Jazz musicians with the same names

[Rabshakeh]

What are some jazz musicians who share the same names?

Some obvious examples:

George Lewis the New Orleans revival clarinetist v. George Lewis the AACM chronicler, composer and trombonist.

Bill Evans the pianist who played with Miles Davis v. Bill Evans the saxophonist who played with Miles Davis (also, arguably Bill Evans, the saxophonist more commonly known as Yusef Lateef)

Russ Freeman the West Coast pianist v. Russ Freeman the cheeseball West Coast leader of the Rippingtons

And a near miss:

Kenny Clarke, the American bebop drummer who recorded frequently for MPS in later life v. Kenny Clare, the British drummer who recorded frequently for MPS at the same time

Edited February 7, 2024 by Rabshakeh

[felser]

Kenny Drew. Thelonious Monk, Harold Land, Nat Adderley, and their Jr.'s.

Edited February 7, 2024 by felser

[Д.Д.]

Michael Cameron bassist with Guillermo Gregorio and Michael Cameron percussionist with George Benson.

Steve Jordan guitarist with with Ruby Braff and Steve Jordan drummer with Don Pullen.

Michael Moore bassist and Michael Moore clarinetist / altoist.  

My favorite is Clark Terry / Terry Clarke. 

  

 

Edited February 7, 2024 by Д.Д.

[jlhoots]

Julian Lage & Lage Lund??

[optatio]

Eugene Earl Bostic (as) and Earl Stanley Bostic (b)

[optatio]

James Oscar „Jimmy“ Smith (org) and James Howard „Jimmie“ Smith (dr)

[optatio]

Carl Perkins (p) and Carl Lee Perkins (voc, g)

[optatio]

Gunter Hampel (fl, b-cl, vib) and Günther Hampel (dr), Werner Müller Orchestra

[medjuck]

The two West Coast pianists named John Williams.  (The movie one played with Benny Carter.) 

[Ken Dryden]

Drummer Kenny Washington and jazz vocalist Kenny Washington.

[JSngry]

38 minutes ago, medjuck said:

The two West Coast pianists named John Williams.  (The movie one played with Benny Carter.) 

Which one was John Towner? 

[medjuck]

37 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Which one was John Towner? 

Huh?

[HutchFan]

Tony Levin (UK-born drummer)

and

Tony Levin (US-born bassist)

 

Chester Thompson (organist)

and

Chester Thompson (drummer)

 

[felser]

Johnny Smith and Johnny "Hammond" Smith.  Lonnie Smith and Lonnie Liston Smith.

[JSngry]

9 hours ago, medjuck said:

Huh?

There was a John Williams who also named John Towner somehow. 

[JSngry]

Yeah, the film composer John Williams went by John Towner for a while:

http://www.jw-collection.de/early/touch.htm

[Rabshakeh]

For some reason I had always thought that Cap'n John Hardee and John Handy had the same name, and that the naval rank was to distinguish the one from the other, much like Dr. Lonnie vs. Lonnie Liston. Turns out that they just have different names entirely.

[Teasing the Korean]

Phil Moore

Phil Moore

[EKE BBB]

Stride pianist Joe Turner and blues shouter Big Joe Turner, often mistook in web pages and even discographies.

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said:

For some reason I had always thought that Cap'n John Hardee and John Handy had the same name, and that the naval rank was to distinguish the one from the other, much like Dr. Lonnie vs. Lonnie Liston. Turns out that they just have different names entirely.

John Hardee was a tenor player, but there was indeed a Captain/Cap'n John Handy who played alto,

 

[Rabshakeh]

4 minutes ago, JSngry said:

John Hardee was a tenor player, but there was indeed a Captain/Cap'n John Handy who played alto,

 

Oh! I was right! 

[soulpope]

Near miss :

Danny and Don Thompson, both basspalyers (as bonus 😎)....

[HutchFan]

2 hours ago, EKE BBB said:

Stride pianist Joe Turner and blues shouter Big Joe Turner, often mistook in web pages and even discographies.

This is also true of Etta Jones and Etta James.  Despite having different last names, they often get mixed up.

 

[Big Beat Steve]

17 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

Steve Jordan guitarist with with Ruby Braff and Steve Jordan drummer with Don Pullen.

 

And Steve Jordan, the Norteno/Tejano accordionist. (OK, fringe of jazz, but anyway ...)

2 hours ago, soulpope said:

Near miss :

Danny and Don Thompson, both basspalyers (as bonus 😎)....

Another (much earlier - Big Band era) "near miss" where you wonder if maybe the second one picked up his nickname after the untimely demise of the first one:

Corky Cornelius and Corky Corcoran

 

And another "classic" and oft-goofed mixup (Swing era):

Joe Thomas the trumpeter vs. Joe Thomas the tenor sax man

 

And then there was Johnny Smith the guitarist (recording for Roost a.o.) and a bit later the soul jazz organ man Johnny Smith who wisely billed himself as Johnny "Hammond" Smith.

 

Edited February 8, 2024 by Big Beat Steve

[Teasing the Korean]

When I was living in Beantown and getting serious again about jazz, many years after my horrible university jazz experience, I got on Charlie Banacos's waiting list, which was around 2 to 3 years at that point. 

But I wanted to start studying with someone while I was waiting.

I was told that George Russell, Jr. at NEC was taking students.  I thought, "Wow!  I can study the Lydian Chromatic Concept with George Russell's son!"  But it turned out that he was not the son of THE George Russell.

What are the odds?  You have the same name, play piano, and teach at NEC!  

Anyway, I never studied with him.  Now I'm beginning to worry that maybe I was studying with the wrong Charlie Banacos also! 🤪