Melba Liston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melba Liston
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Liston in 1947
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Melba Doretta Liston |
| Born | January 13, 1926 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 1999 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, arranger |
| Instruments | Trombone |
| Years active | 1940s–1970s |
Melba Doretta Liston (born January 13, 1926 – died April 23, 1999) was an amazing American jazz musician. She played the trombone, wrote music, and arranged songs for many famous artists. Melba was one of the first women trombonists to play in big jazz bands in the 1940s and 1960s. As her career grew, she became very well known for arranging music, especially with pianist Randy Weston. She also worked with jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, and Count Basie.
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Melba Liston's Early Life
Melba Liston was born in Kansas City, Missouri. When she was just seven years old, her mother bought her a trombone. Her family loved music and encouraged her to play. Melba mostly taught herself how to play. Her grandfather, who played guitar, helped her learn spiritual and folk songs. By age eight, she was good enough to perform by herself on a local radio station!
When she was 10, Melba moved to Los Angeles, California. She went to school with future jazz star Dexter Gordon and became friends with Eric Dolphy. After playing in youth bands and studying music for three years, she decided to become a professional musician. In 1943, she joined the big band led by Gerald Wilson.
Melba Liston's Music Career
Melba started recording music with saxophonist Dexter Gordon in 1947. When Gerald Wilson's band broke up in 1948, she joined Dizzy Gillespie's big band in New York. This band included other famous musicians like John Coltrane. Melba was a bit shy about playing solos at first. But with encouragement, she became more comfortable and was often featured in the bands.
She toured with Count Basie and then with Billie Holiday in 1949. Touring was tough, and sometimes audiences weren't very interested. Because of this, Melba took a break from playing music and taught for about three years.
Hollywood and Return to Music
For a few years, Melba worked in an office and also took small acting jobs in Hollywood. She appeared in movies like The Prodigal (1955) and The Ten Commandments (1956).
Melba returned to music with Dizzy Gillespie for tours in 1956 and 1957. These tours were sponsored by the U.S. State Department to share American culture. She also recorded with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1957. In 1958, she even started her own all-women band! In 1959, she traveled to Europe with a show called Free and Easy, where Quincy Jones was the music director.
Arranging and Teaching
In the late 1950s, Melba began working closely with pianist Randy Weston. She arranged many of his songs for larger groups of musicians. This partnership was very strong in the 1960s and continued until her death.
Melba also arranged music for other artists like Milt Jackson and Ray Charles (for Motown!). In 1964, she helped create the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. In 1973, she moved to Jamaica to teach music at the Jamaica School of Music for six years. While there, she also wrote and arranged music for the 1975 movie Smile Orange. After her time in Jamaica, she came back to the U.S. to lead her own bands.
In 1985, Melba had a stroke, which made it hard for her to play the trombone. But she didn't stop making music! She continued to arrange songs with Randy Weston. In 1987, she received the Jazz Masters Fellowship, a very important award for jazz musicians.
Melba Liston's Legacy
Melba Liston was a woman in a music world mostly made up of men. She was a true pioneer as a trombonist and as a woman in jazz. She faced challenges, like the difficulties of touring as a woman. But she often spoke positively about the support she received from other male musicians.
Melba was also a "ghost writer" for many years. This means she wrote arrangements for famous musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones, but sometimes didn't get full credit for her work. Even so, she is highly respected in the jazz community for her amazing talent and contributions.
Melba Liston's Musical Style
Melba Liston's music style was influenced by the bebop and post-bop jazz of her time. Her early trombone solos showed a mix of different musical ideas.
Her arrangements, especially those with Randy Weston, were very flexible. She could work in different styles like swing, post-bop, African music, and Motown. She was especially good at using different rhythms and layers of sound. Her music was always well-received by both critics and audiences.
Melba Liston's Death
Melba Liston passed away in Los Angeles, California, on April 23, 1999, after having several strokes. Her funeral in New York City included performances by Randy Weston and other musicians, celebrating her life and music.
Melba Liston's Albums
Here are some of the albums Melba Liston led or played on:
As a Band Leader
- Melba Liston and Her 'Bones (1959)
- Volcano Blues with Randy Weston (1993)
As a Guest Musician or Arranger
With Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers
- 1957: Art Blakey Big Band
- 1957: Theory of Art
- 1965: Hold On, I'm Coming
With Betty Carter
- 1958: Out There with Betty Carter
With Ray Charles
- 1959: The Genius of Ray Charles
With Dizzy Gillespie
- 1956: World Statesman
- 1957: Dizzy Gillespie at Newport
- 1957: Birks' Works
With Quincy Jones
- 1959: The Birth of a Band!
- 1961: Newport '61
- 1962: The Quintessence
With Jimmy Smith
- 1963: Any Number Can Win
- 1966: Jimmy & Wes
With Randy Weston
- 1958: Little Niles
- 1961: Uhuru Afrika
- 1963: Highlife
- 1992: The Spirits of Our Ancestors
- 1998: Khepera
