King Pleasure (born Clarence Beeks; March 24, 1922 – March 21, 1982)
was an American
jazz vocalist and an early master of
vocalese, where a singer sings words to a well-known instrumental solo.
Biography
Born as Clarence Beeks in
Oakdale, Tennessee,
he moved to
New York City in the mid-1940s working as a bartender and became a fan of
bebop music. King Pleasure first gained attention by singing the
Eddie Jefferson vocalese classic "
Moody's Mood For Love", based on a 1949
James Moody saxophone solo to "
I'm In The Mood For Love".
Pleasure's 1952 recording, his first after signing a contract with the
Prestige label, is considered a jazz classic; the female vocalist featured is
Blossom Dearie. He and
Betty Carter
Betty Carter (born Lillie Mae Jones; May 16, 1929 – September 26, 1998) was an American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and imaginative inter ...
also recorded a famous vocalese version of "Red Top", a jazz classic penned by Kansas Citian Ben Kynard and recorded by
Gene Ammons
Eugene "Jug" Ammons (April 14, 1925 – August 6, 1974), also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons is remembered for his accessible music, steeped in soul and ...
and others. Other notable recordings include a presciently elegiac version of "
Parker's Mood", the year before
Charlie Parker died in 1955, and Pleasure's take on Ammons's "Hittin' The Jug", retitled as "Swan Blues" in 1962.
Pleasure has been cited as a significant influence by
Van Morrison, especially on his album ''
Astral Weeks''.
Genya Ravan, drawing big inspiration for her singing from King Pleasure, recorded "
Moody's Mood For Love" with
James Moody on her 1972 CBS album ''Genya Ravan''.
Pleasure died on March 21, 1982, three days before his 60th birthday.
Discography
10-inch shellac (78rpm) and 7-inch vinyl (45rpm) releases
*1952: "Moody Mood For Love" // "Exclamation Blues" (Prestige 924) – Merrill Stepter (trumpet);
Lem Davis
Lemuel A. Davis (22 June 1914 – 16 January 1970), was an American jazz alto saxophonist associated with swing music. Born in Tampa, Florida, United States, his career began in the 1940s with pianist Nat Jaffe. Davis played with the Coleman ...
(alto sax);
Ray Abrams (tenor sax);
Cecil Payne (baritone sax);
Teacho Wiltshire
George "Teacho" Wiltshire (born Audrick Gladstone Wiltshire; September 20, 1909 – September 29, 1968) was a Barbadian-born American R&B pianist, bandleader, arranger, A&R man, and songwriter, who had success in the 1950s and 1960s with mu ...
(piano);
Leonard Gaskin (bass); Teddy Lee (drums); King Pleasure (vocals);
Blossom Dearie (vocals) – NYC, February 19
*1952: "Red Top" // "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" (Prestige 821) –
Ed Lewis Edward Lewis may refer to:
Politicians
*Edward Lewis (Devizes MP) (1650–1674), British MP for Devizes, 1669–1674
*Edward Lewis (Radnor MP), British MP for Radnor, 1761–1768, 1769–1774 and 1775–1790
*Edward Parke Custis Lewis (1837–1892 ...
(trumpet); Charlie Ferguson (tenor sax); Ed Swanston (piano);
Peck Morrison (bass);
Herbie Lovelle (drums); King Pleasure (vocals);
Betty Carter
Betty Carter (born Lillie Mae Jones; May 16, 1929 – September 26, 1998) was an American jazz singer known for her improvisational technique, scatting and other complex musical abilities that demonstrated her vocal talent and imaginative inter ...
(vocals) – NYC, December 12
*1953:
Sometimes I'm Happy //
This Is Always (Prestige 860) –
John Lewis (piano);
Percy Heath (bass);
Kenny Clarke (drums); King Pleasure (vocals);
Dave Lambert Singers (vocal trio) – NYC, September 29
*1953: "Parker's Mood" // "What Can I Say Dear (After I Say I'm Sorry)" (Prestige 880) – John Lewis (piano); Percy Heath (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums); King Pleasure (vocals) – NYC, December 24
*1954: "I'm Gone" // "You're Crying" (Prestige 908) –
J.J. Johnson,
Kai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding ( ; May 18, 1922 – May 6, 1983) was a Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is known for his collaborations with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson. His version of "More", the theme from the movie ''Mondo Ca ...
(trombone);
Lucky Thompson (tenor sax);
Danny Bank (baritone sax);
Jimmy Jones (piano);
Paul Chambers (bass);
Joe Harris (drums); King Pleasure (vocals);
Jon Hendricks,
Eddie Jefferson, The Three Riffs (chorus);
Quincy Jones (arranger, director) –
Van Gelder Studio,
, December 7
*1954: "Don't Get Scared" // "Funk Junction" (Prestige 913) – J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding (trombone); Lucky Thompson (tenor sax); Danny Bank (baritone sax); Jimmy Jones (piano); Paul Chambers (bass);
Joe Harris (drums); King Pleasure (vocals); Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, The Three Riffs (chorus); Quincy Jones (arranger, director) – Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, December 7
*1955: "Diaper Pin" // "Evening Blues" (Jubilee 5226) – (unknown personnel)
*1956: "D.B. Blues" // "Blues I Like To Hear" (
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...
3343) – (unknown personnel)
*1956: "At Your Beck And Call" // "I'm In The Mood For Love" (Aladdin 3352) – (unknown personnel)
*1958: "Red Top" // "Don't Get Scared" (Prestige 45-124) — reissues of Prestige 821A and 913A.
*1960: "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" // "Parker's Mood" (Prestige 45-182) — reissues of Prestige 821B and 880A.
*1960: "Golden Days" // "All Of Me" (HiFi Jazz 5004; from ''Golden Days'' album)
*1962: "Mean To Me" // "This Is Always" (United Artists 527; from ''Mr. Jazz'' album)
*1963: "Don't Get Scared" // "I'm In The Mood For Love" (United Artists 636; from ''Mr. Jazz'' album)
*1968: "I'm In The Mood For Love" // "Red Top" (Prestige 45-744) — reissues of Prestige 924A and 821A.
*1972: "That Old Black Magic" // "I'm In The Mood For Love" (United Artists 50940; from ''Moody's Mood For Love'' album)
7-inch EP
*1957: ''King Pleasure Sings'',
Prestige #PREP-1338, (four tracks recorded 1952–53 include the singles: Prestige 821A&B, 860A&B).
10-inch LP
*1955: ''King Pleasure Sings'', Prestige #LP-208, (eight tracks recorded 1952–54 include the singles: Prestige 821A&B, 860A&B, 880A&B, 908A, and 913A).
12-inch LPs
*1957: ''King Pleasure Sings/Annie Ross Sings'', Prestige #PRLP-7128 — reissue: 1986,
Original Jazz Classics
Original Jazz Classics (or OJC) is a record label that founded in 1983 as an imprint of Fantasy Records.
Under this name original editions of jazz LPs have been reissued on CD and LP, and formerly on cassette as well. The recordings in the seri ...
#OJC-217 (with four Annie Ross tracks added; these are from ''Annie Ross Sings'', Prestige #PREP-1301). NOTE: the CD reissue has all twelve King Pleasure recordings plus the four Annie Ross tracks.
*1960: ''Golden Days'', HiFi Jazz #J-425 — reissue: 1991, Original Jazz Classics #OJC-1772) – King Pleasure (vocals);
Matthew Gee (trombone);
Teddy Edwards,
Harold Land (tenor sax);
Gerald Wiggins (piano); Wilfred Middlebrooks (bass);
Earl Palmer (drums).
*1962: ''Mr. Jazz'',
United Artists #UAJ-14012/UAS-15012; 1968,
Solid State
Solid state, or solid matter, is one of the four fundamental states of matter.
Solid state may also refer to:
Electronics
* Solid-state electronics, circuits built of solid materials
* Solid state ionics, study of ionic conductors and their u ...
#SS-18021 – (unknown personnel).
*1968: ''Original Moody's Mood'', Prestige #PR-7586. (this is a collection/compilation with all twelve recordings made for the Prestige label).
*1972: ''The Source'', Prestige #PR-24017. (2-LP set/reissue of ''Golden Days'' and ''Original Moody's Mood'' albums).
*1972: ''Moody's Mood For Love'', United Artists #UAS-5634; — CD reissue: 1992,
Blue Note #84463. (reissue of ''Mr. Jazz'' album). NOTE: the CD also includes the two Jubilee and the four Aladdin tracks, plus three previously unreleased recordings as a bonus.
References
External links
*
Allmusicbr>
Image of Van Morrison holding a King Pleasure album
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pleasure, King
1922 births
1982 deaths
Singers from Tennessee
Vocalese singers
American jazz singers
Singers from New York City
People from Morgan County, Tennessee
Prestige Records artists
Bebop singers
Scat singers
20th-century American singers
Jazz musicians from Tennessee
Jazz musicians from New York (state)
20th-century American male singers
American male jazz musicians