Saxophonists in Count Basie's band didn't record much as leaders. They didn't have to considering how busy Basie kept them on the road. The notable exceptions, of course, were tenor saxophonists Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Budd Johnson and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. On the other end of the spectrum, baritone saxophonist Charlie Fowlkes didn't record a single track under his own name. Tenor saxophonists/flutists Jerome Richardson recorded a handful and Eric Dixon recorded just one. [Photo above, from left, of Bobby Plater and Marshal Royal in the Count Basie Orchestra]
Alto saxophonists Bobby Plater and Marshal Royal recorded a few singles during their pre-Basie years. Theirs were rather interesting R&B leadership dates. It should be noted that both musicians played in Lionel Hampton's bands.
In 1950, Plater recorded four sides for the Bullet label in Memphis with a blues shouter known as "Mr. Swing"—a young Rufus Thomas. Here's Beer Bottle Boogie...
And here's Gonna Bring My Baby Back...
Marshal Royal was a Los Angeles native, and in 1951 he recorded September in the Rain with local R&B tenor saxophonist and arranger-producer Maxwell Davis. Here's the side for the Swing Time label. It's interesting to hear the mighty Davis in a jazz mode...
And here's Royal and Davis on Little White Lies, recorded in 1952...
from JazzWax http://ift.tt/24ILZKS
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