Jemeel Moondoc (August 5, 1946 – August 29, 2021) was a jazzsaxophonist who played
alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...
clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...
and piano before settling on saxophone at sixteen. He became interested in jazz largely due to
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet.
Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex ...
Roy Campbell, Jr.
Roy Sinclair Campbell Jr. (September 29, 1952 – January 9, 2014) was an American trumpeter frequently linked to free jazz, although he also performed rhythm and blues and funk during his career.
Biography
Born in Los Angeles, California, in 19 ...
, and
Rashid Bakr Rashid Bakr may refer to:
* Rashid Bakr (musician) (born 1943), American free jazz drummer
* Rashid Bakr (politician)
El Rashid El Tahir Bakr (24 June 1933 – 11 March 1988)
. The group also had its own Muntu record label, but eventually faced financial difficulties. In 1984, he formed the Jus Grew Orchestra, which secured a residency at the Neither/Nor club in the
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets.
Traditionally an im ...
. He worked with Parker again in 1998's album, ''
New World Pygmies
''New World Pygmies'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc and bassist William Parker, which was recorded live at the Fire in the Valley Festival in 1998 and released on the Eremite label.
''.
He died in August 2021, at the age of 75 from the effects of sickle cell anemia.
Discography
As leader
* ''
First Feeding
''First Feeding'' is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc with the Ensemble Muntu, which was recorded in 1977 and released on his own Muntu label. The album was reissued in 2009 as part of the three-CD box '' Muntu Recordings ...
'' (Muntu, 1977)
* ''
The Evening of the Blue Men
''The Evening of the Blue Men'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc with Muntu, which was recorded live in 1979 at NYC's St. Mark's Church and released on his own Muntu label. The album was reissued in 2009 as part of the three ...
'' (Muntu, 1979)
* ''New York Live!'' ( Cadence Jazz, 1981)
* ''The Intrepid Live in Poland'' (Poljazz, 1981)
* ''
We Don't
''We Don't'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc with drummer Denis Charles, which was recorded in 1981 but not issued until 2003 by the Eremite label. The title track is a traditional Caribbean tune.Eremite, 1981; issued 2003) - with Denis Charles
* '' Judy's Bounce'' ( Soul Note, 1982)
* ''The Athens Concert'' (Praxis, 1982)
* ''
Konstanze's Delight
''Konstanze's Delight'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded live at the Third Street Music School in 1981 and released on the Italian Soul Note label. He leads a sextet that features Muntu's members Roy Cam ...
'' (Soul Note, 1983)
* ''
Nostalgia in Times Square
''Nostalgia in Times Square'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded in 1985 and released the following year on the Italian Soul Note label. He leads a quintet that features Ornette Coleman guitarist Bern Nix, ...
'' (Soul Note, 1986)
* ''
Tri-P-Let
''Tri-P-Let'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded in 1996 and became the first release on the Eremite label. It was Moondoc's first recording since 1985. He leads a trio with two Boston based musicians: bassi ...
Fire in the Valley
''Fire in the Valley'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded live at the Fire in the Valley Festival in 1996 and released on the Eremite label. He leads a trio with bassist John Voigt and drummer Laurence Cook ...
New World Pygmies
''New World Pygmies'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc and bassist William Parker, which was recorded live at the Fire in the Valley Festival in 1998 and released on the Eremite label.
Revolt of the Negro Lawn Jockeys
''Revolt of the Negro Lawn Jockeys'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded live at the 2000 Vision Festival and released on the Eremite label. It was a reunion with vibraphonist Khan Jamal, who recorded with Mo ...
New World Pygmies vol. 2
''New World Pygmies vol. 2'' is a double album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc and bassist William Parker, which was recorded live in 2000 and released on the Eremite label. The first disc documents a duo performance from Madison, whil ...
Live at Glenn Miller Café Vol 1
''Live at Glenn Miller Café Vol 1'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded in Stockholm and released on Ayler Records, a Swedish label founded by Jan Ström and Åke Bjurhamn.
'' (
Ayler Ayler is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Albert Ayler (1936–1970), American jazz saxophonist, singer, and composer
* Donald Ayler (1942–2007), American jazz trumpeter, brother of Albert
* Ethel Ayler (1930–2018), America ...
, 2002)
* ''
Live in Paris ''Live in Paris'' may refer to:
Albums
* ''Live in Paris'' (Art Ensemble of Chicago album)
* ''Live in Paris'' (John Coltrane album)
* ''Live in Paris'' (Jemeel Moondoc album)
*'' Live in Paris 1975'', an album by Deep Purple
* ''Live in Paris+'' ( ...
The Zookeeper's House
''The Zookeeper's House'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc, which was recorded in 2013 and released on Relative Pitch Records. It was his first album leading a full band in over a decade.
Music
Moondoc plays the ballad "For ...
'' (Relative Pitch, 2014)
* ''
Cosmic Nickelodeon
''Cosmic Nickelodeon'' is an album by saxophonist Jemeel Moondoc and bassist Hilliard Greene. It was recorded on December 12, 2015, at Park West Studios in Brooklyn, New York, and was released in 2016 by Relative Pitch Records.
Reception
In a rev ...
'' (Relative Pitch, 2016) - with
Hilliard Greene
Hilliard Greene (born February 26, 1958) is an American bassist (playing both double bass, and bass guitar) specializing in modern creative, improvised, and jazz music, as well as a music educator.
Life and work
Hilliard Greene studied at the B ...
Captain of the Deep
''Captain of the Deep'' is an album by the American jazz drummer Denis Charles, which was recorded live in 1991 at the Zuid-Nederlands Jazz Festival and released in 1998 on the Eremite label.
The album was issued to the public on the day Charles d ...
This Now!
''This Now!'' is an album by American jazz trombonist Steve Swell, which was recorded live in 2001 and released on Cadence Jazz. He leads the Unified Theory of Sound, a sextet with Jemeel Moondoc on alto sax, Matt Lavelle on trumpet, Cooper-Moore o ...
'' (Cadence Jazz, 2003)
* ''
Swimming in a Galaxy of Goodwill and Sorrow
''Swimming in a Galaxy of Goodwill and Sorrow'' is an album by American jazz trombonist Steve Swell which was recorded in 2006 and released on the French RogueArt label. It was the debut of Fire into Music, a quartet with Jemeel Moondoc on alto ...
'' (
RogueArt
RogueArt (also written Rogueart and Rogue Art) is a French independent record label based in Paris. It was founded by record producer Michel Dorbon in 2005 and specialises in jazz and improvised music.
History
RogueArt was founded by record p ...