Frank Wess

Frank Wess
Frank Wess and Jimmy Owens (1977)
Background information
Born	January 4, 1922 (1922-01-04)
Origin	Kansas City
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Tenor saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute
Years active	1950s -

Frank Wess (born January 4, 1922 in Kansas City) is an American jazz musician who has played saxophone (both alto and tenor) and flute.

Biography

He began with classical music and played in Oklahoma. He later switched to jazz on moving to Washington, D. C. and by nineteen was working in the Big Bands. His career was interrupted during World War II although he did play with a military band in the period. On returning from service he joined Billy Eckstine's orchestra.

He returned to DC a few years after this and received a degree in flute at the city's Modern School Of Music. From 1953 he joined Count Basie's band, playing flute and tenor sax. He reverted to alto sax in the late '50s, and left Basie's band in 1964. From 1959 to 1964 he won Down Beat's critic poll for flute.

He was a member of Clark Terry's big band from 1967 into the '70s and played in the New York Jazz Quartet (with Roland Hanna). Since then he has done a variety of TV shows and telethons. In the '80s and '90s, he worked with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Buck Clayton, Benny Carter, Billy Taylor, Harry Edison, Mel Tormé, Ernestine Anderson, Louie Bellson, John Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Dick Hyman, Byron Stripling, Jane Jarvis, Frank Vignola and was a featured member of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra.

Wess also contributed to the landmark Jazz Composer's Orchestra 1968 eponymous album.

In 2007 Wess was named an NEA Jazz Master by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts.

Discography

As leader

• Jazz For Playboys (1956) with guitarist Kenny Burrell
• Wheelin' and Dealin' (1957) with John Coltrane and pianist Mal Waldron, who composed much of the music.
• Opus De Blues (1957)
• Monday Stroll' (1957) with Kenny Burrell, original LP released under leader Frank Wess' name, since re-released under Kenny Burrell.
• Southern Comfort (1962)
• Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me (1963)
• Wess to Memphis (1970)
• Flute of the Loom (1973)
• Entre Nous (1990) (Concord Jazz)
• Going Wess (1993) trio, Wess playing mainly tenor saxophone.
• Hank and Frank - (2002) with pianist Hank Jones, both men in their 80s.
• Two for the Blues (with Frank Foster)
• Hank and Frank II - (2009) with pianist Hank Jones.

As sideman

With Toshiko Akiyoshi

• Carnegie Hall Concert

With Count Basie

• One O'Clock Jump (1957)
• E=MC² (1957)
• April in Paris (1957)
• Ella and Basie! (1963)

With Bobby Hutcherson

• Conception: The Gift of Love (Columbia, 1979)

With Milt Jackson

• Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy, 1955)
• Opus de Jazz (Savoy, 1955)
• Bags & Flutes (Atlantic, 1957)

With Oliver Nelson

• The Spirit of '67 with Pee Wee Russell (Impulse!, 1967)

With Chico O'Farrill

• Nine Flags (Impulse!, 1966)

With Zoot Sims

• Passion Flower: Zoot Sims Plays Duke Ellington (1979)

External links

• frankwess.org
• Down Beat magazine critic's poll winner (flute): 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964
• 2007 NEA Jazz Masters