Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", 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 m ...

tenor saxophonist. The son of

boogie-woogie Boogie-woogie is a genre of blues music that became popular during the late 1920s, developed in African-American communities since 1870s.Paul, Elliot, ''That Crazy American Music'' (1957), Chapter 10, p. 229. It was eventually extended from pi ...

pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and R&B.

Biography

Born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, Ammons studied music with instructor

Walter Dyett Walter Henri Dyett (also known as Captain Walter Henri Dyett; January 11, 1901 – November 17, 1969) was an American violinist and music educator in the Chicago Public Schools system. He served as music director and assistant music director ...

DuSable High School Jean Baptiste Point DuSable High School is a public four-year high school campus located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. DuSable is owned by the Chicago Public Schools district. The school ...

. Ammons began to gain recognition while still at high school when in 1943, at the age of 18, he went on the road with trumpeter

King Kolax King Kolax (born William Little, November 6, 1912 – December 18, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Biography William Little was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1912; he misleadingly claimed he was born in 1918 in later ...

's band. In 1944, he joined the band of Billy Eckstine (who bestowed on him the nickname "Jug" when straw hats ordered for the band did not fit), playing alongside

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

and later

Dexter Gordon Dexter Gordon (February 27, 1923 – April 25, 1990) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and actor. He was among the most influential early bebop musicians, which included other greats such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gi ...

. Performances from this period include "Blowin' the Blues Away," featuring a saxophone duel between Ammons and Gordon. After 1947, when Eckstine became a solo performer, Ammons then led a group, including

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

and Sonny Stitt, that performed at Chicago's Jumptown Club. In 1949, Ammons replaced Stan Getz as a member of

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

's Second Herd, and then in 1950 formed a duet with Sonny Stitt. The 1950s were a prolific period for Ammons and produced some acclaimed recordings such as ''

The Happy Blues ''The Happy Blues'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1956 and released on the Prestige label.Donald Byrd,

Jackie McLean John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their deat ...

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige, Blue Note, Verve, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were notable, and produced the 1965 ...

, Mal Waldron, Art Farmer, and

Duke Jordan Irving Sidney "Duke" Jordan (April 1, 1922 – August 8, 2006) was an American jazz pianist. Biography Jordan was born in New York and raised in Brooklyn where he attended Boys High School. An imaginative and gifted pianist, Jordan was a regul ...

. His later career was interrupted by two prison sentences for narcotics possession, the first from 1958 to 1960, the second from 1962 to 1969. He recorded as a leader for Mercury (1947–1949), Aristocrat (1948–1950),

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

(1950–1951),

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 ...

(1950–1952),

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

(1952), and

United United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

(1952–1953). For the rest of his career, he was affiliated with Prestige. After his release from prison in 1969, having served a seven-year sentence at Joliet penitentiary, he signed the largest contract ever offered at that time by Prestige's

Bob Weinstock Bob Weinstock (October 2, 1928 – January 14, 2006) was an American record producer best known for his label Prestige Records, established in 1949, which was responsible for many significant jazz recordings during his more than two decades o ...

. Ammons had the first of two records released by

Leonard Chess Lejzor Szmuel Czyż (March 12, 1917 – October 16, 1969), best known as Leonard Sam Chess, was a Polish-American record company executive and the co-founder of Chess Records. He was influential in the development of electric blues, Chicago bl ...

on the newly-formed Chess Records label in 1950, titled "My Foolish Heart" (Chess 1425);

Muddy Waters McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 April 30, 1983), known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer and musician who was an important figure in the post-war blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago ...

was the second record, "Rolling Stone" (Chess 1426). Both records were released simultaneously. Ammons died in Chicago on August 6, 1974, at the age of 49, from

bone cancer A bone tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in bone, traditionally classified as noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Cancerous bone tumors usually originate from a cancer in another part of the body such as from lung, breast, thy ...

. He was buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Illinois.

Playing style

Ammons and

Von Freeman Earle Lavon "Von" Freeman Sr. (October 3, 1923 – August 11, 2012) was an American hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, Freeman as a young child was exposed to jazz. His father, George, a city policeman, was a ...

were the founders of the Chicago school of tenor saxophone. Ammons's style of playing showed influences from

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most ...

as well as

Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster (March 27, 1909 – September 20, 1973) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Career Early life and career A native of Kansas City, Missouri, he studied violin, learned how to play blues on the piano from ...

. These artists had helped develop the sound of the tenor saxophone to higher levels of expressiveness. Ammons, together with Dexter Gordon and Sonny Stitt, helped integrate their developments with the emerging "vernacular" of the bebop movement, and the chromaticism and rhythmic variety of

is evident in his playing. While adept at the technical aspects of bebop, in particular its love of harmonic substitutions, Ammons stayed in touch with the commercial blues and R&B of his day. For example, in 1950 the saxophonist's recording of " My Foolish Heart" made ''Billboard'' Magazine's black pop charts. The

soul jazz Soul jazz or funky jazz is a subgenre of jazz that incorporates strong influences from hard bop, blues, soul, gospel and rhythm and blues. Soul jazz is often characterized by organ trios featuring the Hammond organ and small combos including ten ...

movement of the mid-1960s, often using the combination of tenor saxophone and Hammond B3 electric organ, counts him as a founder. With a thicker, warmer tone than Stitt or Gordon, Ammons could at will exploit a vast range of textures on the instrument, vocalizing it in ways that anticipated later artists such as

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 ...

Houston Person Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the ...

, and even

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

. Ammons showed little interest, however, in the modal jazz of John Coltrane, Joe Henderson or

Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...

that was emerging at the same time.

Discography

As leader

* ''

All Star Sessions ''All Star Sessions'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded between 1950 and 1955 and released on the Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1956) – recorded in 1955 * ''

The Happy Blues ''The Happy Blues'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1956 and released on the Prestige label.Jammin' with Gene ''Jammin' with Gene'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1956 and released on the Prestige label.Jammin' in Hi Fi with Gene Ammons'' (Prestige, 1957) * ''

Funky Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mid ...

'' (Prestige, 1957) * ''

Blue Gene Blue Gene is an IBM project aimed at designing supercomputers that can reach operating speeds in the petaFLOPS (PFLOPS) range, with low power consumption. The project created three generations of supercomputers, Blue Gene/L, Blue Gene/P, ...

'' (Prestige, 1958) * '' The Big Sound'' (Prestige, 1958) * ''

Soulful Saxophone ''Soulful Saxophone'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons, compiling tracks recorded between 1948 and 1951, some of which were originally released as singles, that was issued by the Chess label in 1959.Boss Tenor ''Boss Tenor'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1960 and released on the Prestige label.Groove Blues ''Groove Blues'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1958 and released on the Prestige label.Nice an' Cool ''Nice an' Cool'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1961 and released on the Moodsville,Jug A jug is a type of container commonly used to hold liquids. It has an opening, sometimes narrow, from which to pour or drink, and has a handle, and often a pouring lip. Jugs throughout history have been made of metal, and ceramic, or glass, and ...

'' (Prestige, 1961) * ''

Up Tight! ''Uptight'' (also known as ''Up Tight!'') is a 1968 American drama film directed by Jules Dassin. It was intended as an updated version of John Ford's 1935 film '' The Informer'', based on the book of the same name by Liam O'Flaherty, but the s ...

'' (Prestige, 1961) * ''

Twisting the Jug ''Twisting the Jug'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons with trumpeter Joe Newman and organist Jack McDuff recorded in 1961 and released on the Prestige label.

'' with Joe Newman, Jack McDuff (Prestige, 1961) * '' Bad! Bossa Nova'' (Prestige, 1962) * ''Ca' Purange'' (Prestige, 1962) * '' Just Jug'' (Argo, 1962) * '' Preachin''' (Prestige, 1963) * '' Soul Summit Vol. 2'' with

Etta Jones Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 – October 16, 2001) was an American jazz singer. Her best-known recordings are "Don't Go to Strangers" and "Save Your Love for Me". She worked with Buddy Johnson, Oliver Nelson, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Gene A ...

, Jack McDuff (Prestige, 1963) * ''

The Soulful Moods of Gene Ammons ''The Soulful Moods of Gene Ammons'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1962 and released on the Prestige Records, Moodsville label.

'' (Moodsville, 1963) * ''

Velvet Soul ''Velvet Soul'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons compiling sessions recorded between 1960 and 1962 and released on the Prestige label in 1964.

'' (Prestige, 1964) * ''

Late Hour Special ''Late Hour Special'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons compiling sessions recorded in 1961 and 1962 and released on the Prestige label in 1964.

'' (Prestige, 1964) * '' Angel Eyes'' (Prestige, 1965) * '' Boss Soul!'' (Prestige, 1966) * '' The Boss Is Back!'' (Prestige, 1969) * ''

Brother Jug! ''Brother Jug!'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1969 and released on the Prestige label.The Chase! ''The Chase!'' is a live album by the saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Gene Ammons recorded in Chicago in 1970 and released on the Prestige label. Reception In a review for AllMusic, Scott Yanow stated: "this CD is highly recommended to fans of ...

'' with

(Prestige, 1971) * ''

My Way "My Way" is a song popularized in 1969 by Frank Sinatra set to the music of the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed by Jacques Revaux with lyrics by Gilles Thibaut and Claude François and first performed in 1967 by Claude François. Its E ...

'' (Prestige, 1971) * '' The Black Cat!'' (Prestige, 1971) * '' Jug & Dodo'' with

Dodo Marmarosa Michael "Dodo" Marmarosa (December 12, 1925 – September 17, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Originating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marmarosa became a professional musician in his mid-teens, and toured with several ...

(Prestige, 1972) * '' Free Again'' (Prestige, 1972) * ''

Got My Own ''Got My Own'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1972 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1973) * ''

Chicago Concert ''Chicago Concert'' is a live album by saxophonists James Moody (saxophonist), James Moody and Gene Ammons recorded in Chicago in 1971 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label.James Moody (Prestige, 1973) * ''

Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux ''Gene Ammons and Friends at Montreux'' is a live album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1973 and released on the Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1973) * ''

Big Bad Jug ''Big Bad Jug'' is an album by saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1972 and released on the Prestige Records, Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1973) * '' Brasswind'' (Prestige, 1974) * ''

Goodbye Goodbye, Good bye, or Good-bye is a parting phrase and may refer to: Film * ''Goodbye'' (1918 film), a British drama directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Goodbye'' (1995 film) (''Tot Ziens!''), a Dutch film directed by Heddy Honigmann * ''Goodbye'' ...

'' (Prestige, 1975) * ''Swinging the Jugg'' (Roots, 1976) * '' Gene Ammons in Sweden'' (ENJA Records, 1981) * '' Blue Groove'' (Prestige, 1982) * '' Night Lights'' (Prestige, 1985)

With Sonny Stitt

* ''

Kaleidoscope A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a regular symmetrical pattern when v ...

'' (Prestige, 1957) – compilation * '' Boss Tenors in Orbit!'' (Verve, 1962) * '' Boss Tenors: Straight Ahead from Chicago August 1961'' (Verve, 1962) * ''

Dig Him! ''Dig Him!'' is an album by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recorded in 1961 and originally released on the Argo label in 1961.Soul Summit ''Soul Summit'' is an album by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt with organist Jack McDuff recorded in 1962 and released on the Prestige label.You Talk That Talk! ''You Talk That Talk!'' is an album by saxophonists Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recorded in 1971 and released on the Prestige label.Together Again for the Last Time'' (Prestige, 1976) – recorded in 1973

As sideman

With

Bennie Green Bennie Green (April 16, 1923 – March 23, 1977) was an American jazz trombonist. Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Green worked in the orchestras of Earl Hines and Charlie Ventura, and recorded as bandleader through the 1950s and ...

* ''

Soul Stirrin' ''Soul Stirrin'' is an album by American trombonist Bennie Green, recorded in 1958 and released on the Blue Note label.The Swingin'est ''The Swingin'est'' is an album by American trombonist Bennie Green and saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1958 and released on the Vee-Jay label.

'' (Vee Jay, 1959) With

Richard "Groove" Holmes Richard Arnold "Groove" Holmes (May 2, 1931 – June 29, 1991) was an American jazz organist who performed in the hard bop and soul jazz genre. He is best known for his 1965 recording of " Misty". Career Holmes's first album, on Pacific ...

* ''

Groovin' with Jug ''Groovin' with Jug'' is a live album (with three tracks recorded in the studio) by organist Richard Holmes and saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1961 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.Tell It Like It Is'' (Pacific Jazz, 1966) With Jack McDuff * ''

Brother Jack Meets the Boss ''Brother Jack Meets the Boss'' is an album by the organist Jack McDuff and the saxophonist Gene Ammons recorded in 1962 and released on the Prestige label.

'' (Prestige, 1962) * ''Rock Candy'' (Prestige, 1972) – compilation With others * David Axelrod, ''Heavy Axe'' (Fantasy, 1974) * Richard B. Boone, ''I've Got a Right to Sing'' (Nocturne, 1968) *

, ''Bopping the Blues'' (Black Lion, 1987) * Billy Eckstine, ''Maggie: The Savoy Sessions'' (Savoy, 1995) – recorded in 1947 *

Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...

, ''House Warmin'!'' (Argo, 1963) – originally issued in 1962 on Winley Records as ''Nothin' But Soul'' under Gene Ammons' name. * Charles Mingus, ''

Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert ''Charles Mingus and Friends in Concert'' is a live album by the jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus, recorded at the Avery Fisher Hall, Philharmonic Hall of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1972 and released on the Columbia Recor ...

'' (Columbia, 1973) * Andrew White, ''Red Top'' (Andrew's Music, 1977)

References

External links

* *
Online 78 RPM Discographical Project - Aristocrat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ammons, Gene 1925 births 1974 deaths Bebop saxophonists Hard bop saxophonists Soul-jazz saxophonists American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists African-American woodwind musicians African-American saxophonists Argo Records artists Chess Records artists Savoy Records artists United Records artists Prestige Records artists Transatlantic Records artists Deaths from cancer in Illinois 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Deaths from bone cancer 20th-century African-American musicians