Norman Simmons (October 6, 1929Wynn, Ron
Norman Simmons biography
" ''allmusic.'' Retrieved March 1, 2011.Norman Simmons biography
" ''Jazz Biographies.'' Retrieved March 1, 2011. – May 13, 2021) was an American musician, arranger, composer, educator, and most prominently a pianist who worked extensively with

Helen Humes Helen Humes (June 23, 1913 – September 9, 1981) was an American singer. Humes was a teenage blues singer, a vocalist with Count Basie's band, a saucy R&B diva, and a mature interpreter of the classic popular song. Early life She was born on ...

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "Jazz royalty, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine ...

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 ...

, and Joe Williams among others.Piano in the Parlour - Norman Simmons Trio April 11th
" ''Hackettstown Business Improvement District.'' Retrieved March 1, 2011.

Biography

Simmons was born in

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

on October 6, 1929. During the early 1950s, he was house pianist at the Beehive Lounge on East 55th Street, playing with visiting musicians such as

Wardell Gray Wardell Gray (February 13, 1921 – May 25, 1955) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist who straddled the swing and bebop periods. Biography Early years Gray was born in Oklahoma City, the youngest of four children. He spent his early chi ...

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 ...

and with

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 ...

on his final Chicago performance in February 1955. In 1966, his arrangement for

Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five RIAA certification, gold records and three Grammy Awards ...

' hit of "

Wade in the Water "Wade in the Water" (Roud 5439) is an African American jubilee song, a spiritual—in reference to a genre of music "created and first sung by African Americans in slavery." The lyrics to "Wade in the Water" were first co-published in 1901 in ...

" became a large commercial success. He was a member of the Ellington Legacy Band from 2002.

Discography

As leader

*''Norman Simmons Trio'' (

Argo In Greek mythology the ''Argo'' (; in Greek: ) was a ship built with the help of the gods that Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcos to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece. The ship has gone on to be used as a motif in a variety of sour ...

, 1956) *''Ramira The Dancer'' (Spotlite, 1976) *''Midnight Creeper'' (Milljac, 1979) *''I'm...The Blues'' (Milljac, 1981) *''13th Moon'' (Milljac, 1986) *''The Heat And The Sweet'' (Milljac, 1997) *''The Art Of Norman Simmons'' (

Savant Savant syndrome () is a rare condition in which someone with significant mental disabilities demonstrates certain abilities far in excess of average. The skills that savants excel at are generally related to memory. This may include rapid calcu ...

, 2000) - with Eric Alexander *''Manha De Carnaval'' (Sound Hills

apan Apan is a city and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 346.9 km². Overview As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 39,247. It was an important site in the Wa ...

2002) *''Synthesis'' (Savant, 2002) - with Eric Alexander *''In Private'' (Savant, 2004)

As sideman

With

Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from t ...

*'' What It's All About'' (Pablo, 1976) With

Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...

*''

Battle Stations General quarters, battle stations, or action stations is an announcement made aboard a naval warship A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the arme ...

'' (

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 ...

, 1960) - with

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Edward F. Davis (March 2, 1922 – November 3, 1986), known professionally as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. It is unclear how he acquired the moniker "Lockjaw" (later shortened in "Jaws"): it is either said that ...

*'' Johnny Griffin’s Studio Jazz Party'' (

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

, 1960) With

Red Holloway James Wesley "Red" Holloway (May 31, 1927 – February 25, 2012) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Born in Helena, Arkansas,Daniel E. Slotnik"Red Holloway, Swinger of the Sax, Dies at 84" ''The New York Times'', February 28, 2012 ...

*'' Red Soul'' (Prestige, 1965) 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 ...

*'' My Buddy: Etta Jones Sings the Songs of Buddy Johnson'' (HighNote, 1998) *''

All the Way All the Way may refer to: Film and television * ''All the Way'', an Australian film of 1998 directed by Marque Owen * ''All the Way'' (2001 film), a film directed by Shi Runjiu * ''All the Way'' (film), a 2016 adaptation of Robert Schenkkan's ...

'' (HighNote, 1999) With

*''Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics'' (

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...

, 1962) *''Live at Sugar Hill San Francisco'' (Time, 1963) *''Second to None'' (

Mainstream Mainstream may refer to: Film * ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film Literature * ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine * Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher * ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso Mu ...

, 1964) *''Woman Talk, Live at the Village Gate'' (Mainstream, 1965) *''Live & Wailing'' (Mainstream, 1965, reissued with ''Woman Talk'' on Columbia, 1973) *''Carmen McRae'' (Mainstream, 1971) With

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 ...

*''Betty Carter'' ( Bet-Car Productions, 1970) *''Round Midnight'' (

Roulette Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, the ...

, 1975) *''Finally'' (Roulette, 1988) With

Harold Ousley Harold Lomax Ousley (January 23, 1929 – August 13, 2015) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and flautist. Background Born in Chicago, Ousley began playing in the late-1940s and 1950s. He accompanied Billie Holiday and recorded with Dinah ...

*''The People's Groove'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

, 1977) *''Sweet Double Hipness'' (Muse, 1980) With

*Anita O'Day with John Poole Trio Featuring Norman Simmons - ''Live at Mingo's'' (Emily, 1979) With Scott Hamilton and Warren Vaché *''Skyscrapers'' (

Concord Jazz Concord Jazz is a record company and label founded in 1973 by Carl Jefferson, the former owner of Jefferson Motors Lincoln Mercury dealership in Concord, California. The label was named after the city in the East San Francisco Bay area, and the j ...

, 1980) With

Clifford Jordan Clifford Laconia Jordan (September 2, 1931 – March 27, 1993) was an American jazz tenor saxophone player. While in Chicago, he performed with Max Roach, Sonny Stitt, and some rhythm and blues groups. He moved to New York City in 1957, after ...

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 c ...

Cy Touff Cyril James Touff (March 4, 1927 in Chicago – January 24, 2003 in Evanston, Illinois) was a jazz bass trumpeter. He was one of the few jazz musicians known as a bass trumpeter. He was also associated with West coast jazz although he spent most o ...

Victor Sproles Victor Sproles (November 18, 1927 in Chicago – May 13, 2005) was an American jazz bassist. Sproles worked in the 1950s with Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan and appears on the Sun Ra recordings '' Super-Sonic Jazz'', '' Sound of Joy'' and '' Deep ...

, and Wilbur Campbell *''

Hyde Park After Dark ''Hyde Park After Dark'' is an album by saxophonist Clifford Jordan which was recorded in Chicago in 1981 together with Victor Sproles on bass, Wilbur Campbell on drums, Norman Simmons on piano, Cy Touff on bass trumpet, and Von Freeman on saxoph ...

'' (Bee Hive, 1983) With

Dakota Staton Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No. 4 hit "The Late, Late Show". She was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to ...

*'' Ms. Soul'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) With Joe Williams *Joe Williams & Friends June 1985 - ''I Just Want to Sing'' (

Delos The island of Delos (; el, Δήλος ; Attic: , Doric: ), near Mykonos, near the centre of the Cyclades archipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations in the island are ...

, 1985) *''Every Night: Live At Vine St.'' (

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 ...

, 1987) *''In Good Company'' (Verve, 1989) *''That Holiday Feelin'' (Verve, 1990) *''Ballad And Blues Master'' (Verve, 1992) With

Al Grey Al Grey (June 6, 1925 – March 24, 2000) was an American jazz trombonist who was a member of the Count Basie orchestra. He was known for his plunger mute technique and wrote an instructional book in 1987 called ''Plunger Techniques''. Care ...

and

Bjarne Nerem Bjarne Arnulf Nerem (31 July 1923 in Oslo, Norway – 1 April 1991 in Oslo), was a Norwegian jazz musician (tenor saxophone, alto saxophone and clarinet) among the foremost soloists in Norwegian jazz. He was in the tradition of Lester Young, ...

*''Al Meets Bjarne'' (Gemini, 1987)

As arranger

With

*'' The Little Giant'' (Riverside, 1959) *''

The Big Soul-Band ''The Big Soul-Band'' (also released as ''Wade in the Water'') is an album by the Johnny Griffin Orchestra, led by jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin, featuring arrangements by Norman Simmons (musician), Norman Simmons. It was released on the River ...

'' (Riverside, 1960) *''

White Gardenia ''White Gardenia'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Johnny Griffin with brass and strings which was recorded in 1961 and released on the Riverside label.

'' (Riverside, 1961) With

Teri Thornton Teri Thornton, born Shirley Enid Avery (September 1, 1934 – May 2, 2000) was an American jazz singer. Thornton first performed in local Detroit clubs in the 1950s. She moved to New York City in the 1960s, where she found work singing for telev ...

*'' Devil May Care'' (Riverside, 1961)

References

External links

normansimmons.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Simmons, Norman 1929 births 2021 deaths American jazz pianists American male pianists Musicians from Chicago 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Illinois 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Statesmen of Jazz members Argo Records artists