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Wade Legge

Wade Legge was an American jazz 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 and leased to Blue Note.

Following his tenure with Gillespie, Legge moved to New York City and freelanced there. He played in Johnny Richards's orchestra, and appeared on sessions with Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Joe Roland, Bill Hardman, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Knepper, and Jimmy Cleveland. 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.


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Recording

Wade Legge: Trio Sessions

Wade Legge: Trio Sessions

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

As a sideman, pianist Wade Legge turned up on fascinating jazz albums. In addition to his earliest recordings with Dizzy Gillespie between 1952 and '56, he was on Sonny Rollins Plays for Bird (1956), Meet Milt Jackson (1956), Charles Mingus's The Clown (1957), Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet (1957), Johnny Richards' road band in 1957 and Jackie McLean's Alto Madness (1957), among others. [Photo above of Wade Legge] From the perspective of technique, Legge was probably closer in ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Wade Legge Trio

Fresh Sound Records
2023

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