Booker Ervin

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Booker Ervin
Born October 31, 1930, Denison, Texas
Died July 31, 1970, New York City
Genres Hard bop
Instruments Tenor saxophone
Associated acts Charles Mingus

Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – July 31, 1970[1]) was an American tenor saxophone player. He was perhaps best known for his association with bassist Charles Mingus.

Ervin was born in Denison, Texas, and after teaching himself tenor saxophone while in the United States Air Force, moved to the Boston area and studied at Berklee College of Music. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing, perhaps inspired by growing up in the south. Some thought his style was influenced by John Coltrane, but it is thought they developed their styles independently[by whom?] , and beyond some sheets of sounds similarities, they were distinctively different.[citation needed]


He moved to New York to join Horace Parlan's quartet, with whom he recorded Up & Down and Happy Frame of Mind (both for Blue Note Records). Ervin worked with Charles Mingus from 1956 to 1963, appearing on "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" on the album Mingus Ah Um and "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" on Blues and Roots, as well as Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus. During the 1960s Ervin also led his own quartet, recording for Prestige Records with ex-Mingus associate pianist Jaki Byard along with bassist Richard Davis and Alan Dawson on drums. Ervin later recorded for Blue Note Records and played with pianist Randy Weston.

He died of kidney disease in New York City in 1970, aged 39.[2]

Contents

[edit] Discography

[edit] As leader

[edit] As sideman

With Bill Barron

  • Hot Line (Denon, 1962)

With Teddy Charles

  • Jazz in the Garden at the Museum of Modern Art (Warwick, 1960)

With Andrew Hill

With Lambert, Hendricks & Bavan

With Charles Mingus

With Horace Parlan

With Don Patterson

  • Hip Cake Walk (Prestige, 1964)

With Mal Waldron

[edit] References

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