Snooky Young
- Eugene Young redirects here. For the character from The Practice, see Eugene Young (character).
| Snooky Young | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 3, 1919 Dayton, Ohio |
| Died | May 11, 2011 (aged 92) Newport Beach, California[1] |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Trumpet, Flugelhorn |
| Labels | Master Jazz, Concord Jazz |
| Associated acts | Tony Bennett, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, Quincy Jones, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, B. B. King, Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra, Tonight Show Band, Wes Montgomery, Sarah Vaughan, The Band |
Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young (February 3, 1919 – May 11, 2011)[2] was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he was able to create a wide range of sounds.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Young was lead trumpeter of the Jimmie Lunceford band from 1939 to 1942. He played with Count Basie (three stints totalling eight years), Gerald Wilson and Lionel Hampton, among others, and was an original member of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band.[3]
His longest engagement was with NBC, where, as a studio trumpeter, he joined the Tonight Show Band in 1967 and stayed with them until 1992, when the band was replaced by a new, smaller group.
He was also part of the touring ensemble that traveled with Doc Severinsen, performing live concert dates, corporate events, and headling shows in the main rooms of Las Vegas. The one nighters usually occurred on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, as Severinsen was committed to the Tonight Show on weeknights.
For the Las Vegas gigs, the nucleus of Severinsen's touring band (Young, Conductor Steve Thoma, and drummer Paul Line) would commute to Vegas nightly, leaving Van Nuys airport around 6:00pm via Lear Jet, arriving in Las Vegas by 7:00. A limousine would transport the musicians directly backstage, where they would dress & prepare for an 8:00 pm & midnight show. Then back to the airport for the ride back to Los Angeles, where Severinsen and Young had their NBC gig, and Steve Thomas and Paul Line were undertaking studio sessions daily.
Young performed nightly with Severinsen, and he was featured prominently for several solos, as well as a trumpet version of "Dueling Banjos". He continued to perform in Los Angeles, appearing on the classic 1976 Coconut Grove recording Bobby Bland and B.B. King Together Again...Live and again on King's 2008 album One Kind Favor.
His 1978 album with altoist Marshall Royal, Snooky and Marshall's Album, featured pianist Ross Tompkins, rhythm guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Louie Bellson.
He was one of horn players that accompanied rock group The Band on their 1972 live album Rock of Ages'.'[4]
Young recorded only three albums under his own name.
He received a NEA Jazz Masters Award for 2009 on October 17, 2008 at Lincoln Center in New York City.[5]
Throughout the years, Snooky has recorded and performed with Gerald Wilson (a good friend since the Lunceford days) and his Orchestra. Until 2010 he was still playing and recording with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.
[edit] Discography
[edit] As sideman
- 1962: Big Bags - Milt Jackson (Riverside)
- 1963: For Someone I Love - Milt Jackson (Riverside)
- 1964: The Cat - Jimmy Smith (Verve)
- 1964: Great Scott!! - Shirley Scott
- 1965: Ray Brown / Milt Jackson - Milt Jackson and Ray Brown (Verve)
- 1965: Wrapped Tight - Coleman Hawkins
- 1966: Oliver Nelson Plays Michelle - Oliver Nelson
- 1966: Happenings - Hank Jones and Oliver Nelson
- 1966: Spanish Rice - Clark Terry and Chico O'Farrill
- 1966: The Spirit of '67 - Pee Wee Russell and Oliver Nelson
- 1971: Boys from Dayton[6]
- 1972: Rock of Ages - The Band
- 1976: Bobby Bland and B.B. King Together Again...Live
- 1978: Snooky and Marshall's Album (along with Marshall Royal)[7]
- 1979: Horn of Plenty[8] - leader
- 2008: One Kind Favor - B. B. King
[edit] References
- ^ Matt Schudel (May 13, 2011). "Snooky Young, 92-year-old jazz trumpeter, dies". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-mortem/post/snooky-young-92-year-old-jazz-trumpeter-dies/2011/05/13/AFtW7p2G_blog.html.
- ^ Ramsey, Doug (12 May 2011). "Snooky Young, 1919-2011". artsjournal.com. http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2011/05/snooky-young-1919-2011/. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ Biography at allmusic
- ^ The Band – Rock of Ages, at All-Music.com
- ^ Peter Keepnews (May 18, 2011). "Snooky Young, a Big Band Trumpeter, Is Dead at 92". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/arts/music/snooky-young-trumpeter-with-doc-severinsen-dies-at-92.html?ref=obituaries.
- ^ Review at allmusic
- ^ Review at allmusic
- ^ Review at allmusic
