Dave James Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 (edited) Hadley Caliman was a name I was not familiar with until a couple of years ago. I became aware of him though some good friends of mine whose son was a pretty fair high school tenor player. He took some lessons from Mr. Caliman over the course of several months. After learning of him, I began keeping my eyes peeled for examples of his work, but with little success. The only place I found him was as part the sax section on some of the recordings on the Gerald Wilson Mosaic. Fortunately, the good folks at Dusty Groove have recently taken care of this by offering two of Caliman's 1970's recordings, "Celebration" and "Projecting", both on the Japanese Catalyst label. This is pretty good stuff. Caliman has a tenor sound that's similar to Coltrane's and he's that rara avis who can actually play the flute in a manner that doesn't make you want to run screaming into the next room. Nice straight up post bop. Is anyone aware of anything else he has out as a leader? Opinions? Up over and out. Edited September 8, 2005 by Dave James Quote
JSngry Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 (edited) One word: IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! IAPETUS!!!! On Mainstream, early 70s, not quite like anything else, DESPERATELY needs reissuing. Cheap & inadequate description = the followup to Filles that Miles never made. Made w/ Bobby Hutcherson's early 70s band w/o Bobby, pretty "trippy" but DAMN does it hold up well today to these ears. Hadley's been on the scene since the late 40s, had a long bout w/drug addiction (which he speaks of openly). Those Catalyst sides are good, espescially the one w/Elvin. Hadley had another Mainstream album before IAPETUS that I've not heard, but its reputation ain't so great. IAPETUS, however, is one-of-a-kind in my book, one of those "lost treasures" that time is trying REALLY hard to forget. It ain't "straight ahead jazz", though. Not everybody would share my enthusiasm I'm sure, if for no other reason than I've hyped the damn thing so much that it'll probably seem anti-climatic. But I can't help myself. I really do think it's THAT good. Caliman can also be heard on Santana's CARAVANSERI, playing the saxophonic skronk that opens the album. Chuck Nessa has spoken to Hadley fairly recently for the Uptown Mingus set booklet. Maybe he has current info. Edited June 23, 2003 by JSngry Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 He was living, and teaching, in Cathlamet, Washington. In the late '70s or early '80s he toured with Earl Hines. I remember them appearing in Chicago. Quote
Dave James Posted June 23, 2003 Author Report Posted June 23, 2003 ghost of miles; Yeah...these are CD reissues. I checked Dusty Groove about an hour ago and they still had both in stock. Downside is they're Japanese and cost too much. Jim; Thanks for the additional info/thoughts on Caliman. Hopefully someone will get around to issuing more of his recordings. Based on what I've heard so far, I'd like to hear more. And you're right, the date with Elvin Jones kicks some serious butt. Chuck; Indeed. My friend's have a second home up on the Columbia River at Cathlamet and that's when they hooked up with Mr. Caliman. I thought they told me he'd relocated, but I could be wrong. Up over and out. Quote
Green Dolphin Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 The follow-up to Filles that Miles never made...and with Hutch...I take your word for it ....wow!Let's make some noise and get this out again.The only thing I have with Caliman on is Julian Priester's peerless "Love,Love"-I dare say there are loads of undiscovered gems from that era(if late 60's jazz is your bag)Anybody know if Tootie Heath's Kawaida has been reissued anywhere? Quote
JSngry Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 The follow-up to Filles that Miles never made...and with Hutch...I take your word for it ....wow! Let's make some noise and get this out again. Just to clarify, it's with Hutch's BAND of the time - Bayete Todd Cochrane, James Leary, & the amazing Woody Theus (aka Sonship), with spot appearances from Victor Pantoja & Luis Gasca. Bobby himself is not on it. But hey, you wanna make some noise, you got my support. The last I heard, Mainstream is in the hands of Sony. In the meantime, be on the lookout for used vinyl. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 Chuck; Indeed. My friend's have a second home up on the Columbia River at Cathlamet and that's when they hooked up with Mr. Caliman. I thought they told me he'd relocated, but I could be wrong. Up over and out. I believe he also had a place, at least a phone number, in Seattle. Quote
Green Dolphin Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 I got all excited and missed the w/o Bobby bit,but hell still sounds good.Sony,eh?Well they do surprise us occassionally... Quote
Late Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 Ah, the ferocious poetic license and non sequitir work of that fine tribe of bards, the inspired writing staff at Dusty Groove ... • A description of Caliman's Celebration — " ... Caliman's tunes and playing have a lightly magical feel to them -- a sadness behind the sun, done at a complicated level that we appreciate more and more over the years." • And a description of Projecting — "Soaring spiritual magic from Hadley Caliman ... hitting those angular reed notes he laid out so well on so many Fantasy sessions during the 70s, and which shine even more brightly under his own light of leadership!" What sayest thou, sweet cringe meter? Begone that sadness behind the sun! Let soar your spiritual magic, your own lusty light of leadership! Quote
JSngry Posted June 23, 2003 Report Posted June 23, 2003 (edited) Sadness behind the sun? Is that the inverse of the cloud's silver lining? And angular reed notes? Geez, I get a hernia just TRYING to visualize what THOSE must involve. WTF? da'Groove done outdid themselves w/those, and THAT takes some doing... But the cringe-o-meter will revert to "happy" when the music is heard. Those Calliman Cataylst sides are nice. Edited June 23, 2003 by JSngry Quote
shrugs Posted June 24, 2003 Report Posted June 24, 2003 Does Celebration have the original backcover photo? Quote
shrugs Posted June 24, 2003 Report Posted June 24, 2003 I caught Caliman in Seattle at Tula's in 1998 or 1999. And I think I have seen his gigs listed at their website in the past twp years or so. Quote
chris olivarez Posted June 24, 2003 Report Posted June 24, 2003 I heard somewhere that he was deceased.I'm pleased that what I heard was erroneous. Quote
shrugs Posted June 24, 2003 Report Posted June 24, 2003 Found this pic on the net. Copyright is 2002. Quote
shrugs Posted June 24, 2003 Report Posted June 24, 2003 More! Farewell Tribute Concert Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Hadley Caliman SEATTLE, WA -- March 24, 2003-- Cornish College of the Arts is pleased to present legendary jazz saxophonist Hadley Caliman in a Farewell Tribute Concert on Saturday, April 12th at 8 pm in PONCHO Concert Hall. Caliman will retire from Cornish College of the Arts this spring after 20 years of dedicated service to jazz education in the North West. The concert celebrates Caliman's musical career and his long-term dedication to education. Caliman will be joined by Cornish College colleagues Dawn Clement, piano; Chuck Deardorf, bass; and D'Vonne Lewis, drums. The program will include jazz and rhythm & blues standards, as well as original works. Hadley Caliman began playing the saxophone at age 16. He was an early disciple of Dexter Gordon, and took lessons from Gordon as a teenager. Caliman was the youngest member in Roy Porter's seventeen piece band. Caliman has performed and recorded with such notable musicians as Santana, Freddy Hubbard, Earl Hines, Jon Hendricks, Julian Priester, Amos Milburn, Gerald Wilson, Don Ellis, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Eddie Henderson, and Bobby Hutcherson. Caliman's long career includes more than 100 recording sessions, working with artists ranging from Charles Brown to The Grateful Dead. His four albums as a leader, recorded for Mainstream and Catalyst in the 70's, are collector's items. Notably, Caliman appeared as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center in a tribute to Dexter Gordon, sitting in Dexter Gordon's chair. Caliman has been on the faculty at Cornish College of the Arts since the 80's and performs regularly in Seattle. In addition to performing at numerous Northwest festivals and venues, Caliman also appears regularly at local clubs such as Tula's, Mona's, and Club Habana. source: http://www.cornish.edu/main.asp?pg=546&sid=22 Quote
shrugs Posted June 24, 2003 Report Posted June 24, 2003 (edited) Reading stuff about the Seattle scene makes me wish I was back there. Year round quality straight ahead with healthy doses of improv/avant throughout the year and during the Earshot fest. Not to mention the closeness of the Vancouver festival. Edited June 24, 2003 by shrugs Quote
undergroundagent Posted October 14, 2003 Report Posted October 14, 2003 Is this stuff really soulful like described? As in, similar to Gary Bartz Catalyst sides? Soul-jazz? CTI sound? Quote
jazzkrow Posted October 14, 2003 Report Posted October 14, 2003 I believe Hadley was playing in the Seattle Jazz Repretory Orchestra two weeks ago in Portland when Ellington's Sacred concerts wwere performed here. He had a brief solo in the opening number! He plays often around the Northwest. Quote
mikeweil Posted October 14, 2003 Report Posted October 14, 2003 Anybody know if Tootie Heath's Kawaida has been reissued anywhere? Yes, on a very obscure chaepo CD Jim Sangrey and I discussed on the late BNBB, under Herbie Hancock's name, "folio collection, The Jazz Masters, 100 anos de Swing, EF 20015. Obviously a Spanish issue. Graphics and credits are negigible, but sound is okay. Quote
Clunky Posted March 10, 2004 Report Posted March 10, 2004 Hadley's first Mainstream LP entitled "Hadley Caliman" is rather better than the two stars AMG gives it (there's a surprise) . It is however nothing especially memorable heavily indebted to Trane and modal vamps with a tcickle of electric miles added to some track. His tone is the most appealing thing about the album, it's a slight pinched nasal tone thats really distinctive even if the compositions aren't. Glad I picked it up. Quote
JohnS Posted March 10, 2004 Report Posted March 10, 2004 There was an interviews Hadley Caliman in Cadence issues Vol 27 #12 and Vol 28 #1. He's had some tough times. Well worth reading. I'm sorry I no longer have them. Quote
jazzydaddy Posted September 8, 2005 Report Posted September 8, 2005 I just came across this excellent article on Hadley Caliman which was written by Todd Matthews and originally appeared in a recent issue of Earshot Jazz Magazine. Hadley Caliman's Survival Skills Living on the East Coast the only knowledge I have had of Mr. Caliman is seeing those rather uncomplimentary photos of him on his Mainstream albums of the early 1970's while purusing Jazz LP offerings on ebay (I don't own either of them myself). Apparently Mr. Caliman is quite a formidable tenor saxophonist with a style all his own who has overcome many obstacles over the years. The article talks about a new album he has in the works that includes a number of standards such as Delilah, Close Your Eyes, That Old Black Magic and You Leave Me Breathless. Apparently he is seeking a new producer to complete the project. At 72 years of age I hope he can put it together soon. I would buy it in an instant!! In the meantime I'll have to search out some of his recordings from the 1970s. Don Quote
Peter Johnson Posted September 8, 2005 Report Posted September 8, 2005 Damn, I didn't even know this thread was here. I'm pleased to report that I've heard Mr. Caliman's quartet at Tula's in Seattle twice over the last couple of months. Huge highlight of the first night I saw him: Mamacita, which the band took at a terrific tempo, and nailed. There's loads of joy in Hadley's playing, which is what it's all about, imho...when he walks on the stand and puts the reed in his mouth, he's there, and it's all about the notes and the fun. As a special bonus, Julian Priester showed up that first night (I didn't even know he was alive--turns out he's in residence at Cornish here in Seattle) and sat in on a few tunes! I spoke with Hadley afterwards, thanked him for the music, and he couldn't have been nicer. He said he's working on trying to get his old sides reissued, and (surprise) that he's on the Carmell Jones Select (which I then purchased). He's playing at Tula's in Seattle again on September 30, and I'll be there... Quote
jazzydaddy Posted September 8, 2005 Report Posted September 8, 2005 Thanks for the info. Peter. If you have a chance ask him about the status of his his new album that is in the works. Don He's playing at Tula's in Seattle again on September 30, and I'll be there... ← Quote
Peter Johnson Posted September 8, 2005 Report Posted September 8, 2005 Will do! Thanks for the info. Peter. If you have a chance ask him about the status of his his new album that is in the works. Don He's playing at Tula's in Seattle again on September 30, and I'll be there... ← ← Quote
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