Honi Gordon

[ListeningToPrestige]

Does anyone know anything about this singer? She worked with Mingus and Marylou Williams, she made the one album for Prestige, She worked later with both Mingus and Williams. But nothing anywhere on the internet about her career after the early 60s. Neither Wiki nor AllMusic have dates for her, so it's impossible to even tell if she's still alive. She appeared at a tribute to Marylou Williams in 2007, at Fordham, which might be a clue that she was New York based.

[Gheorghe]

Didn´t she appear at Mingus and Friends 1972 ? This would have been after the early 60´s . Actually I don´t now other recordings of her than those two with Mingus on "Stollin´". In the liner notes of "Mingus and Friends" it´s stated that she must have been a baby when she recorded it with Mingus in 1959 since she was still a young woman in 1972. That´s all I know.

[mikeweil]

There is a complete discography here: https://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/GordonH/index.php

[ListeningToPrestige]

She worked often with both Mingus and Marylou Williams, and was highly regarded by both of them.

Mikeweil - thanks for that link. I hadn't been able to find any discographical information on The Gordons.

 

[ListeningToPrestige]

I found the liner notes to 1953's Autobiography in Jazz album on Debut -- she was 15 then.

[Quasimado]

The Gordon's version of  "Take the A Train" from Hamp's Jazztone 1956 date with Pettiford etc. is a hip classic.

[ListeningToPrestige]

I was a member of the Jazztone Society, but I guess I didn't get the Hampton disc.

 

[Quasimado]

 "Take the A Train" is also included on First Bass - Oscar Pettiford (IAJRC-CD-1010).

[ListeningToPrestige]

I'd love to hear it. Can't find it on YouTube.

 

[randyhersom]

I dabbled in completing my Mary Lou Williams collection and didn't know of the LP side on Avant Garde.  Bet that's never been on CD.

[mhatta]

On 2021/2/14 at 1:29 AM, mikeweil said:

There is a complete discography here: https://jazzdiscography.com/Artists/GordonH/index.php

 

 

Honi Gordon also sang 2 tunes ("Eclipse" and "Strollin'") with Charles Mingus Orchestra at the Village Vanguard in Apr. 17, 1972, right after "And Friends In Concert" at Lincoln Center.  The existence of private tape has been known and circulated for ages, and recently a bootleg CD emerged in Japan.

Edited February 18, 2021 by mhatta

[mikeweil]

11 hours ago, mhatta said:

Honi Gordon also sang 2 tunes ("Eclipse" and "Strollin'") with Charles Mingus Orchestra at the Village Vanguard in Apr. 17, 1972, right after "And Friends In Concert" at Lincoln Center.  The existence of private tape has been known and circulated for ages, and recently a bootleg CD emerged in Japan.

Send the info to Michael Fitzgerald and he will add it to the discography. Thee Charles Mingus Debut box set is missing, too.

Edited February 18, 2021 by mikeweil

[JSngry]

Checking out The Gordons on the Dizzy Gillespie/Stuff Smith record, "Lady Be Good". Nice!

Did they actually have a club act? That's a LOT of harmony on just one song...

Did they tour with Hamp any? I could see them doing a spot on a package.

[Teasing the Korean]

A hipster classic, collected on Rhino's excellent "Beat Generation" box set.

Based on the song's definition, you can rest assured that TTK is indeed a bebopper.

 

 

[sgcim]

I saw her live at the Mingus Philharmonic Hall concert in '72. All I remember is "Eclipse".

[mjzee]

3 minutes ago, sgcim said:

I saw her live at the Mingus Philharmonic Hall concert in '72. All I remember is "Eclipse".

Was that the double-bill with Ornette doing Skies of America?  If so, I was there too.

[sgcim]

8 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Was that the double-bill with Ornette doing Skies of America?  If so, I was there too.

No, just a long Mingus concert with Bill Cosby as MC. Gene Ammons, Bobby Jones and James Moody in a tenor battle.Teo Macero was conducting.

I didn't know that Eddie Bert and Eddie Preston were on that band. I played with them about 20 years later.

[Deadman]

Her lp on Prestige is outstanding. All top notch performances, but her version of  Why Try To Change Me Now is the best rendition I've ever heard. Nice to see the discography (above), but I wish she would have recorded a few more lps for Prestige. 

[mikeweil]

On 23.2.2021 at 5:33 PM, Teasing the Korean said:

 

Based on the song's definition, you can rest assured that TTK is indeed a bebopper.

 

👍

[bichos]

here are two more tracks by the wonderful gordons that are not in the discographies:

https://archive.org/details/78_st-louis-blues_the-gordons-handy-teddy-brannon_gbia0393668a

https://archive.org/details/78_swanee-river_the-gordons-s-foster-teddy-brannon_gbia0393668b

who are the soloists? sounds the same like the session from february 1954 that produced the single track "babs" for columbia. but this is for okeh. (isn´t columbia the mother label from okeh)?

discogs has different labels:    https://www.discogs.com/de/release/14917639-The-Gordons-St-Louis-Blues-Swanee-River

keep boppin´

marcel