February 27th and 28th, “Creole" is pleased ...
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Vocalist T.C. III to Perform with Jazz Legend, James Spaulding in Harlem
Source:
JM Creative
Saxophonist/Flautist James Spaulding Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
James Spaulding's pedigree is an impressive one. He has been called upon to add his touch on both alto saxophone and flute for countless classic 1960s Blue Note albums. Now, as a leader and owner of the Speetones label he continues to add to his rich legacy.
AAJ contributor Maxwell Chandler spoke with Spaulding about his long and distinguished career, his work on some of the classic Blue Note releases of the 1960s, playing with Max Roach, Sun Ra and ...
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Saxophonist James Spaulding Takes over Reins for Trumpeter Charles Tolliver in Reggie Workman's Sculptured Sound Presents @ Twins DC, Fri. Oct. 5 & Sat., Oct. 6
Source:
The Cinarae Group
Master Saxophonist James Spaulding will take over the reins for Charles Tolliver this weekend at Twins DC!
James Spaulding, has established his reputation as a masterful soloist for ensemble performances, and for many years was among the busier sidemen for Blue Note Records. An exceptional saxophonist and flutist, he is one of the many fine artists to come out the Indianapolis area. Spaulding has performed with such jazz notables as the Sun Ra Orchestra, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Max Roach ...
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Film Screening and Performance by Reggie Workman, James Spaulding, Roy Campbell, Michael Wimberly +special Guests at the Schomburg Center
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
A Special Evening at the Schomburg Center in Harlem: “REVOLUTION: Why It's Necessary, Why It's Possible, What It's All About" A Film of a Talk by Bob Avakian Film Screening and Performances by Reggie Workman, James Spaulding, Roy Campbell, Michael Wimberly + Def poet Staceyann Chin and comic Aladdin. June 12, Tuesday, 7-9:30pm Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard & 135th St., Harlem Tickets $15 at www.revolutionbooksnyc.org or call 212-691-3345 Chuck D, Herb Boyd (Amsterdam ...
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James Spaulding
Instrument: Saxophone, alto
Born: July 30, 1937
