Jazz Articles about Gene Ammons

Gene Ammons: Gentle Jug, Vol. 3

by Derek Taylor
November 1, 2000

Among the legion of artists represented on the Fantasy Records roster Gene Ammons remains one of the most anthologized. Collections of his work abound and a primary reason for this was the prolific pace he set with the Prestige label (one of many now under the Fantasy umbrella) for nearly a quarter century and waxed sessions well into the double digits. Another reason stems the various stylistic suits he wore during his long tenure that make the ideal catalysts for ...

Gene Ammons: Boss Tenor

by Douglas Payne
November 1, 1999

This relaxed, swinging quintet session from 1960 isn't the landmark that many of the other releases in this series are. But it is among the finest, most rewarding music tenor great Gene Ammons (1925-74) ever made. Boss Tenor -- easily confused with Boss Tenors , the 1961 Verve record Ammons cut with Sonny Stitt -- is probably included here due to Ammons's enduring and unprecedented affiliation with Prestige. Ammons recorded over 50 albums for the label from 1950, around the ...

Various Artists: The Prestige Records Story

by Douglas Payne
October 1, 1999

From 1949 through 1971, Prestige Records was among the most famous and successful of the independent jazz labels. Perhaps only Blue Note, which had its reign during roughly the same period, provided Prestige with significant competition. Both maintained strong, unique identities--even shared many of the same musicians and, in most cases, engineer Rudy Van Gelder. But Blue Note lavished more money on rehearsals and their albums sounded more planned than those that came from Prestige. Still, it was the spontaneous ...

Various Artists: The Prestige Records Story

by Robert Spencer
October 1, 1999

This is much more than the history of just one label: this is a primer of modern jazz. The sweep of Bob Weinstock and Prestige Records, particularly in the Fifties and early Sixties, was so broad that this collection encompasses a large part of the jazz that mattered in those days. There is a stunning roster of the biggest names possible, including Miles Davis, Gil Evans, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins, Eric Dolphy, and Dexter Gordon. There's ...

Gene Ammons: Gene Ammons Greatest Hits: The 70s

by AAJ Staff
January 1, 1999

Gene Ammons recorded for Prestige three decades, from 1950 almost to his death in 1974. This work was been compiled into three Greatest Hits volumes, and each has its own flavor. His sides in the 'Fifties concentrated on blues and jam sessions, with all-star casts. The 'Sixties brought small group efforts, emphasizing slow ballads and an easy-going attack from Ammons. Then came seven years (1962-69) of prison. He had been diagnosed with emphysema. In order to sever ties with a ...

Gene Ammons, Joe Henderson, Booker Ervin: Late Hour Special, Canyon Lady, The Trance

by AAJ Staff
June 1, 1998

Fantasy's Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series boasts almost 1000 titles, and the series is showing no signs of slowing down. Three recent additions to the OJC line are these excellent titles by tenor saxmen Gene Ammons, Joe Henderson and Booker Ervin.

Ammons recorded so often in the early 1960s that when he was in prison on drug charges from 1962-1969, Prestige could still assemble some LPs. One such LP was Late Hour Special, which came out in 1964 and presented ...