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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Duke Pearson| birth_name = Columbus Calvin Pearson, Jr| image =| caption =| image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist| alias =| birth_date = birth date|1932|8|17|mf=y Atlanta, Georgia , United States | death_date = death date and age|1980|8|4|1932|8|17|mf=y Atlanta, Georgia , United States | instrument = Piano | genre = Hard bop Soul jazz Jazz pop Post bop Big band|Progressive big band | years_active = 1950s–1980| label = Blue Note Atlantic Records|Atlantic | associated_acts =| notable_instruments = Columbus Calvin "Duke" Pearson, Jr (Atlanta, Georgia, August 17, 1932& nbsp;– Atlanta, August 4, 1980) was an United States|American jazz pianist and composer . Allmusic notes him as being a "big part in shaping the Blue Note label's hard bop direction in the 1960s as a record producer|producer ."cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p7306|pure_url=yes|title=Duke Pearson biography at Allmusic|author=Richard S. Ginell|accessdate=2007-01-04
History
Duke was born Columbus Calvin Pearson, Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia to Columbus Calvin and Emily Pearson. The moniker "Duke" was given to him by his uncle, whom was a great admirer of Duke Ellington . Before he was six, his mother started giving him piano lessons, an instrument he studied until he was twelve.Original 1959 liner notes to Profile (Duke Pearson album)|Profile by Ira Gitler Then, he took an interest in brass instrument s: mellophone , baritone horn and ultimately trumpet . He was so fond of the trumpet that through high school and college, he neglected the piano. He attended Clark Atlanta University|Clark College while also playing trumpet in groups in the Atlanta area. While in the United States Army|Army , during his 1953-1954 draft, he continued to play trumpet and met, among the others, pianist Wynton Kelly . Pearson himself confessed in a 1959 interview that he was "so spoiled by Kelly's good piano", that he decided to switch to piano again. Also, it seems that Dentistry|dental issues forced him to give up brass instruments. He continued to perform with different Musical ensemble|ensemble s in Georgia and Florida , including with Tab Smith and Little Willie John , before he moved to New York City in January 1959.
In New York, Pearson gained the attention of trumpeter Donald Byrd , who saw Pearson performing with the Art Farmer / Benny Golson|Benny Golson Sextet (also known as Jazztet ). Shortly afterwards, Byrd asked him to join his newly formed band, the Donald Byrd- Pepper Adams Quintet . Pearson was also the accompanist for Nancy Wilson (singer)|Nancy Wilson on tour in 1961. During that same year, Pearson became ill before a Byrd-Adams show, and a newcomer named Herbie Hancock took over for him. This eventually led to Hancock taking over the position permanently.cite web|url= http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Pearson/|title=Duke Pearson Discography|date=February 8, 1998|accessdate=2007-01-04
On the 1963 Byrd album A New Perspective , Pearson arranger|arranged four tracks, including "Cristo Redentor", which became a big hit. The song, Pearson later commented, was inspired by a trip he took to Brazil while touring with Wilson. Also that year, after the death of Ike Quebec , Pearson took over his position as A& R man of Blue Note . From that year until 1970, Pearson was a frequent session musician and producer for numerous Blue Note albums while also recording his own albums as Band (music)|band leader . This was odd, since Pearson also recorded with his co-led big band with Byrd for Atlantic Records , a stipulation he made sure was in his Atlantic contract . The Byrd-Pearson band consisted of musician s such as Chick Corea , Pepper Adams , Randy Brecker , and Garnett Brown ; the latter three were members also of the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis band that played the same night club, The Village Vanguard , but on different nights. Between the two ensembles, the musicians performed at their own discretion.
Pearson's compositions include the now standard, frequently covered "Jeannine", composed c. 1960, an early cover of which appears on the Cannonball Adderley album Them Dirty Blues (1960).
Pearson eventually retire d from his position with Blue Note in 1971 after personnel changes were made; co-founder Alfred Lion retired in 1967 after the label was sold to Liberty Records the previous year and co-founder Francis Wolff|Frank Wolff died in 1971. Pearson opted to teach at Clark College in 1971, toured with Carmen McRae and Joe Williams (jazz singer)|Joe Williams through 1973, and eventually reformed his big band during that time.
He was medical diagnosis|diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1970s, from which he died in 1980 at Atlanta Veterans Hospital.
1961: Angel Eyes (Duke Pearson album)|Angel Eyes ( Polydor Records|Polydor , also released as Bags Groove on Black Lion Records|Black Lion with 3 alternate takes)
1961: Dedication! ( Prestige Records|Prestige )
1962: Hush! (Jazztime)
1964: Wahoo! (Blue Note)
1965: Honeybuns ( Atlantic Records|Atlantic )
1966: Prairie Dog (album)|Prairie Dog (Atlantic)
1966: Sweet Honey Bee (Blue Note)
1967: The Right Touch (Blue Note)
1967: '' Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band (Blue Note)
Stanley Turrentine - '' Rough 'n' Tumble (1966), The Spoiler (album)|The Spoiler (1966), A Bluish Bag (1967), The Return of the Prodigal Son (album)|The Return of the Prodigal Son (1967), The Look of Love (Stanley Turrentine album)|The Look of Love (1968)
Blue Mitchell - Boss Horn (1966), Heads Up& #33; (album)|Heads Up! (1967)
Lee Morgan - Standards (Lee Morgan album)|Standards (1967)
Lou Donaldson - Lush Life (Lou Donaldson album)|Lush Life (1967)
References
reflist
External links
Portal|Biography
http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Pearson Duke Pearson Discography at www.JazzDiscography.com
http://www.jazzdisco.org/duke-pearson/ Duke Pearson Discography Project at www.jazzdisco.org
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p7306
Find a Grave|5861317
Persondata | NAME =Pearson, Duke | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =August 17, 1932 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH =August 4, 1980 | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Pearson, Duke Category:1932 births Category:1980 deaths Category:American jazz composers Category:American jazz pianists Category:American session musicians Category:Hard bop pianists Category:Jazz-pop pianists Category:Post-bop pianists Category:Blue Note Records artists Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia Category:People with multiple sclerosis Category:Progressive big band musicians Category:Soul-jazz pianists Category:Jazz record producers
