Houston Person

Houston Person
Person performing at the Cellar in 2006
Background information
Born	10 November 1934 (1934-11-10) Florence, South Carolina United States
Genres	Jazz, hard bop, soul jazz, swing
Occupations	Musician, Songwriter, Bandleader, Producer
Instruments	Saxophone
Labels	Prestige Westbound, Mercury, Savoy, Muse Records, HighNote Records, Telarc Records
Associated acts	Etta Jones

Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. Person is also known for his distinctive sassy sound and his expressive style of playing. He received the Eubie Blake Jazz Award in 1982.

Biography

Person grew up in Florence, South Carolina, and first played piano before switching to tenor saxophone. He studied at South Carolina State College where he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1999.

In the United States Air Force, he joined a service band stationed in West Germany, and played with Don Ellis, Eddie Harris, Cedar Walton, and Leo Wright. He later continued his studies at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut.

He first became known for a series of albums for Prestige Records in the 1960s. Contrary to popular belief, he was never married to the vocalist Etta Jones, but did spend many years as her musical partner, recording, performing and touring, and for much of his career this association was what he was best known for. They first met playing in organist Johnny Hammond's band.

There are more than 75 albums recorded by Houston Person as a bandleader, on Prestige, Westbound, Mercury, Savoy, and Muse Records, and he has most recently been recording on HighNote Records. He has recorded with Charles Brown, Bill Charlap, Charles Earland, Lena Horne, Etta Jones, Lou Rawls, Horace Silver, Dakota Staton, Billy Butler, Richard "Groove" Holmes and others.

Houston Person performing with his combo at the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival in 2009.

Houston Person in Paris, France in 1980

Discography

As leader

• Underground soul (1966, Prestige)
• Chocomotive (1967, Prestige)
• Trust in Me (1967, Prestige) with Cedar Walton, Alan Dawson, Bob Cranshaw, Paul Chambers
• Blue Odyssey (1968, Prestige) with Curtis Fuller, Pepper Adams, Cedar Walton
• Soul dance (1968, Prestige)
• Goodness! (1969, Prestige) with Sonny Phillips (org), Billy Butler (g)
• The Truth (1970, Prestige)
• Person to Person (1970, Prestige)
• Houston Express (1971, Prestige)
• Broken windows, empty hallways (1972, Prestige)
• Sweet buns and barbecue (1972, Prestige)
• The real thing (1973, Eastbound)
• '75 (1974, Westbound
• Get outa my way (1975), Westbound
• Stolen sweets (1976, Muse)
• The Big Horn (1976), Muse Records
• Pure pleasure (1976), Mercury
• Harmony (1977, Mercury)
• Wild Flower (1977, Muse)
• The nearness of you (1977, Muse)
• The Gospel soul of Houston Person (1978), Savoy
• Suspicions (1980, Muse)
• Very Personal (1980, Muse)
• Heavy juice (1982, Muse)
• Always on my mind (1985, Muse)
• The talk of the town (1987, Muse)
• Basics (1987, Muse)
• We owe it all to love (1988, Baseline)
• Something in Common (1989, Muse)
• The Party (1989, Muse)
• Now's the time! (1990, Muse) with Ron Carter
• Why Not (1990, Muse)
• The Lion and his pride (1991, Muse)
• Christmas with Houston Person and Friends (Muse, 1994)
• Person-ified (1996, High Note) with Richard Wynands, Ray Drummond, Kenny Washington
• The Opening Round (Savant, 1997) with Joey DeFrancesco
• My Romance (1998, High Note)
• Soft Lights (High Note, 1998) with Richard Wynands, Russell Malone, Ray Drummond, Grady Tate
• In a sentimental mood (2000) High Note
• Dialogues (High Note, 2000) with Ron Carter
• Blue Velvet (High Note, 2001)
• Sentimental Journey (High Note, 2002
• Social Call (High Note, 2003)
• To Etta with Love (2004) with Stan Hope, Paul Bollenback, Per-Ola Gadd High Note
• All Soul (High Note, 2005) with Stan Hope, Randy Jonston
• Just Between Friends (High Note, 2005) with Ron Carter
• Thinking Of you (High Note, 2007)
• Mellow (High Note, 2009)

As sideman

• That Healin' Feelin' - Horace Silver (1970) Blue Note
• Friday Night Special - Janis Siegel (2003) Telarc Records
• Joey Defrancisco Plays Sinatra His Way (1998) 2004 Highnote Records, Inc