Ronnie Cuber: Baritone Boss

Ronnie Cuber (1941-2022) made his mark on the jazz world as a versatile and muscular baritone saxophonist. Born in New York on Christmas Day 1941, he started on tenor saxophone but switched to baritone at 17, attracted by the vacant chair in Marshall Brown's Newport Jazz Youth Band (which also featured lifelong colleagues Eddie Gomez and Michael Abene). He grew from sideman to leader to icon over half a century of hard-blowing hard work.

Cuber always gave full value with his big, confident sound. He was much in demand as a session player, recording with the likes of Paul Simon, Chaka Khan and the J. Geils Band, as well as being a fixture on the New York big band scene. Much of Cuber's recorded output is small group sessions for the SteepleChase Records label; these are enjoyable outings mainly focusing on the standards repertoire. This listing will explore the full range of Cuber's output including larger groups and other settings.

Dr. Lonnie Smith 
Drives
Blue Note Records 
1970

Having recorded with Eddie Palmieri and George Benson in the 1960s, Cuber steps up with organist Lonnie Smith on this punchy small-group (organ trio plus two saxophones) album. Cuber's fleet soloing on "Seven Steps To Heaven" is a sure sign of his comfort playing fast, while his punchy bottom-end gives the set much of its power and grunt. "Spinning Wheel" was sampled by A Tribe Called Quest on their 1990 classic "Can I Kick It?."  Cuber also appears with this group on Live At Club Mozambique (Blue Note Records, 1970), alongside George Benson.

Ronnie Cuber
Cuber Libre
Xanadu
1976

Cuber's debut album as leader sees him stretching out over seven classic tunes with a top-notch quartet. Barry Harris (piano), Sam Jones  (bass) and Albert Tootie Heath (drums) give faultless accompaniment (though Cuber would have preferred Philly Joe Jones behind the kit). The music swerves in a Latin direction with "Tin Tin Deo" and "Samba D'Orfeo," "Rifftide" is pure bop, Donald Byrd's tune "Sudwest Funk" offers a twelve-bar workout, while the closing "Prince Albert," credited to Kenny Dorham, is a not-very-contrafact on "All The Things You Are." A very satisfying piece of work all around.

Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz Nonet
Chiaroscuro Records 
1977

Lee Konitz' Nonet recorded several albums in the late 1970s, of which this is the second. An unusual line-up (two trumpets, two trombones (one doubling bass trombone), alto sax doubling soprano, baritone, piano, bass and drums) gave arranger Sy Johnson a varied palette to work with, often weaving in classic solos. The album achieved five stars in Downbeat. John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" is a highlight, with Cuber and Konitz soloing separately before (almost unbelievably) tackling Coltrane's original sax solo together in unison. Cuber is also featured on Tadd Dameron's "If You Could See Me Now," showing his ballad chops are more than fit for the task.

Ronnie Cuber
Passion Fruit
Electric Bird
1985

Ronnie Cuber fitted in very well to the 1980s sensibility of jazz, funk and smooth grooves. This album features two Cuber originals ("Passion Fruit" and "Love Notes"), both of which bring in Cuber's old friend George Benson as guest soloist. Richard Tee offers a shimmering electric piano backdrop, with Dave Weckl is on-the-money behind the kit. Cuber's soloing is quite restrained, fitting in with the overall vibe of the music. He recorded this track many times subsequently; look out for the 1992 version on the Airplay album (SteepleChase, 1992) featuring the estimable Geoffrey Keezer on piano.

Steve Gadd 
Gadd Gang
Epic Records 
1986

Building on the success and sound of Passion Fruit, Cuber joined up with drummer Steve Gadd's Gadd Gang project. This is their second album; Ronnie gets plenty of solo space as the only horn in the line-up. He puts in a fine performance in this all-star line-up with Eddie Gomez (bass) and Cornell Dupree (guitar) joining Gadd and Richard Tee. Whether it's on the grooving "Watching The River Flow," the gospel of "Way Back Home" or the walking blues "Everything You Do," Cuber is on fine form.

Mingus Big Band 93
Nostalgia In Times Square
Dreyfus Records 
1993

One of the most memorable baritone sax lines of all time is the opening to Charles Mingus' tune "Moanin'" (not to be confused with Bobby Timmons' different number of the same name). First appearing on the Blues & Roots album of 1960, it was originally played by hard bop specialist (and one of Cuber's heroes) Pepper Adams. The Mingus Big Band was formed under the artistic direction of Sue Mingus in 1991 to carry the music forward, with Ronnie a shoe-in for the baritone chair. Cuber opens this album talking to the audience over the title track about his encounter with Mingus in Birdland (the bassist called Charlie Parker's "Koko" at top speed; Cuber survived). Cuber than storms "Moanin,'" first in the solo introduction and then soloing with the whole band backing. Listen out for the "Mambo Italiano" quote.

Ronnie Cuber Quartet
In A New York Minute
SteepleChase Records 
1996

This neat quartet date is a good example of Cuber in fine blowing form. What makes this release notable is the five Cuber originals alongside four standards. The title track is a loping evocation of the Big Apple with Kenny Drew, Jr. sparkling on piano. "Con Pasión" has Cuber launching into a florid Latin introduction before the band slide in neatly. "Bu's Beat" bustles along with a slight "Milestones" feel with modal shifts predominating. Adam Cruz gets a good slice of the cake with a drum solo. "For Bari & Bass" jumps along, bringing to mind a TV science show theme from the 1970s with bass space for Andy McKee.  "12/8 Thang" thunders along in, well, 12/8; McKee's arco bass solo gives a moment of respite.

The Three Baritone Saxophone Band 
Plays Mulligan
Dreyfus Records 
1998

Top baritone players Ronnie Cuber, Nick Brignola and Gary Smulyan pay tribute to Gerry Mulligan on this rich and detailed album. Echoing Mulligan's preference for 'chordless' ensembles, support comes simply from Andy McKee (bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums). Cuber did the arranging and plays the lead line, with Brignola covering the middle part and Smulyan weighing down below. All three solo with verve, which perhaps takes the music away from Mulligan's delicate Lester Young-inspired sound. "Line For Lyons" twists along, while "Blue Port" fairly charges forward. This is a key recording for baritone and Mulligan enthusiasts alike.

Ronnie Cuber
Love For Sale
KOCH International Jazz 
1998

Cuber finds himself with the Metropole Orkest from the Netherlands in this swinging big band date. As the only featured soloist, Cuber has plenty of space to play, although the arrangements are quite tight and focused. The album is topped and tailed by Cuber originals "Airplay" and "Passion Fruit," with eight well-loved standards forming the filling in the sandwich. The title track breezes along, "Brazil" sees some sizzling samba with the tempo doubling nicely, "Easy Living" is ballad central, and "I'll Remember April" seems to turn autumnal in the middle before regaining its springtime skip.

Ronnie Cuber and Gary Smulyan
Tough Baritones
SteepleChase Records 
2019

These two titans of the baritone join for a straight-ahead session with joyful noises and blazing virtuosity to the fore. Gary Smulyan was the 'other' New York baritone player for decades, and it is almost unbelievable that was their first duo recording.  The ambition is clear from the title; take the swinging spirit of Johnny Griffin and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Tough Tenors work, but with lower horns. The album features eight standards along with two Cuber originals. The opening Horace Silver tune "Blowin' The Blues Away" sets the scene—a racing 12-bar with unison theme statement. Cuber solos first, perhaps the slightly bigger tone, with Smulyan maybe the more athletic stylist around his instrument. Cuber's compositional contributions fit in well; "Damn Right Blues" is, damn right, a blues, while "Intervals" is a more straight-eight feel number which blooze-grooves the album to a close.

Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Ronnie Cuber, WDR Big Band
Center Stage
Leopard
2022

Ronnie Cuber's final recording is, fittingly, a meeting of old friends. Eddie Gomez (bass) and Michael Abene (arranger on this date) were with Cuber in Marshall Brown's Newport Jazz Youth Band where he first took up baritone sax. Together with Steve Gadd, they join the excellent WDR Big Band in tunes dating back to the Gadd Gang and beyond. Cuber looks visibly wizened, the aftereffects of a fall at his home in 2020. However, he can still produce the goods. Bob Dylan's bluesy Watching The River Flow is a strolling shuffle, with the WDR alto sax Karolina Strassmayer swapping eights with Ronnie Cuber very effectively, while Pino Daniele's beautiful ballad Che Ore So gives space for Cuber's sax and Ludwig Nuss' smooth trombone to feature. Ronnie Cuber died on October 7, 2022, the very day this album was released.