Cannonball adderley

An anthology 1955/1957 .

Born in 1928 into a musical family in Florida. Julian Edwin Adderley , nicknamed first - Cannibal -, then - Cannonball , in homage to his vast appetite, made a sensational entry into the big leagues of jazz one evening in June 1955, during a jam- with the orchestra of double bassist Oscar Pettiford . A virtuoso alto saxophonist , he was immediately given the oversized hat of being the reincarnation heir of a genius, Charlie Parker , who had died three months earlier. Cannonball would very quickly demonstrate that he brought an original voice to jazz, a vibrant language which certainly owed a lot to Parker , but also a lot to Benny Carter , church music and the blues .

And this is how he immediately found himself at the heart of the " funky " and " hard bop " trends in jazz at the time, before and after his memorable stay, in 1958-59, with Miles Davis where he would rub shoulders with John Coltrane and Bill Evans . At the head of his group, he would then rise to the rank of jazz star, seducing a large audience with his melodic sense, his swing and his infectious joy of playing. until his untimely death in 1975.

Our selection features him at the time of his resounding debut, adopted by the New York cream of the day, from Kenny Clarke to Quincy Jones .