Cannonball Adderley

Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928 – August 8, 1975) was a jazz alto saxophonist of the hard-bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Originally from Tampa, Florida, he moved to New York in the mid 1950s. His nickname derived originally from "cannibal," a honorific title imposed on him by high school colleagues as a tribute to his vast eating capacity.

He was the brother of jazz cornetist Nat Adderley.

His educational career was long established prior to teaching applied instrumental music classes at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cannonball moved to Tallahassee, Florida when his parents obtained teaching positions at Florida A&M University. Both Cannonball and brother Nat played with Ray Charles when Charles lived in Tallahassee during the early 1940s Cannonball was a local legend in Florida until he moved to New York City in 1955, where he lived in Corona, Queens.

It was in New York during this time that Adderley's prolific career began. Adderley visited the Cafe Bohemia (Oscar Pettiford's group was playing that night) where he brought his saxophone into the club with him, primarily because he feared that it would be stolen. He was asked to sit in as the saxophone player was late, and in true Cannonball style, he soared through the changes, and became a sensation in the following weeks.

Prior to joining the Miles Davis band, Adderley formed his own group with his brother Nat after signing onto the Savoy jazz label in 1957. He was noticed by Miles Davis, and it was because of his blues-rooted alto saxophone that Davis asked him to play with his group.

Adderley joined the Miles Davis sextet in October 1957, three months prior to John Coltrane's return to the group. Adderley played on the seminal Davis records Milestones and Kind of Blue. This period also overlapped with pianist Bill Evans's time with the sextet, an association that led to recording Portrait of Cannonball and Know What I Mean?.

His interest as an educator carried over to his recordings. In 1961, Cannonball narrated The Child's Introduction to Jazz, released on Riverside Records.

Songs made famous by Adderley and his bands include "This Here" (written by Bobby Timmons), "The Jive Samba," "Work Song" (written by Nat Adderley), "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (written by Joe Zawinul) and "Walk Tall" (written by Zawinul, Marrow and Rein). A cover version of Pops Staples' "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)?" also entered the charts.

Adderley was initiated as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity (Gamma Theta chapter, University of North Texas, '60, & Xi Omega chapter, Frostburg State University, '70) and Alpha Phi Alpha (Beta Nu chapter, Florida A&M University).

Adderley died of a stroke in 1975. He was buried in the Southside Cemetery, Tallahassee, Florida. Later that year he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.



Them Dirty Blues - Cannonball Adderley (1960) 
 












Side one
01.WORK SONG (5:07) [take 4] (Nat Adderley) **
02.DAT DERE (5:29)  (Bobby timmons)
03.EASY LIVING (4:19) (Robin & Rainger) **
04.DEL SASSER (4:38) (Sam jones)

Side two
01.JEANNINE (7:15) (Duke Pearson) **
02.SOON (5:32) (George & ira Gershwin)
03.THEM DIRTY BLUES (7:10) (Julian Adderley) **

not on original LP Riverside 12-322  but on Landmark reissue LLP 1301
06.DAT DERE (5:23) [take 3] (Bobby timmons)-previously inissued
07.WORK SONG (5:47) [take 3] -previously unissued


LINEUP:
JULIAN CANNONBALL ADDERLEY alto sax
NAT ADDERLEY cornet
BOBBY TIMMONS piano
BARRY HARRIS piano **
SAM JONES bass
LOUIS HAYES drums

Side 1 #2 , #4 , and Side 2 #2  + Tracks # 6 , # 7
recorded in New York City on February 1,1960
Side 1 # 1 , # 3 and Side 2 # 1 ,# 3
recorded in Chicago, March,29,1960

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Cannonball Adderley – Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago
 












01. Limehouse Blues
02. Stars Fell On Alabama
03. Wabash
04. Grand Central
05. You’re A Weaver Of Dreams
06. The Sleeper

LINE-UP:
Cannonball Adderley Quintet: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); John Coltrane (tenor saxophone); Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

This exciting session consists of the 1959 edition of The Miles Davis Sextet minus its leader, though it was later reissued as Cannonball & Coltrane, as there was evidence that both men had considerable input into the date. A brisk “Limehouse Blues” features great exchanges between the saxophonists, while Adderley’s soulful “Wabash” is more easygoing. This newly remastered CD is a distinct improvement over the earlier retitled reissue.


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