John Neely (musician) facts for kids
John Neely (born January 29, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois – died October 8, 1994, in Richton Park, Illinois) was a talented American jazz musician. He was known for playing the tenor saxophone and for arranging music.
Early Musical Journey
John Neely started playing music at a young age. By 1949, he was already performing with another jazz musician named Clifford Jordan. This early experience helped him develop his skills as a saxophonist.
Recording His Music
In the early 1950s, John Neely became part of a group called the King Fleming Quintette. This group included other musicians like Russell Williams and Lorez Alexandria. They recorded music for a record label in Chicago called Blue Lake in 1954.
Later, in 1960, Neely recorded with pianist Earl Washington. They made music for the Formal label. Their band also featured Walter Perkins on drums.
Joining a Famous Band
The same year, 1960, John Neely joined the famous Lionel Hampton band. Lionel Hampton was a very well-known jazz vibraphonist and bandleader. Joining his band was a big step for Neely.
His talent was quickly noticed. The jazz magazine Down Beat wrote about him in February 1961. They said that John Neely, who was 30 years old at the time, was being called "one of the baddest acts in the country and the next BIG man on tenor" by his fellow musicians. This showed how much respect and admiration he had from other jazz artists.
