HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Wade Legge (February 4, 1934, Huntington,
West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
– August 29, 1963, Buffalo, New York) 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 ...
pianist and bassist. Wade Legge was born in Huntington, West Virginia, but soon thereafter moved to Buffalo, New York with his parents, both of whom were musicians. Legge played more bass than piano in his early years, and it was with the bass that he was first noticed by Milt Jackson, who recommended him to Dizzy Gillespie. Gillespie hired him and shortly thereafter moved him to piano; he remained a member of Gillespie's ensemble until 1954, and during that time recorded a date in France as a trio session leader recorded by
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
and leased to
Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...
. Following his tenure with Gillespie, Legge moved to
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
and freelanced there. He played in
Johnny Richards Johnny Richards (born Juan Manuel Cascales, November 2, 1911 – October 7, 1968) was an American jazz arranger and composer. He was a pivotal arranger for some of the more adventurous performances by Stan Kenton's big band in the 1950s and e ...
's orchestra, and appeared on sessions with Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Joe Roland,
Bill Hardman William Franklin Hardman Jr. (April 6, 1933 – December 6, 1990) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist who chiefly played hard bop. He was married to Roseline and they had a daughter Nadege. Career Hardman was born and grew ...
,
Pepper Adams Park Frederick "Pepper" Adams III (October 8, 1930 – September 10, 1986) was an American jazz baritone saxophonist and composer. He composed 42 pieces, was the leader on eighteen albums spanning 28 years, and participated in 600 sessions as a s ...
,
Jimmy Knepper James Minter Knepper (November 22, 1927 – June 14, 2003) was an American jazz trombonist. In addition to his own recordings as leader, Knepper performed and recorded with Charlie Barnet, Woody Herman, Claude Thornhill, Stan Kenton, Benny Goo ...
, and
Jimmy Cleveland James Milton Cleveland (May 3, 1926 – August 23, 2008) was an American jazz trombonist born in Wartrace, Tennessee.
. Legge was one of three pianists who recorded with Gryce/Byrd Jazz Lab Quintets during 1957 and appeared on more than 50 recordings before returning to Buffalo in 1959. In August 1963, Wade Legge died of a bleeding stomach ulcer. He was 29 years old.


Discography


As leader

*''Wade Legge Trio'' (Blue Note BLP 5031, 1953, possibly issued 1954) (leased from French Vogue)


As sideman

With
Jimmy Cleveland James Milton Cleveland (May 3, 1926 – August 23, 2008) was an American jazz trombonist born in Wartrace, Tennessee.
* '' Introducing Jimmy Cleveland and His All Stars'' (EmArcy, 1955) With Dizzy Gillespie *'' The Great Blue Star Sessions 1952-1953'' (EmArcy, 1952-53
004 004, 0O4, O04, OO4 may refer to: * 004, fictional British 00 Agent * 0O4, Corning Municipal Airport (California) * O04, the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation * Abdul Haq Wasiq, Guantanamo detainee 004 * Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet engine * Lauda Ai ...
*''
Afro The afro is a hair type created by natural growth of kinky hair, or specifically styled with chemical curling products by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair.Garland, Phyl"Is The Afro On Its Way Out?" ''Ebony'', February 1973. ...
'' (Norgran, 1954) *''
Dizzy and Strings ''Dizzy and Strings'' (also released as ''Diz Big Band'') is an album by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, released in 1955 by Norgran Records.
'' (Norgran, 1954) *''
Jazz Recital ''Jazz Recital'' (also released as ''Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra'') is an album by the trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, recorded in 1954 and 1955 and released on the Norgran label. It consists of quintet, sextet and jazz orchestra tracks.
'' (Norgran, 1955) With
Gigi Gryce Gigi Gryce (born George General Grice Jr.; November 28, 1925 – March 14, 1983), later Basheer Qusim, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator. While his performing career was relatively short, ...
*''
Jazz Lab ''Jazz Lab'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd and saxophonist Gigi Gryce, released in 1957 by Columbia.Donald Byrd *'' Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet'' (Riverside, 1957) With Milt Jackson *''
Meet Milt Jackson ''Meet Milt Jackson'' is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson featuring performances recorded between 1949 and 1956 and released on the Savoy label.
'' (Savoy, 1956) *'' Roll 'Em Bags'' (Savoy, 1956) With
Jackie McLean John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (May 17, 1931 – March 31, 2006) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the ''DownBeat'' Hall of Fame in the year of their deat ...
*''
Alto Madness ''Alto Madness'' is an album by alto saxophonists Jackie McLean and John Jenkins recorded in 1957 and released on the Prestige label.John Jenkins With Charles Mingus *'' The Clown'' (Atlantic, 1957) *'' Tonight at Noon'' (Atlantic, 1957-1961) With Joe Roland *'' Joltin' Joe Roland'' (Savoy, 1955) With Sonny Rollins *'' Rollins Plays for Bird'' (Prestige, 1956) *'' Sonny Boy'' (Prestige, 1956
961 Year 961 (Roman numerals, CMLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 6 – Siege of Chandax: Byzantine forces under Nikephoro ...


References

* Wade Leggeat
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 ...
*
Leonard Feather Leonard Geoffrey Feather (13 September 1914 – 22 September 1994) was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, who was best known for his music journalism and other writing. Biography Feather was born in London, England, into an u ...
and Ira Gitler, ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. Oxford, 1999, p. 407.


Further reading


Buffalo Rising article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legge, Wade 1934 births 1963 deaths American jazz pianists American male pianists Musicians from West Virginia Blue Note Records artists 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians