James Peter Giuffre (, ; April 26, 1921 – April 24, 2008) 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 ...

clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating forms of free improvisation.

Biography

Jimmy Giuffre was born in

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, United States, the son of Joseph Francis Giuffre (an Italian immigrant from

Termini Imerese Termini Imerese (; scn, Tèrmini ) , grc, Θερμαὶ αἱ Ἱμερᾶαι , grc, Θερμαὶ Ἱμέραι , or grc, Θερμὰ (Ἱμεραῖα) ; la, Thermae Himerenses; literally "Himera's hot springs". is a town of the Metropo ...

, Palermo Province, Sicily) and Everet McDaniel Giuffre. Giuffre was a graduate of Dallas Technical High School and North Texas State Teachers College (

University of North Texas College of Music The University of North Texas College of Music, based in Denton, is a comprehensive music school among the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. It developed the first jazz studies ...

). He first became known as an arranger for

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 ...

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 ...

, for which he wrote " Four Brothers" (1947). He would continue to write creative, unusual arrangements throughout his career. He was a central figure in

West Coast jazz West Coast jazz refers to styles of jazz that developed in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a subgenre of cool jazz, which consisted of a calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music relied rela ...

and

cool jazz Cool jazz is a style of modern jazz music that arose in the United States after World War II. It is characterized by relaxed tempos and lighter tone, in contrast to the fast and complex bebop style. Cool jazz often employs formal arrangements and ...

. He became a member of

Howard Rumsey Howard Rumsey (November 7, 1917 – July 15, 2015) was an American jazz double-bassist known for his leadership of the Lighthouse All-Stars in the 1950s. Biography Born in Brawley, California, United States, Rumsey first began playing the piano, ...

's Lighthouse All Stars in 1951 as a full-time All Star, along with

Shorty Rogers Milton "Shorty" Rogers (born Milton Rajonsky; April 14, 1924 – November 7, 1994) was an American jazz musician, one of the principal creators of West Coast jazz. He played trumpet and flugelhorn and was in demand for his skills as an arran ...

and

Shelly Manne Sheldon "Shelly" Manne (June 11, 1920 – September 26, 1984) was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, s ...

. The Lighthouse in

Hermosa Beach, California Hermosa Beach (''Hermosa'', Spanish for "Beautiful") is a beachfront city in Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California, United States. Its population was 19,728 at the 2020 U.S. Census. The city is located in the South Bay region of th ...

became the focal point of West Coast jazz in the 1952–53 period. During this time, he collaborated with Rogers on many of the charts written for the All Stars. The first recording released by the Lighthouse All Stars was a not so West Coast jazz chart named "Big Boy", which he and Rogers had put together. It was an instant hit in Los Angeles. He left the band in September 1953 and became a member of Shorty Rogers and His Giants before going solo. At this point in his career, Giuffre predominantly played tenor and baritone saxophone. His first trio consisted of Giuffre, guitarist Jim Hall and double bassist Ralph Peña (later replaced by Jim Atlas). They had a minor hit in 1957 when Giuffre's "The Train and the River", was featured on the television special ''

The Sound of Jazz "The Sound of Jazz" is a 1957 edition of the CBS television series ''The Seven Lively Arts'' and was one of the first major programs featuring jazz to air on American network television. Overview The one-hour program aired on Sunday, December 8, ...

''. This trio explored what Giuffre dubbed "blues-based folk jazz". This same special matched Giuffre with fellow clarinetist

Pee Wee Russell Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and sp ...

for a leisurely jam session simply titled "Blues". When Atlas left the trio, Giuffre replaced him with valve trombonist

Bob Brookmeyer Robert Edward "Bob" Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 – December 15, 2011) was an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Ge ...

. This unusual instrumentation was partly inspired by

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

. The group can be seen performing "The Train and the River" in the film ''

Jazz on a Summer's Day ''Jazz on a Summer's Day'' is a concert film set at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island, directed by commercial and fashion photographer Bert Stern and Aram Avakian, who also edited the film. The Columbia Records jazz producer, George ...

'' filmed at the 1958

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hire ...

. In 1959, Giuffre led a trio featuring Hall and bassist

Buddy Clark Buddy Clark (born Samuel Goldberg, July 26, 1912 – October 1, 1949) was an American popular singer of the Big Band era. He had some success in the 1930s, but his career truly blossomed in the late 1940s, after his return from service in Worl ...

on a concert in Rome, Italy, sharing the bill with

Gerry Mulligan Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...

's band. In 1961, Giuffre formed a new trio with pianist

Paul Bley Paul Bley, CM (November 10, 1932 – January 3, 2016) was a jazz pianist known for his contributions to the free jazz movement of the 1960s as well as his innovations and influence on trio playing and his early live performance on the Moog and ...

and

Steve Swallow Steve Swallow (born October 4, 1940) is an American jazz bassist and composer, known for his collaborations with Jimmy Giuffre, Gary Burton, and Carla Bley. He was one of the first jazz double bassists to switch entirely to electric bass guitar. ...

on double bass, and began to focus his attention largely on the clarinet. This group received little attention while active, but were later cited by some critics and musicians as among the most important groups in jazz history. They explored

free jazz Free jazz is an experimental approach to jazz improvisation that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s when musicians attempted to change or break down jazz conventions, such as regular tempos, tones, and chord changes. Musicians during ...

not in the aggressive mode of

Albert Ayler Albert Ayler (; July 13, 1936 – November 25, 1970) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist, singer and composer. After early experience playing R&B and bebop, Ayler began recording music during the free jazz era of the 1960s. Howev ...

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 ...

, but with a hushed, quiet focus closer to

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

. The trio's explorations of

melody A melody (from Greek language, Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a Linearity#Music, linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most liter ...

harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...

and

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular recu ...

are still as striking and radical as any in jazz. Thom Jurek has written that this trio's recordings are "one of the most essential documents regarding the other side of early-'60s jazz." Giuffre, Bley and Swallow eventually explored wholly improvised music, several years ahead of the

free improvisation Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician(s) involved. The term can refer to both a technique (employed by any musician in any genre) and as a recognizable genre in its ...

boom in Europe. Jurek writes that ''

Free Fall In Newtonian physics, free fall is any motion of a body where gravity is the only force acting upon it. In the context of general relativity, where gravitation is reduced to a space-time curvature, a body in free fall has no force acting on i ...

'', their final record, "was such radical music, no one, literally no one, was ready for it and the group disbanded shortly thereafter on a night when they made only 35 cents apiece for a set." In the early 1970s, Giuffre formed a new trio with bassist Kiyoshi Tokunaga and drummer Randy Kaye. Giuffre added instruments including bass flute and soprano saxophone to his arsenal. A later group included

Pete Levin Pete or Petes or ''variation'', may refer to: People * Pete (given name) * Pete (nickname) * Pete (surname) Fictional characters * Pete (Disney), a cartoon character in the ''Mickey Mouse'' universe * Pete the Pup (a.k.a. 'Petey'), a character ...

playing synthesizer and replaced Tokunaga with electric bassist Bob Nieske. This group recorded three albums for the Italian

Soul Note Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz. History Black S ...

label.Lock, p. 132 During the 1970s, Giuffre was hired by

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

to head its jazz ensemble, and to teach private lessons in saxophone and music composition. Into the 1990s, Giuffre continued teaching and performing. He recorded with

Joe McPhee Joe McPhee (born November 3, 1939) is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist born in Miami, Florida, a player of tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, the trumpet, flugelhorn and valve trombone. McPhee grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, and is ...

, and revived the trio with Bley and Swallow (though Swallow had switched to bass guitar, giving the group a different sound). Through the mid-1990s, Giuffre taught at the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music Music school, conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The ...

. He suffered from

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

and in his last years he no longer performed. Giuffre died of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield� ...

, on April 24, 2008, two days short of his 87th birthday.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

*1955: ''

Jimmy Giuffre James Peter Giuffre (, ; April 26, 1921 – April 24, 2008) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He is known for developing forms of jazz which allowed for free interplay between the musicians, anticipating f ...

'' (

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

) *1955: '' Tangents in Jazz'' (Capitol) *1956: ''

The Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet ''The Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet'' is an album by American jazz composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre featuring him exclusively on clarinet which was released on the Atlantic Records, Atlantic label in 1956.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 ...

) *1956: '' The Jimmy Giuffre 3'' (Atlantic) *1958: ''

The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and ...

'' (Atlantic) *1958: '' Trav'lin' Light'' (Atlantic) *1958: '' The Four Brothers Sound'' (Atlantic) *1958: ''

Western Suite ''Western Suite'' is an album by American jazz composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Atlantic label in 1960.Ad Lib In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation. The ...

'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

) *1959: '' 7 Pieces'' (Verve) *1959: ''

Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre ''Herb Ellis Meets Jimmy Giuffre'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Herb Ellis and saxophonist, composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Verve label in 1959.Herb Ellis Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010), known professionally as Herb Ellis, was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson. Biography Born in Farmersville, Texas, and raised ...

*1959: ''

Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre ''Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz and saxophonist, composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Verve label in 1959.Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

*1959: '' The Easy Way'' (Verve) *1959: '' Piece for Clarinet and String Orchestra/Mobiles'' (Verve) with the Sudwestfunk Orchestra of Baden Baden *1959: ''Princess (Fini Jazz) Italian release – recorded at Adriano Theatre, Rome, Italy, June 19, 1959 *1960: '' The Jimmy Giuffre Quartet in Person'' (Verve) *1961: ''

Fusion Fusion, or synthesis, is the process of combining two or more distinct entities into a new whole. Fusion may also refer to: Science and technology Physics *Nuclear fusion, multiple atomic nuclei combining to form one or more different atomic nucl ...

'' (Verve) *1961: ''

Thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

'' (Verve), re-released with ''Fusion'' and three additional tracks as ''1961'' ( ECM, 1992) *1961: ''

Emphasis, Stuttgart 1961 ''Emphasis, Stuttgart 1961'' is an album by the Jimmy Giuffre 3 recorded live at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart, Germany, November 7, 1961, by the regional public broadcaster Sueddeutscher Rundfunk. It was first released in 1993 by hatArt and late ...

'' ( hatArt, 1993), with

*1961: ''

Flight, Bremen 1961 ''Flight, Bremen 1961'' is an album by the Jimmy Giuffre 3 recorded live at Sendesaal of regional public broadcaster Radio Bremen, Germany, on November 23, 1961. It was first released in 1993 by hatArt, and re-released by HatOLOGY (another impri ...

'' ( hatArt, 1993) re-issued with ''Emphasis...'' as ''Emphasis & Flight'' (

hatOLOGY Hathut Records is a Swiss record company and label founded by Werner Xavier Uehlinger in 1974 that specializes in jazz and classical music. The name of the label comes from the artwork of Klaus Baumgartner. Hathut encompasses the labels hat ART, ...

, 2003) *1961: ''Graz Live 1961'' (Hathut / ezz-thetics 2019) with Steve Swallow, Paul Bley *1963: ''

'' ( Columbia) *1965: '' New York Concerts: The Jimmy Giuffre 3 & 4'' (2014) *1973: ''

Music for People, Birds, Butterflies and Mosquitoes ''Music for People, Birds, Butterflies and Mosquitoes'' is an album by American jazz composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Choice label in 1973.

'' (Choice) also released as ''Mosquito Dance'' (DJM) and ''Night Dance'' (Candid) *1975: ''

River Chant ''River Chant'' is an album by American jazz composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Choice label in 1975.IAI Festival ''IAI Festival'' (full title ''IAI Festival/Great American Music Hall/San Francisco'') is a live album by multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Giuffre, saxophonist Lee Konitz, guitarist Bill Connors and pianist Paul Bley recorded in 1978 which was the fin ...

'' (

Improvising Artists Improvising Artists Inc. known as IAI is a production company created by jazz pianist, Paul Bley, and video artist, Carol Goss Carol may refer to: People with the name * Carol (given name) * Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist ...

), with

Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

Bill Connors Bill Connors (born September 24, 1949) is an American jazz guitarist who was a member of Chick Corea's band Return to Forever. After leaving Return to Forever, he recorded three acoustic albums and then three electric albums as a leader/soloist ...

and

*1983: ''

Dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...

'' (

) *1985: ''

Quasar A quasar is an extremely Luminosity, luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN). It is pronounced , and sometimes known as a quasi-stellar object, abbreviated QSO. This emission from a galaxy nucleus is powered by a supermassive black hole with a m ...

'' (Soul Note) *1988: '' Eiffel: Live in Paris'' (CELP), with André Jaume *1988: '' Momentum, Willisau 1988'' (hatOLOGY, 1997), with André Jaume *1989: ''

Liquid Dancers ''Liquid Dancers'' is an album by the Jimmy Giuffre 4, saxophonist Jimmy Giuffre, keyboardist Pete Levin, bassist Bob Nieske and drummer Randy Kaye, which was released on the Italian Soul Note label in 1991.The Life of a Trio: Saturday'' (Owl), with Steve Swallow, Paul Bley *1990: '' The Life of a Trio: Sunday'' (Owl), with Steve Swallow, Paul Bley *1991: ''

River Station A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

'' (CELP), with André Jaume and

*1992: ''Talks & Plays'' (CELP, 2000), CD with interview and a second CD with André Jaume *1992: ''Fly Away Little Bird'' (Owl), with Steve Swallow, Paul Bley *1996: ''Conversations with a Goose'' (Soul Note), with Steve Swallow, Paul Bley

As sideman, arranger and/or composer

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

and the Lighthouse All-Stars – ''

Witch Doctor A witch doctor (also spelled witch-doctor) was originally a type of Folk healer, healer who treated ailments believed to be caused by witchcraft. The term is now more commonly used to refer to Alternative medicine, healers, particularly in region ...

'' (Contemporary, 1953

985 Year 985 (Roman numerals, CMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, Henry II (the Wrangler) is rest ...

* Chet Baker – ''

Pretty/Groovy ''Pretty/Groovy'' is an album by jazz trumpeter Chet Baker recorded in 1953 and 1954 (with one track from 1957) and released on the World Pacific label in 1958.

'' (World Pacific, 1954

958 Year 958 ( CMLVIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * October / November – Battle of Raban: The Byzantines under John Tzimiskes ...

Elmer Bernstein Elmer Bernstein ( '; April 4, 1922August 18, 2004) was an American composer and conductor. In a career that spanned over five decades, he composed "some of the most recognizable and memorable themes in Hollywood history", including over 150 origi ...

– ''

The Man with the Golden Arm ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' is a 1955 American drama film with elements of film noir directed by Otto Preminger, based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren. Starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang and Darre ...

'' (Decca, 1956) *

– '' Quiet Song'' (Improvising Artists, 1975) *

Buddy Bregman Louis Isidore "Buddy" Bregman (July 9, 1930 – January 8, 2017) was an American arranger and conductor. Biography Bregman was born in Chicago. His father was an executive in the steel industry. His uncle was songwriter Jule Styne. He spe ...

– ''

Swinging Kicks ''Swinging Kicks'' is a 1957 album by the jazz arranger Buddy Bregman. The album was released as ''I Love Listening to Buddy Bregman'' by HMV in the United Kingdom. Reception Scott Yanow reviewed the album for AllMusic and wrote that it was "Bec ...

'' (Verve, 1956) *

– ''

Traditionalism Revisited ''Traditionalism Revisited'' is an album by jazz trombonist and pianist Bob Brookmeyer featuring popular music of the 1920s and 1930s recorded in 1957 for the World Pacific label. Reception The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow stated "While these ...

'' (

World Pacific Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...

, 1957) * Ray Brown – '' Bass Hit!'' (Verve, 1956) *

Teddy Charles Teddy Charles (April 13, 1928 – April 16, 2012) was an American jazz musician and composer, whose instruments were the vibraphone, piano, and drums. Career Born Theodore Charles Cohen in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, United States, he s ...

– ''

The Teddy Charles Tentet ''The Teddy Charles Tentet'' is a 1956 jazz album featuring a tentet led by multi-instrumentalist Teddy Charles. Critically well received, the album is listed as one of the "Core Collection" albums in ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' and an essential ...

'' (

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 ...

, 1956) * Teddy Charles / Shorty Rogers / Shelly Manne / Jimmy Giuffre – '' Collaboration West'' (

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 Garnett ...

, 1953

956 Year 956 ( CMLVI) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Summer – Emperor Constantine VII appoints Nikephoros Phokas to commander of the ...

Evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...

'' (Prestige, 1953

957 Year 957 ( CMLVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * September 6 – Liudolf, the eldest son of King Otto I, dies of a violent fever nea ...

Peggy Connelly Peggy Connelly (September 25, 1931 – June 11, 2007) was an American singing, singer and actress. Early years Connelly was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. George F. Connelly, and sh ...

– ''That Old Black Magic'' (Bethlehem, 1956) *

Buddy DeFranco Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist. In addition to his work as a bandleader, DeFranco led the Glenn Miller Orchestra for almost a decade in the 1960s and ...

– ''The Progressive Mr. DeFranco'' ( Norgran, 1953

954 Year 954 ( CMLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – A Hungarian army led by Bulcsú crosses the Rhine. He camps at Worms in the c ...

reissued as ''Odalisque - The Music Of Buddy DeFranco'', Norgran, 1956 & Verve, 1961) *

Herb Ellis Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010), known professionally as Herb Ellis, was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson. Biography Born in Farmersville, Texas, and raised ...

– ''

Ellis in Wonderland ''Ellis in Wonderland'' is the debut album by jazz guitarist Herb Ellis, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson trio, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, and saxophonists Charlie Mariano and Jimmy Giuffre. Track listing Personnel * Herb Ellis – guit ...

'' (Verve, 1956) *

Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though K ...

– ''

Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton ''Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton'' is a compilation album by pianist and bandleader Stan Kenton featuring performances recorded between 1951 and 1953 and originally released as a 10-inch LP and 45 rpm EP on Capitol before being reissued as a 12 ...

'' (Capitol, 1953) *

– ''

You and Lee ''You and Lee'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz which was released on the Verve label in 1959.John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...

– ''

The Wonderful World of Jazz ''The Wonderful World of Jazz'' is an album by pianist and composer John Lewis recorded for the Atlantic label in 1960.Essence Essence ( la, essentia) is a polysemic term, used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property or set of properties that make an entity or substance what it fundamentally is, and which it has by necessity, and without which it ...

'' (Atlantic, 1962) *

& His Men – ''

The West Coast Sound ''The West Coast Sound'' (subtitled ''Volume 1'') is an album by drummer Shelly Manne's group Shelly Manne & His Men, recorded at sessions in 1953 and 1955 and released on the Contemporary Records, Contemporary label.Contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

, 1953), Giuffre plays

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contra ...

and arranges one tune * Shelly Manne – '' The Three & The Two'' (Contemporary, 1954) *

Helen Merrill Helen Merrill (born Jelena Ana Milcetic; July 21, 1930) is an American jazz vocalist. Her first album, the eponymous 1954 recording ''Helen Merrill'' (with Clifford Brown), was an immediate success and associated her with the first generation ...

– ''

The Artistry of Helen Merrill ''The Artistry of Helen Merrill'' is an album released by American vocalist Helen Merrill in 1965 on the Mainstream Records, Mainstream label.Edwards, D., Callahan, Eyries, P., Watts, R. & Neely, TDiscography of the Mainstream Label (Preview) acc ...

'' (Mainstream, 1965) *

Modern Jazz Quartet The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) was a jazz combo established in 1952 that played music influenced by classical music, classical, cool jazz, blues and bebop. For most of its history the Quartet consisted of John Lewis (pianist), John Lewis (piano), ...

– '' The Modern Jazz Quartet at Music Inn'' (Atlantic, 1956) *

Lennie Niehaus Leonard Niehaus (June 1, 1929 – May 28, 2020) was an American alto saxophonist, composer and arranger on the West Coast jazz scene. He played with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and served as one of Kenton's primary staff arrangers. He also played ...

– ''Lennie Niehaus, Vol. 3 - The Octet, #2'' (Contemporary, 1955), with Niehaus Giuffre plays baritone saxophone * Lennie Niehaus – ''Lennie Niehaus, Vol. 5 - The Sextet'' (Contemporary, 1955) *

Anita O'Day Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band appe ...

– ''

Pick Yourself Up "Pick Yourself Up" is a popular song composed in 1936 by Jerome Kern, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. It has a verse and chorus, as well as a third section, though the third section is often omitted in recordings. Like most popular songs of the ...

'' (

, 1958) * Anita O'Day – ''

Cool Heat ''Cool Heat'', subtitled ''Anita O'Day Sings Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements'', is an album by vocalist Anita O'Day backed by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Jimmy Giuffre which was released on the Verve label in 1959.Shorty Rogers Milton "Shorty" Rogers (born Milton Rajonsky; April 14, 1924 – November 7, 1994) was an American jazz musician, one of the principal creators of West Coast jazz. He played trumpet and flugelhorn and was in demand for his skills as an arran ...

– ''

Modern Sounds ''Modern Sounds'' is the debut album by trumpeter and bandleader Shorty Rogers featuring performances recorded in late 1951 and originally released as a 10-inch LP on the Capitol label.Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, MCapitol Album Discogra ...

'' (Capitol, 1951) * Shorty Rogers – ''

Shorty Rogers and His Giants ''Shorty Rogers and His Giants'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers originally released by RCA Victor in 1953 as a 10-inch LP and reissued in 1956 in the 12 inch format with four additional tracks.

'' (

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

, 1953) * Shorty Rogers – ''

Cool and Crazy ''Cool and Crazy'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers originally released by RCA Victor in 1953 as a 10-inch LP.Shorty Rogers Courts the Count ''Shorty Rogers Courts the Count'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers, released on the RCA Victor label in 1954.André Previn André George Previn (; born Andreas Ludwig Priwin; April 6, 1929 – February 28, 2019) was a German-American pianist, composer, and conductor. His career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved ...

– ''

Collaboration Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. Most ...

'' (RCA Victor, 1954) * Shorty Rogers – ''

The Swinging Mr. Rogers ''The Swinging Mr. Rogers'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers, released on the Atlantic Records, Atlantic label in 1955.

'' (Atlantic, 1955) * Shorty Rogers – '' Martians Stay Home'' (Atlantic, 1955

980 Year 980 ( CMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Peace is concluded between Emperor Otto II (the Red) and King Lothair III (or Lothair IV) a ...

* Shorty Rogers – ''

Martians Come Back! ''Martians Come Back!'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers, released on the Atlantic label in August 1956.

'' (Atlantic, 1955

* Shorty Rogers – ''

Way Up There ''Way Up There'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger Shorty Rogers, released on the Atlantic label in 1957.957 Year 957 ( CMLVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * September 6 – Liudolf, the eldest son of King Otto I, dies of a violent fever nea ...

* Shorty Rogers – '' Wherever the Five Winds Blow'' (RCA Victor, 1956

* Shorty Rogers – ''

Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers ''Shorty Rogers Plays Richard Rodgers'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter and arranger Shorty Rogers performing songs composed by Richard Rodgers, issued by RCA Victor in 1957.The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs ''The Wizard of Oz and Other Harold Arlen Songs'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter and arranger Shorty Rogers performing songs composed by Harold Arlen including several from '' The Wizard of Oz''. The album was issued by RCA Victor in 1959 ...

'' (RCA Victor, 1959) * Shorty Rogers – ''

The Swingin' Nutcracker ''The Swingin' Nutcracker'' is a 1960 RCA Victor album by American jazz trumpeter and arranger Shorty Rogers performing compositions adapted from ''The Nutcracker'' by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.Pete Rugolo Pietro "Pete" Rugolo (December 25, 1915 – October 16, 2011) was an American jazz composer, arranger and record producer. Life and career Rugolo was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settle ...

– ''

Introducing Pete Rugolo ''Introducing Pete Rugolo'' is an album by bandleader, composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo featuring performances recorded in 1954 and released on the Columbia label, initially as a 10-inch LP, then with an additional four tracks as a 12- ...

'' (Columbia, 1954) *Pete Rugolo – ''

Adventures in Rhythm ''Adventures in Rhythm'' is an album by bandleader, composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo featuring performances recorded in 1954 and originally released on the Columbia Records, Columbia label as a 12-inch LP.Minn, MMaynard Ferguson Discog ...

'' (Columbia, 1954) *Pete Rugolo – ''

Rugolomania ''Rugolomania'' is an album by composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo, featuring performances recorded in 1954 and 1955 and released on the Columbia label.Minn, MMaynard Ferguson Discographyaccessed October 6, 2016Smith, P. GJulius Watkins ...

'' (Columbia, 1955) *Pete Rugolo – ''

New Sounds by Pete Rugolo ''New Sounds by Pete Rugolo'' is an album by composer, arranger and conductor Pete Rugolo, featuring performances recorded in 1954 and 1955 for Columbia Records and first released on the budget Harmony label in 1957.Minn, MMaynard Ferguson Disc ...

'' (Harmony, 1954–55,

*Pete Rugolo – '' Out on a Limb'' (EmArcy, 1956) *

Bill Russo William Joseph Russo (June 25, 1928 – January 11, 2003) was an American composer, arranger, and musician from Chicago, Illinois, United States. History A student of jazz pianist Lennie Tristano, Russo wrote orchestral scores for the Stan Ken ...

/ Shorty Rogers / Shelly Manne / Jimmy Giuffre – ''Jazz Composers Workshop'' (

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

, 1952) * ''

Lighthouse All-Stars A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark ...

, Vol. 3'' (Contemporary, 1952), in this band Giuffre plays

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while th ...

* Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars – ''Sunday Jazz à la Lighthouse'', Vol. 1 & 2 (Contemporary, 1953) *

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...

– ''

Sonny Stitt Plays Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements ''Sonny Stitt Plays Jimmy Giuffre Arrangements'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt performing music arranged by Jimmy Giuffre recorded in 1959 and originally released on the Verve Records, Verve label.List of jazz arrangers The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or develo ...

References

External links

video interview with Steve Swallow and Carla Bley on recording with Jimmy Giuffre

Jazz.com Biographical Entry

Jimmy Giuffre: Cry Freedom by Rex Butters

Jazz Police obituary

Jazz Portraits from the WGBH Archives: Jimmy Giuffre
a radio documentary fro
WGBH Radio Boston

Jimmy Giuffre recordings
at the

Discography of American Historical Recordings The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a database of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:Giuffre, Jimmy 1921 births 2008 deaths American male composers American jazz clarinetists American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Avant-garde jazz musicians Jazz musicians from Texas Capitol Records artists Columbia Records artists Cool jazz saxophonists Cool jazz clarinetists American people of Italian descent Deaths from pneumonia in Massachusetts University of North Texas College of Music alumni Verve Records artists American jazz musicians 20th-century American saxophonists Bebop saxophonists 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Improvising Artists Records artists People with Parkinson's disease