Charles "Specs" Wright (September 8, 1927 - February 6, 1963) 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 m ...

drummer born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. Wright played drums in an

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

band until his discharge in 1947. Following this he played in a group with

Jimmy Heath James Edward Heath (October 25, 1926 – January 19, 2020), nicknamed Little Bird, was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. He was the brother of bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath. Biography Heath w ...

and

Howard McGhee Howard McGhee (March 6, 1918 – July 17, 1987) was one of the first American bebop jazz trumpeters, with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro and Idrees Sulieman. He was known for his fast fingering and high notes. He had an influence on younger beb ...

. In 1949 he joined Dizzy Gillespie's band alongside

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...

, remaining until it disbanded in mid-1950. Later in 1950 he was a member of Gillespie's sextet with Coltrane, Jimmy Heath,

Percy Heath Percy Heath (April 30, 1923 – April 28, 2005) was an American jazz bassist, brother of saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert Heath, with whom he formed the Heath Brothers in 1975. Heath played with the Modern Jazz Quartet throughout ...

, and Milt Jackson. In the 1950s, Wright played with

Earl Bostic Eugene Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American alto saxophonist. Bostic's recording career was diverse, his musical output encompassing jazz, swing, jump blues and the post-war American rhythm and blues style, which he ...

Kenny Drew Kenneth Sidney "Kenny" Drew (August 28, 1928 – August 4, 1993) was an American-Danish jazz pianist. Biography Drew was born in New York City, United States, and received piano lessons from the age of five.Feather, Leonard, & Ira Gitler ( ...

, Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and

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 ...

, and gigged locally in Philadelphia. He was with Hank Mobley in 1958 with his septet alongside Billy Root,

Curtis Fuller Curtis DuBois Fuller (December 15, 1932May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist. He was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and contributed to many classic jazz recordings. Early life Fuller was born in Detroit on December 15, 1932. ...

Ray Bryant Raphael Homer "Ray" Bryant (December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 24, 1931. His mother was an ordained minister who had tau ...

Tommy Bryant Thomas Bryant (May 21, 1930 – January 3, 1982) was an American jazz double-bassist. Bryant grew up in a musical family in Philadelphia; his mother was a choir director, his brother Ray Bryant was a pianist, and another brother, Len Bryant, is ...

, and

Lee Morgan Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the key hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan came to prominence in his late teens, recording on John Coltrane's '' Blue Train'' (1 ...

. Following this Wright played with Sonny Rollins, Betty Carter,

Red Garland William McKinley "Red" Garland Jr. (May 13, 1923 – April 23, 1984) was an American modern jazz pianist. Known for his work as a bandleader and during the 1950s with Miles Davis, Garland helped popularize the block chord style of playing in jazz ...

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

, and

Lambert, Hendricks and Ross Lambert, Hendricks & Ross were an American vocalese trio formed by jazz vocalists Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. From 1962 to 1964, Ross was replaced by vocalist Yolande Bavan. History The group formed in 1957 and recorded their f ...

. He died in 1963. He was interred in Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, New Jersey.

Discography

With Cannonball Adderley *'' In the Land of Hi-Fi with Julian Cannonball Adderley'' (EmArcy, 1956) 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 ...

*''

To the Ivy League from Nat ''To the Ivy League from Nat'' is an album by jazz cornetist Nat Adderley released on the EmArcy label featuring performances by Adderley with his brother Cannonball Adderley, Junior Mance, Sam Jones/Al McKibbon, and Charles "Specs" Wright with a ...

'' (EmArcy, 1956) With Art Blakey *'' Drum Suite'' (Columbia, 1957) *'' Orgy in Rhythm'' (Blue Note, 1957) With

*'' Ray Bryant Trio'' (Prestige, 1957) With Betty Carter *'' Out There'' (Peacock, 1958) With

*'' Kenny Drew and His Progressive Piano'' (Norgran, 1953–54) With

*'' Coleman Hawkins with the Red Garland Trio'' (Swingville, 1959) - with

*''

Satin Doll "Satin Doll" is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Written in 1953, the song has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, 101 Strings, Terry Callier, and Nancy Wilson. Its chord progressio ...

'' (Prestige, 1959 971 *'' Red Garland at the Prelude'' (Prestige, 1959) *'' Lil' Darlin''' (Status, 1959) *'' Red Garland Live!'' (New Jazz, 1959) With Hank Mobley,

and Billy Root *'' Monday Night at Birdland'' (Roulette, 1958) *'' Another Monday Night at Birdland'' (Roulette, 1959) With Sonny Rollins *'' Sonny Rollins and the Big Brass'' (MetroJazz, 1958)

References

* Specs Wrightat

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Specs 1927 births 1963 deaths American jazz drummers Musicians from Philadelphia 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Burials at Beverly National Cemetery