James Pasco Gourley, Jr. (June 9, 1926 – December 7, 2008) 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 ...

guitarist who spent most of his life in Paris. Gourley was born in St. Louis in 1926. He met saxophonist Lee Konitz in Chicago when both were members of the same high school band. He credits Konitz with encouraging him to become a serious musician. Gourley's father started the Monarch Conservatory of Music in Hammond, Indiana, though he didn't teach, and he bought Gourley his first guitar. Gourley took his first guitar classes at the school. He became interested in jazz while listening to the radio, enjoying in particular

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

. For his first professional experience as a performer, he dropped out of high school to play with a jazz band in Oklahoma City. From 1944–1946, Gourley served in the U.S. Navy. After he returned to Chicago, he met guitarist

Jimmy Raney James Elbert Raney (August 20, 1927 – May 10, 1995) was an American jazz guitarist, born in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, known for his work from 1951 to 1952 and then from 1953 to 1954 with the Red Norvo trio (replacing Tal Farlow) and ...

and wanted to play like him. He worked in bars and clubs with

Jackie Cain Jacqueline Ruth "Jackie" Cain (May 22, 1928 – September 15, 2014) was an American jazz singer known for her partnership with her husband in the duo Jackie and Roy. She was the sister-in-law of singer Irene Kral. Life and career Born in Milw ...

Roy Kral Roy is a masculine given name and a family surname with varied origin. In Anglo-Norman England, the name derived from the Norman ''roy'', meaning "king", while its Old French cognate, ''rey'' or ''roy'' (modern ''roi''), likewise gave rise t ...

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 app ...

, Sonny Stitt, and Gene Ammons. Through the

G.I. Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

, he received tuition for three years to any college in the world. Beginning in 1951, Gourley spent the rest of his life in France, working with Henri Renaud, Lou Bennett,

Kenny Clarke Kenneth Clarke Spearman (January 9, 1914January 26, 1985), nicknamed Klook, was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A major innovator of the bebop style of drumming, he pioneered the use of the ride cymbal to keep time rather than the hi-ha ...

, Richard Galliano,

Stéphane Grappelli Stéphane Grappelli (; 26 January 1908 – 1 December 1997, born Stefano Grappelli) was a French jazz violinist. He is best known as a founder of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the fi ...

Bobby Jaspar Bobby Jaspar (20 February 1926 – 28 February 1963) was a Belgian cool jazz and hard bop saxophonist, flautist and composer. Early life Born in Liège, Belgium, Jaspar learned to play piano and clarinet at a young age. Later, he took up ...

, Eddy Louiss,

Martial Solal Martial Solal (born August 23, 1927) is a French jazz pianist and composer. Biography Solal was born in Algiers, French Algeria, to Algerian Jewish parents. He was persuaded to study clarinet, saxophone, and piano by his mother, who was an oper ...

, and Barney Wilen. He played with American musicians who were passing through, including

Bob Brookmeyer Robert Edward "Bob" Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 – December 15, 2011) was an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of G ...

, Clifford Brown, Stan Getz,

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, ...

Roy Haynes Roy Owen Haynes (born March 13, 1925) is an American jazz drummer. He is among the most recorded drummers in jazz. In a career lasting over 80 years, he has played swing, bebop, jazz fusion, avant-garde jazz and is considered a pioneer of jaz ...

, Lee Konitz, Bud Powell,

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

Lucky Thompson Eli "Lucky" Thompson (June 16, 1924 – July 30, 2005) was an American jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist whose playing combined elements of swing and bebop. Although John Coltrane usually receives the most credit for bringing the soprano sa ...

, and

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 ...

.. Roger Cotterrell, ‘The Jimmy Gourley Story’

Jazz Forum ''Jazz Forum'' is a European jazz magazine based in Warsaw. It was established as a quarterly in 1964 by jazz bassist Jan A. Byrczek, who served as its editor-in-chief. It was the first jazz magazine published behind the Iron Curtain and allo ...

82 (Aug 1983), 38-40.

Discography

As leader

* '' Americans in Europe Vol. 1'' ( Impulse!, 1963) * ''Graffitti'' (Promophone, 1977) * ''No More'' (Musica, 1981) * ''The Jazz Trio'' with Marc Johnson & Philippe Combelle (Bingow, 1983) * ''Jimmy Gourley and the Paris Heavyweights'' (52e Rue Est, 1984) * ''The Left Bank of New York'' (Uptown, 1986) * ''Flyin' the Coop'' with Richard Galliano (52e Rue Est, 1991) * ''Repetition'' (Elabeth, 1995) * ''Double Action'' (Elabeth, 1999) * ''Straight Ahead Express'' (Elabeth, 2004) * ''Our Delight'' (Elabeth, 2006)

As sideman

With Lou Bennett * ''Amen'' (RCA 1960) * ''Lou Bennett et Son Quintette Avec Kenny Clarke'' (Bel Air, 1964) * ''Dansez et Revez'' (Phono, 2017) With Stan Getz * ''In Paris 1958–1959'' (Royal, 1987) * ''Pennies from Heaven'' (Eclipse, 1990) * ''Sweetie Pie'' (Philology, 1992) * ''With European Friends'' (LRC, 1990) * ''1959'' (Fremeaux, 2018) With

Stephane Grappelli Stephane may refer to: * Stéphane, a French given name * Stephane (Ancient Greece), a vestment in ancient Greece * Stephane (Paphlagonia) Stephane ( grc, Στεφάνη) was a small port town on the coast of ancient Paphlagonia, according to Arr ...

* ''Les Valseuses'' (Festival, 1974) * ''Satin Doll'' (Festival, 1974) * ''Stephane Grappelli Plays George Gershwin'' (Festival,) With Lee Konitz * '' Lee Konitz Plays'' (Vogue, 1953) * ''Quintets'' (Vogue, 1992) * ''Ezz-thetic!'' (Prestige, 1970) With others * Buddy Banks, ''Jazz de Chambre'' (Le Club Francais, 1956) * Clifford Brown, ''The Clifford Brown Sextet in Paris'' (Prestige, 1970) *

, ''Bob Brookmeyer Quintet'' (Vogue, 1956) * Donald Byrd & Barney Wilen, ''Jazz in Camera'' (Sonorama, 2012) * Nathan Davis, ''Peace Treaty'' (SFP, 2007) * Christian Escoude, ''Gipsy Waltz'' (Mercury, 1989) * Samson Francois, ''L' Edition Integrale'' (EMI, 2010) *

& Clifford Brown, ''Jazz Time Paris Vol. 11'' (Vogue, 1954) *

, ''Roy Haynes Modern Group'' (Swing, 1955) *

Chubby Jackson Greig Stewart "Chubby" Jackson (October 25, 1918 – October 1, 2003) was an American jazz double-bassist and band leader. Biography Born in New York City, Jackson began at the age of seventeen as a clarinetist, but quickly changed to bass in ...

, ''Chubby's Back!'' (Jazz Beat 512) *

& Henri Renaud, ''New Sound from Belgium Vol. 4'' (Vogue, 1953) *

Guy Lafitte Guy Lafitte (12 January 1927 – 10 June 1998) was a French jazz saxophonist. Career A native of Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, France, he worked with Mezz Mezzrow from 1951 to 1952 and Big Bill Broonzy in 1951. In 1954 he made Paris his home and ...

, ''Jambo!'' (RCA Victor, 1968) * Eddy Louiss, ''Orgue'' (America, 1972) * Eddy Louiss, ''Orgue Vol. 2'' (America, 1973) *

Brew Moore Milton Aubrey "Brew" Moore (March 26, 1924 – August 19, 1973), was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Early life He was born in Indianola, Mississippi, United States. Moore's formal musical training began at twelve, first on trombone, then ...

, ''Live in Europe 1961'' (Sonorama, 2015) * Sandy Mosse, ''Chicago Scene'' (Argo, 1957) *

Nat Pierce Nathaniel Pierce Blish Jr., known professionally as Nat Pierce (July 16, 1925 – June 10, 1992) was an American jazz pianist and prolific composer and arranger, perhaps best known for being pianist and arranger for the Woody Herman band from 195 ...

, Dick Collins, Ralph Burns, ''Play Paris'' (Fantasy, 2001) * Henri Renaud, ''Henri Renaud et Son Trio'' (Vogue, 1997) * Henri Renaud, ''Modern Sounds: France'' (Contemporary, 1953) *

, ''Zoot Goes to Town:'' (Vogue, 1953) * Zoot Sims, ''Zoot Sims & Frank Rosolino'' (Vogue, 1986) *

Sugar Blue Sugar Blue (born James Joshua "Jimmie" Whiting, December 16, 1949, Harlem, New York City) is an American blues harmonica player. He is probably best known for playing on the Rolling Stones' single " Miss You", and in partnering Louisiana Red. ...

, ''Cross Roads'' (Blue Sound, 1979) *

, ''From Paris to Chicago'' (EPM, 1988) *

, ''Bop & Ballads'' (Sonorama, 2016) * Benny Waters, ''In Paris'' (President, 1967) *

, ''Le Dernier Message de Lester Young'' (Barclay, 1959) *

, ''Lester Young in Paris'' (Verve, 1960)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gourley, Jimmy 1926 births 2008 deaths American jazz guitarists Jazz-blues guitarists Bebop guitarists 20th-century American guitarists American male guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians