Sam Dockery: 1929-2015

[Justin V]

I received Roy Haynes' People in the mail yesterday and found myself wondering, as I have when listening to Art Blakey's Hard Bop and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk about Sam Dockery (Monk was obviously in Dockery's place on the latter recording).  This time, my Google search revealed that he had passed away on December 23rd (here is the link).  Until I read the article, I didn't realize that he was on so many Blakey albums, so I have some catching up to do.  Although his remaining in Philly prevented him from becoming a household name, he was a talented pianist who contributed to some classic albums and deserves to be remembered.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Dockery, and rest in peace.

Edited January 23, 2016 by Justin V

[clifford_thornton]

ah, too bad. Excellent player.

[BillF]

https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Jazz-Messengers/Sam-You-Made-the-Bridge-Too-Long

[alankin]

Here is an obit from Philadelphia:

http://articles.philly.com/2015-12-29/news/69359426_1_jazz-messengers-archie-shepp-art-blakey

[soulpope]

R.I.P

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Reading his obit, it would seem they got the date a bit wrong for his meeting with Blakey's Jazz Messengers. It was more likely in 1956, not 1953.

I wonder why he stopped playing/touring in 1991? He would've only been 52 in 1991.

RIP Mr. Dockery.

[Cyril]

R.I.P. Samuel Dockery.

[Gheorghe]

I think he was still with Blakey in 1957. Got a really rare album of the Messengers playing "Lerner & Loewe", RCA-stuff I think.

Dockery IMHO had some influences of Horace Silver, maybe something like a cross between Bud and Horace.

Once I got the chance to talk to Bill Hardman, who also played with Blakey during that time, and when I mentioned the "Lerner&Loewe" Stuff he said he remembers that session quite well.......

[BillF]

1 hour ago, Gheorghe said:

I think he was still with Blakey in 1957. Got a really rare album of the Messengers playing "Lerner & Loewe", RCA-stuff I think.

Dockery IMHO had some influences of Horace Silver, maybe something like a cross between Bud and Horace.

Once I got the chance to talk to Bill Hardman, who also played with Blakey during that time, and when I mentioned the "Lerner&Loewe" Stuff he said he remembers that session quite well.......

In the Messengers Dockery had a limited range of right hand figures, but was a strong comper, combining with Spanky De Brest to produce the driving rhythm section that Blakey wanted. Lots of albums and all great IMO.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I was listening to several of Dockery's Jazz Messengers recordings yesterday and one thing that struck me was how badly recorded most of them were. It's too bad that they never made it into RVG's studio.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Kevin Bresnahan

[king ubu]

Was VIK some kind of low-price sub of RCA's?

Have to confess that Dockery (and De Brest) and - to a lesser extent also Bill Hardman - never really clicked with me ... I do enjoy all those "second edition" Messengers albums, the best of them are up with the best of Blakey's albums for sure, McLean was almost always an interesting voice, even in those early years ... and wherever Griffin turns up, I want to hear it! Guess I need to re-visit some of those albums again soon.

Has the Cadet album ever been on CD?

 

[Hardbopjazz]

RIP Sam.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

2 hours ago, king ubu said:

Was VIK some kind of low-price sub of RCA's?

Have to confess that Dockery (and De Brest) and - to a lesser extent also Bill Hardman - never really clicked with me ... I do enjoy all those "second edition" Messengers albums, the best of them are up with the best of Blakey's albums for sure, McLean was almost always an interesting voice, even in those early years ... and wherever Griffin turns up, I want to hear it! Guess I need to re-visit some of those albums again soon.

Has the Cadet album ever been on CD?

 

I was only able to get that material on CD as part of an Affinity two-fer with Max Roach entitled "The Hard Bop Academy". I actually bought it for the Roach date. As I said above, really terrible sound quality. I don't know if it's the source tape or the mastering.