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Gene Gammage

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Gene Gammage
Birth nameEugene Seldon "Gene" Gammage
Born(1931-01-30)January 30, 1931
Atlanta, Georgia
United States
Died1989 (aged 57–58)
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
Instrumentdrums

Eugene Seldon "Gene" Gammage (born January 30, 1931, Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz drummer.

Biography

Gene Gammage begins his professional career as a drummer in 1952 after serving in the Air Force (1948-1952). In 1953, in Los Angeles he finds a steady gig with Teddy Charles, and Bill Crow on bass. Following this, he plays with leaders Buddy Collette (1955)[1] Hampton Hawes (1955), André Previn (1955), Barney Kessel (1956), Herb Geller, Jack Sheldon.[2] Tenor saxophonist Jack Laird hired him for an engagement at Club El Sereno in East LA (with pianist Franck Patchen).[3] In November 1956, he is in Las Vegas with Oscar Peterson.[2] In 1957, he joins Beverly Kelly and Pat Moran McCoy for a quartet and trio including Scott LaFaro. Two albums are recorded and issued in 1958 under the two leaders' names. From fall 1958 to Spring 1959, he is hired again by Oscar Peterson.[4] The trio, with Ray Brown on bass, records a jazz version of My Fair Lady on November, 20&21 1958. In St Louis in August 1961, he records 3 live dates with Webster Young, Shirley Horn,[5] and Johnny Hartman.[6]

A NY resident in the late sixties, he takes part of Roswell Rudd's Primordial group, with Enrico Rava (no official recording)[7]

In Nov, 2 1971, he was with Gary McFarland and writer, editor David Burnett at Club 55 in New York City, when they got served drinks filled with liquid methadone, which provoked seizure due to overdose. Gary McFarland was pronounced dead in the bar, David Burnett just a few days later. Gene Gammage survived after some time in the hospital.[8] He appears in This is McFarland, film by Kristian St Clair[9] released in 2006.

From the mid-seventies to the early eighties, his last known regular gig is with Bobby Short.[10]

His recordings mostly feature him with piano-led trio and show an accomplished accompanist, with a solid tempo and technicality, typical of the drumming style in the mid-fifties. In 1960 Leonard Feather mentioned his original influences as Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, Elvin Jones[11]

Discography

Original album names
Various reissues and compilations

Filmography

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ An Unsung Cat: The Life and Music of Warne Marsh - Page 108 Safford Chamberlain · 2004
  2. ^ a b The Encyclopedia Of Jazz - Leonard Feather, reprint 1960 page 222
  3. ^ LA musician Lanny Aplanalp recalled seeing them live prior Gammage joining Oscar Peterson, on a Facebook post retrieved oct.2, 2021.
  4. ^ Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing - Page 143 Gene Lees 2000
  5. ^ St. Louis Jazz: A History - Page 84 Dennis C. Owsley · 2019
  6. ^ The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story - Page 298 Gregg Akkerman · 2012
  7. ^ The Village Voice · 16 oct. 1969 · Journal page 80
  8. ^ Myers, Marc (3 November 2014). "Now Forgotten, Gary McFarland Introduced Jazz to Pop-Rock". Wsj.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Welcome | This is Gary McFarland". Thisisgarymcfarland.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  10. ^ According to Jimmy Cobb in 2010, "he didn't like" that type of music. cited in Jazz and Justice: Racism and the Political Economy of the Music page 371 - Gerald Horne · 2019
  11. ^ The Encyclopedia Of Jazz - Leonard Feather, reprint 1960 page 221
General references
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