John Gilmore (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Gilmore
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Gilmore |
| Born | September 28, 1931 Summit, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | August 20, 1995 (aged 63) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Avant-garde jazz, Bebop, Free jazz, Post-bop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Tenor saxophone, drum set, bass clarinet |
| Years active | 1952–1995 |
| Associated acts | Sun Ra, Clifford Jordan, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Reece, Art Blakey, Elmo Hope, Andrew Hill |
John Gilmore (born September 28, 1931 – died August 20, 1995) was an amazing American jazz musician. He played the saxophone, clarinet, and drums. John Gilmore was famous for playing with the unique bandleader Sun Ra for over 40 years, from the 1950s to the 1990s.
Contents
John Gilmore's Early Life and Music Journey
John Gilmore grew up in Chicago. He started playing the clarinet when he was 14 years old. Later, he learned to play the tenor saxophone. This was while he was serving in the United States Air Force from 1948 to 1951.
After his time in the Air Force, John Gilmore decided to become a professional musician. His first big tour was with the Harlem Globetrotters in 1952. He played the tenor saxophone in their band, which also included the famous pianist Earl Hines.
Meeting Sun Ra and a Special Partnership
In 1953, John Gilmore met the pianist and bandleader Sun Ra. This meeting changed his musical life forever. For the next four decades, John Gilmore played and recorded almost only with Sun Ra. They started as a trio and then formed the famous band called the Arkestra.
Many people wondered why such a talented musician like John Gilmore stayed with one band. They thought he could become a huge star, like John Coltrane or Sonny Rollins. Even John Coltrane, who was five years older, was very impressed by Gilmore's playing. Coltrane even took informal lessons from Gilmore in the late 1950s. Coltrane's important song "Chasin' the Trane" was partly inspired by Gilmore's unique sound. Some experts believe Gilmore continued to influence Coltrane's music later on, especially on the album Sun Ship.
Playing with Other Jazz Stars
In the late 1950s, John Gilmore also led a band with Clifford Jordan. At the same time, he was still playing with Sun Ra's Arkestra. In 1957, his band with Clifford Jordan recorded an album called Blowing in from Chicago for Blue Note Records. Famous musicians like Horace Silver, Curly Russell, and Art Blakey played in the rhythm section.
During this time, Gilmore also performed with many other jazz greats. He played with drummer Wilbur Campbell (1958) and trumpeter Miles Davis (1959). He also played with saxophonist Johnny Griffin (1959) and singer Dinah Washington (1959). He even played with pianist Andrew Hill (1959), who he had gone to school with in Chicago.
In 1960, John Gilmore moved to New York City with the other members of the Arkestra. In the early 1960s, he often played as a sideman (a musician who plays with a band but is not the leader). He played with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (1962) and blues legend B.B. King (1963-1964). He also played with pianists Paul Bley (1964) and Andrew Hill (1964), and drummer Art Blakey (1964).
From 1964 to 1966, Gilmore toured with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He took the place of saxophonist Wayne Shorter in the band. After this, he played with many different artists. These included double bassist Charles Mingus (1966) and pianists McCoy Tyner (1967) and George Russell (1968). He also played with drummer Art Taylor (1968) and trombonist Melba Liston (1969).
During this time, he also recorded on several albums. These included albums with Paul Bley, Andrew Hill (Andrew!!! and Compulsion), Pete La Roca (Turkish Women at the Bath), and McCoy Tyner (Today and Tomorrow). In 1970, he recorded an album with Jamaican trumpeter Dizzy Reece. But his main focus always remained with the Sun Ra Arkestra.
Why John Gilmore Stayed with Sun Ra
John Gilmore was very dedicated to Sun Ra. One reason was Sun Ra's unique way of using harmony in music. Gilmore felt it was a logical and exciting extension of bebop music. He once said that Sun Ra was "more stretched out than Monk". He also said, "I'm not gonna run across anybody who's moving as fast as Sun Ra... So I just stay where I am." This shows how much he respected Sun Ra's musical ideas.
Gilmore's Musical Style and Instruments
John Gilmore mainly played the tenor saxophone. He also sometimes played the drums and the bass clarinet. However, Sun Ra later hired Robert Cummings to be the main bass clarinet player.
Gilmore made huge contributions to Sun Ra's recordings. He was the Arkestra's most important sideman. He often had solos on almost every song he played on. Music expert Brian Priestley described Gilmore's playing as having two different styles. When playing more traditional jazz, he was very smooth and clear. His rhythm and musical ideas even influenced John Coltrane. But when playing more experimental music, he could use high-pitched squeals and sounds. Gilmore was one of the few musicians who could play both styles convincingly, especially when performing live.
In the early 1970s, John Gilmore moved to Philadelphia with Sun Ra and the Arkestra. After Sun Ra passed away in 1993, Gilmore took over leading the Arkestra for a few years. Sadly, John Gilmore died in 1995 from emphysema. After his death, Marshall Allen became the new leader of the Arkestra.
John Gilmore's Music Albums
As a Co-Leader
- Blowing in from Chicago (Blue Note, 1957) – This album was co-led with Cliff Jordan.
As a Sideman (Playing with Others)
For all albums with Sun Ra, you can look at the Sun Ra discography.
With Paul Bley
- Turning Point (Improvising Artists, recorded in 1964, released in 1975)
With Freddie Hubbard
- The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard (Impulse!, 1962)
With McCoy Tyner
- Today and Tomorrow (Impulse!, 1963)
With Elmo Hope
- Sounds from Rikers Island (Audio Fidelity, 1963)
With Andrew Hill
- Andrew!!! (Blue Note, 1964)
- Compulsion! (Blue Note, 1966)
With Art Blakey
- 'S Make It (Limelight, 1965)
With Pete La Roca
- Turkish Women at the Bath (Douglas, 1967) – Also known as Bliss!
With Phil Upchurch
- Feeling Blue (Milestone, 1967)
With Dizzy Reece
- From In to Out (Futura, 1970)
