James Earl Clay (September 8, 1935 – January 6, 1995) 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 ...

tenor saxophonist and flutist.

Early life

Clay 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 ...

, on September 8, 1935. While in school, Clay played alto saxophone, and then played with local bands from around the age of 17.

Later life and career

Clay moved to California in 1955, where he initially played in jam sessions. He appeared on recordings with

Lawrence Marable Larance Norman Marable (May 21, 1929 – July 4, 2012) was a jazz drummer from Los Angeles, California. Early life Marable was born in Los Angeles on May 21, 1929. His family was musical, but he was largely self-taught. Later life and career In ...

the following year. Clay then played with freer musicians including

Don Cherry Donald Stewart Cherry (born February 5, 1934) is a Canadian former ice hockey player, coach, and television commentator. Cherry played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins, and later coached the team for five se ...

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, be ...

, and

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Jazz: A Colle ...

, before returning to Dallas in 1958. He joined the military in 1959, and recorded two albums as a leader the following year. Back in California, he led a quartet with Roosevelt Wardell, Jimmy Bond, and Frank Butler, but soon returned to Texas. He toured with Lowell Fulson in the early 1960s, and with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

on and off between 1962 and 1977. A reappearance on a recording led by Cherry in 1988 – ''

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

'' – led to a short resurgence of interest in Clay's career. He died in

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...

on January 6, 1995, aged 59.

Playing style

'' Grove'' wrote that "Clay's style revealed a bop-oriented approach, reminiscent of an angular

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 i ...

." Clay in the late 1980s said: "Texas tenors are known for playing in a raunchy, straight-forward manner, with lots of emotion and few frills. I'm a typical example of that style of player."

Discography

As leader

* James Clay Quartet with

Lorraine Geller Lorraine Winifred Geller (née Walsh; September 11, 1928 – October 13, 1958) was an American jazz pianist. Geller was born in Portland, Oregon on September 11, 1928. She started out with the all-female big band Sweethearts of Rhythm, based in ...

: ''Lorraine Geller Memorial'' (1957) * ''

The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces!!!! ''The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces!!!!'' is the debut album by saxophonist/flautist James Clay and the second album by David "Fathead" Newman featuring performances recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Riverside label.David Newman,

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 ...

, Sam Jones,

Art Taylor Arthur S. Taylor Jr. (April 6, 1929 – February 6, 1995) was an American jazz drummer, who "helped define the sound of modern jazz drumming".Watrous, Peter (February 7, 1995)"Art Taylor, 65, Jazz Drummer Who Inspired Young Musicians" ''The Ne ...

* ''

A Double Dose of Soul ''A Double Dose of Soul'' is the second album by saxophonist/flautist James Clay featuring performances recorded in 1960 and originally released on the Riverside label.

'' (Riverside, 1960) with

Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years. Adderley's composition " ...

Victor Feldman Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...

Gene Harris Gene Harris (born Eugene Haire, September 1, 1933 – January 16, 2000) was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is known as soul jazz. From 1956 to 1970, he played in The Three Sounds trio ...

, Sam Jones,

Louis Hayes Louis Hayes (born May 31, 1937) is an American jazz drummer and band leader. He was with McCoy Tyner's trio for more than three years. Since 1989 he has led his own band, and together with Vincent Herring formed the Cannonball Legacy Band. He i ...

* ''I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart'' (

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, ...

, 1989) * ''Cookin' at the Continental'' (Antilles, 1992)

As sideman

: ''

'' ( A&M, 1988) *

Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American Alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from Rhythm and blues, R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was ...

: '' True Blue'' (Atlantic, 1964) *

: ''

Bridgework A bridge is a fixed dental restoration (a fixed dental prosthesis) used to replace one or more missing teeth by joining an artificial tooth definitively to adjacent teeth or dental implants. Definitions Fixed bridge: A dental prosthesis that ...

'' (Contemporary, 1987) * Lawrence Marable Quartet: ''Tenorman'' (Fresh Sound Rec., 1956) with

Sonny Clark Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (July 21, 1931 – January 13, 1963) was an American jazz pianist and composer who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom. Early life Clark was born and raised in Herminie, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town east of Pit ...

* Red Mitchell: '' Presenting Red Mitchell'' (Contemporary, 1957) *

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for an unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a dist ...

: ''

Movin' Along ''Movin' Along'' is an album by American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, released in 1960. It was reissued in the Original Jazz Classics series with two alternate takes. All the tracks are available in the Wes Montgomery compilation CD-set '' The ...

'' (Riverside, 1960) *

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous soun ...

: ''

'' (Gene Norman Presents, 1955) *

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s and ...

: '' Return to the Wide Open Spaces'' (Amazing, 1990) with Ellis Marsalis and

Cornell Dupree Cornell Luther Dupree (December 19, 1942 – May 8, 2011) was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis and Steve Gadd, appeared on David Letterman,

* Bill Perkins: ''The Right Chemistry'' (Jazz Mark, 1987)

Early life

Later life and career

Playing style

Discography

As leader

As sideman

References

Further reading