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1954 |
Wardell Gray Chronology |
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Created by Leif Bo Petersen |
Last updated: August 2, 2020. |
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Date |
Event |
References/Further Details |
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1954? |
Wardell
Gray - Dexter Gordon Release
of Savoy XP 8115. Hollywood
Jazz Session vol 2 7”
45 rpm. EP record Hollywood
Jazz Session vol 2 Recorded
July 6, 1947. Savoy
XP 8115 A Rock N’ Shoals (The Hunt part 6) Savoy
XP 8115 B Rock N’ Shoals (The Hunt part 9) |
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January |
Wardell
Gray and Dexter Gordon Release
of Decca DL 7025. The
Chase and Steeplechase 10”
33 rpm. LP. Recorded
February 2, 1952. Wardell
Gray and Dexter Gordon Decca
DL 7025 A The Chase Decca
DL 7025 B Steeplechase |
Packaged
Record Review Ratings: Popular albums: Jazz,” Billboard, January 2,
1954, 26: Rating 73. |
|
January
early |
Little
Willie Littlefield Release
of Federal 12163. 10”
78 rpm. record. Federal
45-12163. 7 “
45 rpm. single record Recorded
October 30, 1953. Little
Willie Littlefield. Federal
12163 A Federal
45-12163 A Please Don’t Go (O-o-o-oh) Federal
12163 B Federal
45-12163 B Don’t Take My Heart, Little Girl |
”Review
of This Week’s New Records: Rhythm & Blues,” Billboard, January 9, 1943, 22: positive review |
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January
31 |
Modern Sounds Wardell Gray, Red Callender, Buddy Collette, Al
Bartee, Carl Perkins, John Ewing, and others. Pastel Room, Los Angeles, CA. 4–8 p.m. |
“Modern Sounds At Pastel Room Sunday at Four,” California Eagle, January 28, 1954, 9. |
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February
4 |
Tour George Shearing Quintet Including: Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Cal
Tjader (vib); George Shearing (p); Al McKibbon (b); Bill Clark (d). Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by local bands. February
4–12. Gene
Norman (prod). 8
one-niters: Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Francisco, Eugene,
Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. |
“Norman
Sets Shearing for 1-Niter Tour, Billboard,
January 30, 1954, 26. “Shearing
appears With New Quintet,” San Diego
Union, February 8, 1954, a-13. |
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February
4 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by Sauter-Finegan Orchestra Rendezvous
Ballroom, Balboa, CA. Gene
Norman (prod). |
“Clef
Dwellers,” Variety, January 28,
1954, 15: Gene Norman has added another date to the Sauter-Finegan Southern
California Stretch. Band will have a one-niter at the Rendezvous Ballroom,
Balboa, a week from tonight. “Package
$7,415 on HWD. 1-Niter,” Billboard,
February 20, 1954, 17. |
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February
5 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by Sauter-Finegan Orchestra Embassy
Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA. Two
Shows: 8:00 and 10:45 pm. Gene
Norman (prod). |
“On
the Upbeat,” Variety, February 3,
1954, 54. “Sauter-Finegan
Concert Tonight at Embassy Hall,” Valley Times, February 5, 1954, 8. “Package
$7,415 on HWD. 1-Niter,” Billboard,
February 20, 1954, 17. |
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February
6 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by Roger
Fleming (p), Buddy Woodson (b), Lawrence Marable (d). Coliseum,
San Diego, CA. Gene
Norman (prod). |
“Shearing
appears With New Quintet,” San Diego
Union, February 8, 1954, a-13. |
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February
8 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by Gerald Wilson Orchestra San
Francisco Veteran’s Memorial. CA. Gene
Norman (prod). Recordings
exist. |
For
details see: http://www.wardellgray.org/discography.html |
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February
10 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by ? MacArthur
Court, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. Gene
Norman (prod). |
“Shearing
Unit om OU Campus,” Register- Guard
(Eugene, OR.) February 7, 1944, 4B: Shearing Quintet at MacArthur Court,
University of Oregon, February 10, 7:30. Ad
in Register- Guard (Eugene, OR.),
February 10, 1954, 5B: the ad only mentions the Shearing quintet. “At
Oregon,” Oregon Statesman (Salem,
OR.), sec. 2, 11: Mention both Shearing and a Battle of Saxes. |
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February
11 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims – Stan Getz accompanied
by ? Benson
High School Auditorium, Portland, OR. Gene
Norman (prod). |
“Blind
Pianist Due,” Oregonian, February
11, 1954, 8. |
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February
12 |
George Shearing Quintet Just Jazz All Stars A Battle of Saxes Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims accompanied
by ? Metropolitan
Theatre, Seattle, WA. 9:30
p.m. Gene
Norman (prod). Stan
Getz had been arrested in the morning for an abortive drug store robbery. |
Ad
in Seattle Times, February 12,
1954, 24: The ad has not Stan Getz. D.
L. Maggin, Stan Getz – A Life in
Jazz (1996), 131–33. |
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February
13 |
George Shearing Quintet A Battle of Saxes Wardell Gray – Zoot Sims accompanied
by ? Georgia
Auditorium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 8:30
p.m. Gene
Norman (prod). |
Ad
in Vancouver Sun, February 6, 1954, 46: The ad has Stan Getz. |
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February
21 |
Wardell Gray Knights & Dawn Trio Garden
of Allah, San Diego, CA. 2–7
p.m. Sunday
Jazz presented by Don Howard. |
Ad
in San Diego Union, February 20,
1954, a-8. |
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March |
Little
Willie Littlefield Release
of Federal 12174. 10”
78 rpm. record. Federal
45-12174. 7 “
45 rpm. single record Recorded
October 30, 1953. Little
Willie Littlefield. Federal
12174 A Federal
45-12174 A Goofy dust Blues Federal
12174 B Federal
45-12174 B Falling Tears |
”Review
of This Week’s New Records: Rhythm & Blues,” Billboard, March 27, 1943, 36: positive
review. |
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March |
Billy
Eckstine Release
of MGM 11694. 10”
78 rpm. recording. 7”
45 rpm. single recording. Wardell
Gray only appears on 11694 B Recorded
January 4, 1954.. Accompanied
by Lou bring and His orchestra MGM
11694 A Lost in Loveliness Recorded
December 29, 1953. Billy
Eckstine with the Pied Pipers accompanied
by Lou Bring an His Orchestra MGM
11694 B Don’t Get around Much Anymore |
Ad
for Clef, Billboard, March 27, 1954, 26. |
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April
18 |
Wardell Gray Pershing Ballroom,
Chicago, IL. |
"Rhythm n' Blues Ramblings," Cash Box,
Music, April 24, 1954, 25. |
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May
11 |
Concert Dave Brubeck Quartette Anita O’Day Shorty Rogers and His Giants Wardell Gray, Zoot Sims, Harry
Edison, Shelly Manne, Arnold Ross, Jackie Mills, Joe Comfort, and Barney Kessel. Embassy
Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA. May
11, 1954, 8:15 p.m. Irving
Granz (prod.) Jazz
ala Carte featuring Down Beat Award Winners. |
Ad in Daily
Trojan, Friday, May 7, 1954, 2. |
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July |
Wardell Gray Combo Planning
a combo including drummer Chuck Thompson for touring in California. |
“Return
of the Thin Man,” Melody Maker,
July 51, 1954, 3. |
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July
late |
Louis
Bellson Release
of: Norgran 108. 10”
78 rpm. record. Wardell
Gray only appears on 108 A Recorded Recorded
July 1953. Louis
Bellson and His Orchestra Norgran
108 A For Europeans Only Recorded March 1954. Louis
Bellson Quintet. Norgran
108 B Loris |
Other
Records Released This Week,” Billboard, July 31, 1954, 40. |
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August |
Count
Basie Release
of: Epic EG 7029. 7”
45 rpm. EP. Count
Basie & His Orch. Epic
EG 7029 A Recorded
April 10, 1951. Nails November3,
1950. I’ll Remember April Epic
EG 7029 B Recorded
April 10, 1951. Howzit Recorded
April 10, 1951. Little White Lies |
“Reviews
of Some Recent Albums,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 15, 1954, This
World 21. |
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August
9 |
Wardell Gray Combo? Detroit,
MI. |
“Complete Television
guide for Monday, ”Detroit
Free Press, August 9, 1954, 29: 11 P.M. 7-SOUPY'S ON: Soupy
Sales with Wardell Gray, saxophonist, guest. |
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August
mid |
Wardell Gray Combo Leading
own combo in the middle West. |
“Swinging
the News,” Chicago Defender, August
14, 1954, 19. |
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September |
Billy
Eckstine Including
Wardell Gray. Release
of MGM E257. I
Let a Song Go out of My Heart 10”
33 rpm LP. MGM
X257 7”
45 rpm. EP double album Recorded
December 29, 1953. Billy
Eckstine accompanied by Lou Bring an His Orchestra MGM
E257 MGM
X257 A I Let a Song Go out of My Heart Don’t Get around Much Anymore MGM
X257 B Solitude Prelude to a Kiss MGM
E257 MGM
X257 Mood Indigo Do Nothin’ ‘till you Hear from Me MGM
X257 D I Got It Bad Sophisticated
Lady |
”Reviews
of New Popular Records,” Billboard, October 16, 1954, 34: positive review. |
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September
mid |
Ira Sullivan-Wardell Gray Ira
Sullivan, Wardell Gray. Bee
Hive Lounge, Chicago, IL. |
Ads
in Chicago Defender, September 18
and 25, 1954, 15 and 25. |
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September
27 |
Wardell Gray and Jo Jones Trio Wardell
Gray (ts); Duke Jordan (p); Tommy Potter (b); Jo Jones (d). Scale’s,
New York, NY. September
20–October 3. |
“Cool
School Offers Drums,” Milwaukee Journal,
September 28, 1954, part 2, 11. |
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October |
Billy
Eckstine Release
of MGM 11845. 10”
78 rpm. recording. 7”
45 rpm. Single recording. Recorded
December 29, 1953. Billy
Eckstine accompanied by Lou Bring an His Orchestra MGM
11845 A Mood Indigo MGM
11845 B Do Nothin’ ‘till you Hear from Me |
Reviews
and Ratings of Some New Popular Records,” Billboard, September 11, 1954, 30:
Very positive review. |
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October/ November |
Wardell Gray Engagements
as single. Baltimore,
MD. |
Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto October 19. http://faculty.hampshire.edu/aravett/ftenor/index.html |
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October
mid? |
Wardell Gray New
York, NY. Without
work. |
Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto October 19. http://faculty.hampshire.edu/aravett/ftenor/index.html |
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October
25 |
Wardell Gray – Eddie Chamblee Loop
Lounge, Cleveland, OH. October
25–31. Battle
of Saxes. |
Ad
in Cleveland Plain Dealer, October
24, 1954, 59-D. Ad
in Cleveland Plain Dealer, October
31, 1954, 65-D. |
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October
late/ November
early |
Wardell Gray 2
weeks without a gig. |
Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto December 8. |
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November
late |
Wardell Gray Detroit,
MI. One
week. |
Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto December 8. http://faculty.hampshire.edu/aravett/ftenor/index.html |
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November
late |
Wardell Gray Boston,
MA. One
week. |
Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto December 8. http://faculty.hampshire.edu/aravett/ftenor/index.html |
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December
early |
Wardell Gray Probably
accompanied by Bill Goddard Quartet. Metropole
Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One
week. |
Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto December 8. http://faculty.hampshire.edu/aravett/ftenor/index.html Photo showing Dorham at the Metropole has a poster
on the wall mentioning Gray as future guest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kenny_Dorham.jpg |
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December
10 |
Wardell Gray Al
Hibbler, Wardell Gray. Bee
Hive Lounge, Chicago, IL. December
10–23. |
Ad
in Chicago Defender, December 18, 1954, 15. Wardell
Gray letter to Dorothy Gray dated Toronto December 8. http://faculty.hampshire.edu/aravett/ftenor/index.html |