Autographs of jazz artists

[Hardbopjazz]

I've followed jazz since the 70s. I have seen many shows, and in the 30 plus years I've only asked for two autographs.

Sonny Rollins and Horace Silver.

Anyone here collect autographs of jazz musicians? If yes, who do you have?

Edited December 11, 2010 by Hardbopjazz

[Chuck Nessa]

I did early on while in high school and early college years. Still have some.

[marcello]

The only person I've asked to autograph something was Art Blakey. I really can't remember what drove me to do it, because I think it's a terribly lame thing to do.

[Hardbopjazz]

The only person I've asked to autograph something was Art Blakey. I really can't remember what drove me to do it, because I think it's a terribly lame thing to do.

Same here, but for both Sonny and Horace, somethin made me ask. Sonny signed his S as a treble clef.

[Christiern]

I don't think I ever asked anyone for an autograph, but I have many, because I also never threw any away. It's not that I didn't want to to ask, in the early days, but I was far too shy.

Have I signed autographs? Yes, but mostly Benny Goodman's.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Christiern

[TedR]

I value the autographs that I have because they're reminders of interactions that I normally wouldn't have had with people that I admire. Autographs (and memories) that I particularly treasure are Randy Weston, Sam Rivers, Maynard Ferguson and Clark Terry. A favorite memory without an autograph is when, along with some other fans, I approached Jackie McLean after an outdoor concert in Florida. I asked him if he would sign a cd booklet. He patiently waited while I fumbled for a pen that I couldn't find. Admitting I had nothing for him to write with he said, "You got to be prepared!"

[David Gitin]

I've got one from childhood: Louis Armstrong.

[BeBop]

I've got a couple hundred. When I was a teenager, it was my way of approaching a jazz "hero" to start a conversation. And it worked.

[AndrewHill]

I have one by Prince Lasha on the cd booklet of Firebirds. I bought it used and when I looked inside he had apparently signed it to some dude named "Andy"

[GA Russell]

When I was a freshman in college, I got two groups:

Thelonious Monk

Charlie Rouse

Walter Booker

Roy Haynes

Herbie Mann

Steve Marcus

Roy Ayers

Sonny Sharrock

Miroslav Vitous

Bruno Carr

[papsrus]

No jazz musicians. I do have a canceled check with Charles Dickens' signature though. It sits in a rather dilapidated frame, I'm afraid.

[medjuck]

I have a copy of Further Definitions signed by Benny Carter. He's not only the only person I've ever asked for an autograph but (although I'm in the film business) also the only celebrity I've ever gone out of my way to meet. A mutual friend took us out to lunch together. The three of us also went to a concert of the Carnegie Hall Jazz orchestra. It was like going to a film festival with Orson Welles. Musicians were jumping off the stage to come over and talk to Benny.

[brownie]

I asked for autographs only once after helping organize a concert for the Cecil Taylor Unit back in 1966.

All four (Jimmy Lyons, Alan Silva, Andrew Cyrille and CT) wrote very nice things and CT gracefully obliged with a full poem!

Still got that.

Two I miss are autographed glossy photos of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington that were mailed upon request by VOA's Willis Conover in the mid '50s.

They were lost during one of life's vicissitudes

But I purchased a couple of dozen autographed LPs that were offered at giveaway prizes at a record convention by the kins of a man who organized tours for visiting jazzmen. So I have albums that bear the signatures of people like Hank Jones, Phineas Newborn, Joe Newman, Count Basie, Dave McKenna and others...

Still have those!

I also have a mint copy of Barbara Lea's first album for Prestige that I bought for 99 cents in New York during a visit there. The back cover has a long personal dedication by Ms. Lea!

[BillF]

On Unheard Herd Phil Woods recalls asking the Woody Herman trumpet section for their autographs when he was 14. Neil Hefti signed "Bunk Johnson", Sonny Berman "Henry Red Allen" and Pete Candoli "Muggsy Spanier".

[sidewinder]

I also have a mint copy of Barbara Lea's first album for Prestige that I bought for 99 cents in New York during a visit there. The back cover has a long personal dedication by Ms. Lea!

Excellent !

A couple of my Mosaics are signed and personalised - Andrew Hill and Sam Rivers. Fond memories whenever I open those booklets.

One of the used LPs I've got was a Gerorge Braith Blue Note original and he had signed it to 'Foxy'.

Edited December 11, 2010 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

I won a signed cd by Roscoe Mitchell some time ago. Apart from the I have autographs of John Scofield, David Murray and Teddy Edwards. My Mosaic Tal Farlow booklet is signed by Howard Alden but best of all my Ornette Croydon concert box is signed by both Ornette and David Izenson. I also got Charles Moffett to sign the concert programme on the night of the concert but that's unfortunately lost!

Barry Macrae (UK critic) has an amazing collection.

Edited December 11, 2010 by JohnS

[sidewinder]

My Mosaic Tal Farlow booklet is signed by Howard Alden

I got a nice greeting and signature on a 'Bear At Barnwood' flyer courtesy of a friend from Tal, when Tal was doing a gig there. I just wish that I'd had the chance to see it (was out of the country at the time). Never did get to see Tal Farlow, sadly.

Nice one John re: the Ornette box !

Edited December 11, 2010 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

My Mosaic Tal Farlow booklet is signed by Howard Alden

I got a nice greeting and signature on a 'Bear At Barnwood' flyer courtesy of a friend from Tal, when Tal was doing a gig there. I just wish that I'd had the chance to see it (was out of the country at the time). Never did get to see Tal Farlow, sadly.

Nice one John re: the Ornette box !

I missed Tal too, can't think why.

The Ornette was thanks to Peter Clayton.

Edited December 11, 2010 by JohnS

[thelbc]

I've followed jazz since the 70s. I have seen many shows, and in the 30 plus years I've only asked for two autographs.

Sonny Rollins and Horace Silver.

Anyone here collect autographs of jazz musicians? If yes, who do you have?

Funny, Horace Silver and Corea are the only ones I have. They were/are just so much more cooler than the others.

[Big Beat Steve]

When the occasion presented itself (or may even have been encouraged by the promoters), I did ask for autographs after the end of concerts that I attended. Usually I brought along LP covers to be signed by the artists, and this made for some nice interchages because some of these long out-of-print LPs brought back memories (or even some measure of bewilderment) to the artists. Not the worst way to start a brief dialogue with your heroes.

So this yielded me autographs by Lionel Hampton, Slim Gaillard, Big Jay McNeely, Hal Singer, Sam Butera, Doctor Ross, Benny Waters (who insisted on signing as best as he could despite having gone blind), Claude Trenier, Bo Diddley, and a few more.

Like Brownie, occasionally I was able to pick up autographed LPs myself; to me the masterpiece among those is a Verve LP signed by Tal Farlow.

I still regret never having made it to any concert by Charlie Mariano (who lived in the area for a long time). I'd have loved to get those 50s LPs signed by him.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Big Beat Steve

[sidewinder]

Award for the worst signature handwriting - Andrew Hill ! (God bless him).

Edited December 11, 2010 by sidewinder

[BillF]

The only involvement I've had in seeking musicians' autographs was when I egged on the late Ed Dipple (who was a very shy guy) to get Champion Jack Dupree to sign an album. "That's a good one!" declared Jack, "I made it in Germany".

[mikeweil]

The only musician I ever asked for an autograph was Cedar Walton - he signed the Eastern Rebellion LP I had just bought. Since he is the jazz player I have seen live the most often, it fits. Of course I still have it ...

[paul secor]

I asked for autographs only once after helping organize a concert for the Cecil Taylor Unit back in 1966.

All four (Jimmy Lyons, Alan Silva, Andrew Cyrille and CT) wrote very nice things and CT gracefully obliged with a full poem!

Still got that.

I gave up asking for autographs a while back - decided that I was wasting time that the artists could use for creating or whatever else. Life is short enough.

Broke that decision last year when I asked for and got an autograph from Professor Irwin Corey. Felt guilty afterward because he was 96 then and may have less time than most - who knows about that tho. He did seem pleased to be asked and to sign.

All of that said, the one person I would be tempted to ask for an autograph, should the occasion arise, would be Cecil.

[Tom in RI]

I wish I had more autographs. I had George Adams sign the back of a picture a friend of mine had taken of a concert Adams/Pullen had given at lunchtime in Providence several years before (he was leading a different group in Boston when I saw him again but still had Cameron Brown on bass). Sometime around 1982-3 I had Clifford Brown sign my copy of "Glass Bead Games". What I really I wish I had would be pictures of me with those two, oh well.