What are they worth

[mrjazzman]

Gerald Wilson told me he has seven homes across the planet. Who are/were the richest jazz musicians. Miles must have made a ton of money. Benny Golson says you need "lots of money" I think Lionel Hampton had lots of green stuff. From the 40's to the 00's, who made the most money??????

Edited November 16, 2013 by mrjazzman

[flat5]

Interesting topic.

How broad will we consider 'jazz' to be?

I guess Brubeck belongs in the club.

Louis made some money. Perhaps his estate is still collecting.

Ellington?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Gonna count Kenny G?

MG

[TedR]

Seven homes?! That's similar to the number of homes owned by the highest paid actors and pop stars. Compared to them Gerald Wilson is certainly an obscure figure and I doubt he had any albums that went "multi platinum". His wealth creation had to involve something other than just his music.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Seven homes?! That's similar to the number of homes owned by the highest paid actors and pop stars. Compared to them Gerald Wilson is certainly an obscure figure and I doubt he had any albums that went "multi platinum". His wealth creation had to involve something other than just his music.

He was doing arrangements and bandleading for Julie London (I think), (definitely) Sam Cooke and Ray Charles and others. I think he did a hell of a lot of music that isn't regarded as jazz.

MG

[TedR]

Seven homes?! That's similar to the number of homes owned by the highest paid actors and pop stars. Compared to them Gerald Wilson is certainly an obscure figure and I doubt he had any albums that went "multi platinum". His wealth creation had to involve something other than just his music.

He was doing arrangements and bandleading for Julie London (I think), (definitely) Sam Cooke and Ray Charles and others. I think he did a hell of a lot of music that isn't regarded as jazz.

MG

I see. That's interesting and explains a lot. Now that you mention it, I do recall his working with Ray Charles. Did not know about Sam Cooke.

[A Lark Ascending]

I'd have thought publishing would make a big difference. In which case Ellington can't have done too badly.

[king ubu]

Q

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Just confirmed he did work with Julie London

Big billing, too, on the front.

I can remember him getting a credit on Cooke's 'Frankie and Johnny'/'Cool train', the latter of which is one of his best. Unpostable images here:

http://www.45cat.com/record/478215

MG

I'd have thought publishing would make a big difference. In which case Ellington can't have done too badly.

Yes, but...

A lot of Duke's publishing/composing royalties were ripped off by Irving Mills, his manager.

A lot of the royalties he did get were put into subsidising his continuing to run a big band when it wasn't economical.

I don't think he was poor by any means, though.

MG

[ArtSalt]

Harvey Cohen's book Duke Ellington's America, explores in detail his finances and although he was keeping everyone afloat, lending money to band members and remaining profitable as a big band on the road when it was finanically impossible for virtually everyone else, it was largely funded by largesse of the record labels banking on future loyalties.

Miles Davis has to be in there somewhere -and cetainly his estate. But then again, he wasn't a composer, so that has to be factored in.

[BillF]

Herbie Hancock's Los Angeles house is listed on a Celebrity Homes website:

http://www.celebrityhousepictures.com/herbie-hancock.php

[fasstrack]

The late Lionel Hampton, I presume.

[bgugg]

I guess Quincy Jones is unbeatable:

http://celebsnetworth.net/quincy-jones-net-worth/

[Mark Stryker]

Gerald Wilson told me he has seven homes across the planet. Who are/were the richest jazz musicians. Miles must have made a ton of money. Benny Golson says you need "lots of money" I think Lionel Hampton had lots of green stuff. From the 40's to the 00's, who made the most money??????

I'm sorry, but this can't be true. That is, I don't believe he owns seven homes. It makes no sense. I've spent a lot of time researching his life and career and speaking with him and there has never been a hint of anything like this or that level of wealth. However, he has said to me that he considers a lot of cities "home," including Los Angeles where he's been based since landing there with Lunceford in 1940; Detroit, where he came of age as musician, attending high school at Cass Tech; Chicago, where he was stationed during the navy; etc. In what context did he say he has seven homes across the planet? FWIW, he made a comfortable living as an arranger-composer for hire and had his hand in lots of musical activities but that doesn't get you to Brubeck or Quincy money.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Mark Stryker

[JSngry]

You don't have to make all that much of a whole lot of money to invest it wisely over the years and then end up with a whole lot of money.

[Hardbopjazz]

David Sanborn's place in Manhattan was recently up for sale for a few million.

I would have to include Sonny Rollins on this list. In 2011 Sonny was getting 45k for each concert. 22 X 45,000 = 990000.

The 45k came from some here who mentioned that is the rate Sonny was being paid.

[Hardbopjazz]

You don't have to make all that much of a whole lot of money to invest it wisely over the years and then end up with a whole lot of money.

Or make a shit load from royalties on compositions. Horace Silver's home in Santa Monica over looked the Pacific ocean. That has to be worth some money. In his autobiography, Horace mentions making money from his publishing company. He learnt this from JJ Johnson and Gigi Gryce.

[ArtSalt]

Of course, Quincy Jones! All the money he's made from producing Michael Jackson.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I don't know his worth, but bass player Harry Goodman (Benny's bruvver) must have (or have had) a bob or two. He and another brother, Gene, started Regent Music in the early 40s; in the late 40s got a 50% interest in Arc Music (L Chess was the partner), then Sylvia Music, Conrad Music (VJ's publisher). The value of those copyrights is still immense.

MG

[mjzee]

Many of Gerald Wilson's homes (assuming this meant he owns these houses) may have been for income producing purposes, i.e. renting them out.

[Leeway]

Nobody has mentioned John Coltrane (Alice might be a different case?) but I have to think he made substantial money from record sales, copyrights, performances, etc.

[JSngry]

Charles Lloyd's said to have taken his flush of income from the Dream Weaver/Forest Flower years & invested in California real estate, which resulted in him becoming a millionaire in not to much time and having the ability to work when and how he wanted even to this day.

Although many "jazz musicians" never really made/make any money, some have/do, so then it's a question of what do/did they do with it, same as anybody else who has some money to do something with.

[BeBop]

And then there is staying out of trouble with the tax man...

[Mike Schwartz]

Gerald Wilson told me he has seven homes across the planet. Who are/were the richest jazz musicians. Miles must have made a ton of money. Benny Golson says you need "lots of money" I think Lionel Hampton had lots of green stuff. From the 40's to the 00's, who made the most money??????

Hampton made 6 figure donations to Republican political causes.

[clifford_thornton]

I understood in talking to Prince Lasha that he also had some real estate dealings that went very well and made him some good money.