Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson Jr. (August 17, 1932 – August 4, 1980) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

pianist and composer. ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' describes him as having a "big part in shaping the

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

label's

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

direction in the 1960s as a record producer."

Early life

Pearson was born Columbus Calvin Pearson Jr. in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, United States, to Columbus Calvin and Emily Pearson. The moniker "Duke" was given to him by his uncle, who was a great admirer of

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

. Before he was six, his mother started giving him piano lessons. He studied the instrument until he was twelve, Gitler, Ira (1959). Original liner notes to ''

Profile Profile or profiles may refer to: Art, entertainment and media Music * ''Profile'' (Jan Akkerman album), 1973 * ''Profile'' (Githead album), 2005 * ''Profile'' (Pat Donohue album), 2005 * ''Profile'' (Duke Pearson album), 1959 * '' ''Profi ...

''. when he took an interest in brass instruments: mellophone, baritone horn and ultimately trumpet. He was so fond of the trumpet that through high school and college he neglected the piano. He attended

Clark College Clark College is a public community college in Vancouver, Washington. With 11,500 students, Clark College is the largest institution of higher education in southwest Washington. Founded in 1933 as a private two-year junior college, Clark Colleg ...

while also playing trumpet in groups in the Atlanta area. While in the U.S. Army, during his 1953–54 draft, he continued to play trumpet and met, among others, the pianist

Wynton Kelly Wynton Charles Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of ...

. Pearson himself confessed in a 1959 interview that he was "so spoiled by Kelly's good piano" that he decided to switch to piano again. Also, it seems that dental problems forced him to give up brass instruments.

Career

Pearson performed with different ensembles in Georgia and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, including with

Tab Smith Talmadge "Tab" Smith (January 11, 1909 – August 17, 1971) was an American swing and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist. He is best remembered for the tracks "Because of You" and "Pretend". He worked with Count Basie, the Mills Rhythm Boys a ...

and Little Willie John, before he moved to New York City in January 1959. He had, however, been able to get at least one song, "Tribute to Brownie" (dedicated to

Clifford Brown Clifford Benjamin Brown (October 30, 1930 – June 26, 1956) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. He died at the age of 25 in a car accident, leaving behind four years' worth of recordings. His compositions "Sandu", "Joy Spring", an ...

), recorded by the

Cannonball Adderley Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928August 8, 1975) was an American jazz alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Adderley is perhaps best remembered for the 1966 soul jazz single "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", whi ...

Quintet on their 1957 album, ''Sophisticated Swing''. In New York, Pearson gained the attention of the trumpeter

Donald Byrd Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) was an American jazz and rhythm & blues trumpeter and vocalist. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd was one of the few hard bop m ...

, who saw Pearson performing with the Art Farmer/

Benny Golson Benny Golson (born January 25, 1929) is an American bebop/hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a performer, before launch ...

Sextet (known as

the Jazztet The Jazztet was a jazz sextet, co-founded in 1959 by trumpeter Art Farmer and tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, always featuring the founders along with a trombonist and a piano-bass-drums rhythm section. In its first phase, the Jazztet lasted unt ...

). Shortly afterwards, Byrd asked Pearson to join his newly formed band, the Donald Byrd–

Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...

Quintet. Pearson was also the accompanist for Nancy Wilson on tour in 1961. During that same year, Pearson became ill before a Byrd-Adams show, and a newcomer,

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

, took over for him. Hancock eventually took over the position permanently. On the 1963 Byrd album ''

A New Perspective ''A New Perspective'' is a 1964 studio album by jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd. It was released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4124 and BST 84124. In 2017, it was ranked at number 194 on ''Pitchfork''s list of the "200 Best Albums of the 1960s". The ...

'', Pearson arranged four tracks, including "Cristo Redentor", which became a hit. The composition, Pearson later commented, was inspired by a trip he took to Brazil while touring with Wilson. Also that year, after the death of

Ike Quebec Ike Abrams Quebec (August 17, 1918 – January 16, 1963) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career in the big band era of the 1940s, then fell from prominence for a time until launching a comeback in the years before his dea ...

, Pearson took over his position as A&R man of Blue Note. From that year until 1970, Pearson was a frequent

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

and producer for numerous Blue Note albums while also recording his own albums as bandleader. This was odd, since Pearson also recorded with his co-led

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

with Byrd for

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...

, a stipulation he made sure was in his Atlantic contract. The Byrd-Pearson band consisted of musicians such as

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on No ...

, and

Garnett Brown Garnett Brown (January 31, 1936 – October 9, 2021) was a jazz trombonist who worked with The Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Hampton, Earth Wind and Fire and others. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, he graduated from the University of Arka ...

; the latter three were members also of the

Thad Jones Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists". Biography Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, U ...

Mel Lewis Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American jazz drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen Grammy Award nominations. Biography Early years Lewis was ...

band that played the same night club, The

Village Vanguard The Village Vanguard is a jazz club at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. Originally, the club presented folk music and beat poetry, but it became primarily a jazz ...

, but on different nights. Between the two ensembles, the musicians performed at their own discretion. Pearson's compositions include the now standard, frequently covered "Jeannine", composed c. 1960. An early cover of "Jeannine" appears on the

album ''

Them Dirty Blues ''Them Dirty Blues'' is an album by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, recorded in 1960. Reception The AllMusic review by Al Campbell awarded the album 4 stars, stating: "Recorded in early 1960, ''Them Dirty Blues'' contains two classic jazz comp ...

'', recorded in February 1960; the song was also covered by

on the album ''

At the Half Note Cafe ''At the Half Note Cafe'' is a live album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1960 at the Half Note in Manhattan and released on the Blue Note label originally as two single LP issues (BLP 4060 and BLP 4061) and reissued as a double CD ...

'', recorded in November 1960. A

vocalese Vocalese is a style of jazz singing in which words are added to an instrumental soloist's improvisation. Definition Vocalese uses recognizable lyrics that are sung to pre-existing instrumental solos, as opposed to scat singing, which uses nonsen ...

version with lyrics by

Oscar Brown, Jr. Oscar Brown Jr. (October 10, 1926May 29, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, civil rights activist, and actor. Aside from his career, Brown ran unsuccessfully for office in both the Illinois state legislature and the U. ...

was recorded by

Eddie Jefferson Eddie Jefferson (August 3, 1918 – May 9, 1979) was an American jazz vocalist and lyricist. He is credited as an innovator of vocalese, a musical style in which lyrics are set to an instrumental composition or solo. Jefferson himself claims t ...

on the album ''The Main Main,'' recorded in October 1974, and was covered on

The Manhattan Transfer The Manhattan Transfer is a Grammy award–winning vocal group founded in 1969 that has explored a cappella, vocalese, swing, standards, Brazilian jazz, rhythm and blues, and pop music. There have been two editions of the Manhattan Transfer, ...

's 1984 album ''

Bop Doo-Wopp ''Bop Doo-Wopp'' is the eighth studio album by The Manhattan Transfer, released in 1984 on the Atlantic Records label. Six of the ten tracks on ''Bop Doo-Wopp'' are live performances. The album contains the song " Route 66" which originally app ...

''. The Steve Lehman Trio recorded the song on their 2011 album ''Dialect Fluorescent''. As a small side project at Blue Note, Pearson penned the liner notes for

Grant Green Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Recording prolifically for Blue Note Records as both leader and sideman, Green performed in the hard bop, soul jazz, bebop, and Latin-tinged idioms ...

’s 1963 album, ''

Idle Moments ''Idle Moments'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Grant Green recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note label in 1965. It features performances by tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Duke Pearson, ...

''. He was the pianist for the recording. Having also composed the album’s title track, he wrote, “I wonder while listening to this recording, just what the people involved were thinking of while idling away (so to speak). The dreamlike mood that prevails gave me the idea of naming this tune ''Idle Moments''.” Pearson eventually retired from his position with Blue Note in 1971 after personnel changes were made; co-founder Alfred Lion retired in 1967 after the label was sold to

Liberty Records Liberty Records was a record label founded in the United States by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revival ...

the previous year, and co-founder

Francis Wolff Francis Wolff (April 5, 1907 – March 8, 1971) was a record company executive, photographer and record producer. Wolff's skills, as an executive and a photographer, were important contributions to the success of the Blue Note record label. Care ...

died in 1971. Pearson opted to teach at

in 1971, toured with

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

and Joe Williams through 1973, and eventually re-formed his big band during that time. He was diagnosed with

multiple sclerosis Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...

in the 1970s, from which he died in 1980 at Atlanta Veterans Hospital.

Discography

As leader

*1959: ''

'' (Blue Note) *1959: '' Tender Feelin's'' (Blue Note) - released 1960. *1961: '' Angel Eyes'' (

Polydor Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

) - released 1968. Also released as ''Bags Groove'' on

Black Lion Black Lion, Black Lions, or Blacklions may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Black Lion, Hammersmith, a London pub * Black Lion, Kilburn, a London pub * Black Lion Records, a British jazz record company * Black Lions Films, associated wit ...

with 3 alternate takes) *1961: ''

Dedication! ''Dedication!'' is the fourth album attributed to American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances originally recorded in 1961 for the Jazzline label but not released until 1970 on the Prestige Records, Prestige label. The Bell ...

'' (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

) - released 1970. Also reissued under

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

's name as ''

Minor Mishap ''Minor Mishap'' is a studio album featuring American jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard recorded in August 1961. The session was led by trombonist Willie Wilson, who died shortly after the recording date. The album is the only known recording made b ...

'', Black Lion, 1989)) *1962: '' Hush!'' (Jazztime) *1964: ''

Wahoo! ''Wahoo!'' is an album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson, featuring performances recorded in 1964 and released on the Blue Note label in 1964.

'' (Blue Note) *1965: ''

Honeybuns ''Honeybuns'' is the seventh album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances by Pearson's nonet recorded in 1965 and released on the Atlantic label in 1966.

'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

) - released 1966. *1966: ''

Prairie Dog Prairie dogs (genus ''Cynomys'') are herbivorous burrowing ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. Within the genus are five species: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. In Mexico, p ...

'' (Atlantic) *1966: ''

Sweet Honey Bee ''Sweet Honey Bee'' is an album by American jazz pianist and composer Duke Pearson, released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label in 1967. The woman on the cover was Pearson's fiancee Betty. Reception Allmusic awarded the album with 4 star ...

'' (Blue Note) - released 1967. *1967: '' The Right Touch'' (Blue Note) - released 1968. *1967: '' Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band'' (Blue Note) - released 1968. *1968: ''

The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The charact ...

'' (Blue Note) *1968: '' Now Hear This'' (Blue Note) - released 1969. *1969: '' How Insensitive'' (Blue Note) *1969: '' Merry Ole Soul'' (Blue Note) *1968-70: ''

I Don't Care Who Knows It ''I Don't Care Who Knows It'' is an album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances recorded between 1968 and 1970.

'' (Blue Note) - released 1996 *1970: ''

It Could Only Happen with You ''It Could Only Happen with You'' is the final album by American pianist and arranger Duke Pearson featuring performances recorded in 1970 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1974.

'' (Blue Note) - released 1974

As sideman

With

*'' Fuego'' (1959) *'' Byrd in Flight'' (1960) *''

'' (1960) *''

The Cat Walk ''The Cat Walk'' is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note Records, Blue Note label in 1962 as BLP 4075.

'' (1961) *''

'' (1963) *''

Fancy Free Fancy Free may refer to: Music * Fancy Free (Donald Byrd album), ''Fancy Free'' (Donald Byrd album) (1969) * Fancy Free (Richard Davis album), ''Fancy Free'' (Richard Davis album) (1977) * Fancy Free (The Oak Ridge Boys album), ''Fancy Free'' (Th ...

'' (1970) *'' Kofi'' (1969–70) *'' Electric Byrd'' (1970) With

Johnny Coles John Coles (July 3, 1926 – December 21, 1997) was an American jazz trumpeter. Early life Coles was born in Trenton, New Jersey on July 3, 1926. He grew up in Philadelphia and was self-taught on trumpet. Later life and career Coles spent his ...

*''

Little Johnny C ''Little Johnny C'' is an album by American trumpeter Johnny Coles recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (Blue Note, 1963, and arranger) With

*''

'' (Blue Note, 1963) With

Bobby Hutcherson Robert Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album '' Components'', is one of his best-known compositions.Huey, Steve. "Components – Bob ...

*'' The Kicker'' (Blue Note, 1963) With

Quintet *'' Mean What You Say'' (Milestone, 1966) With

*''Carmen'' (1972)

As Arranger

Lou Donaldson Lou Donaldson (born November 1, 1926) is an American retired jazz Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop ...

- '' Lush Life'' (1967) *Donald Byrd - ''

'' (1963), '' I'm Tryin' to Get Home'' (1964) *Grant Green - '' Am I Blue'' (1963) *

Blue Mitchell Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and ...

- ''

Boss Horn ''Boss Horn'' is an album by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell recorded in 1966 and released on the Blue Note label.

'' (1966), '' Heads Up!'' (1967) *

Hank Mobley Henry "Hank" Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to descr ...

- '' A Slice of the Top'' (1966) *

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' (1 ...

- '' Standards'' (1967) *

Stanley Turrentine Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He began his career playing R&B for Earl Bostic and later soul jazz recording for the Blue Note label from 1960, touched on jazz fusion ...

- '' Rough 'n' Tumble'' (1966), '' The Spoiler'' (1966), ''

A Bluish Bag ''A Bluish Bag'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine consisting of two sessions recorded for the Blue Note label in 1967 and arranged by Duke Pearson, the first featuring Donald Byrd and the second McCoy Tyner, among others. Recep ...

'' (1967), ''

The Return of the Prodigal Son The Parable of the Prodigal Son (also known as the parable of the Two Brothers, Lost Son, Loving Father, or of the Forgiving Father) is one of the parables of Jesus Christ in the Bible, appearing in Luke 15:11–32. Jesus shares the parable wit ...

'' (1967), '' The Look of Love'' (1968)

References

External links

Duke Pearson Discography at ''www.JazzDiscography.com''Duke Pearson Discography Project at ''www.jazzdisco.org''
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pearson, Duke 1932 births 1980 deaths American jazz composers American male jazz composers American jazz pianists American male pianists American session musicians Hard bop pianists Post-bop pianists Blue Note Records artists Musicians from Atlanta People with multiple sclerosis Progressive big band musicians Soul-jazz pianists Jazz record producers 20th-century American composers 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians The Jazztet members 20th-century jazz composers Burials at South-View Cemetery