Vincent, Paris Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 (edited) I was listening today to the first session (1955) from the JR Monterose CD "Jaywalkin" on Fresh Sound and I was really blown away not only by Monterose but alos by pianist Wadde Legge, who had three compositions recorded that day. Very nice writing and absolutely stunning playing. I look around a bit to find more information on Legge and saw that he died pretty young (b. 1934 - d. 1963). Under tragic circumstances ? Drugs involved there too ? AMG states he had two sessions, one on Blue Note, the other on Vogue, from 1953 (ha was 19 at the time). And no more as a leader. What ever happened to him ? Edited April 30, 2004 by Vincent, Paris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 I was listening today to the first session (1955) from the JR Monterose CD "Jaywalkin" on Fresh Sound and I was really blown away not only by Monterose but alos by pianist Wadde Legge, who had three compositions recorded that day. Very nice writing and absolutely stunning playing. I look around a bit to find more information on Legge and saw that he died pretty young (b. 1934 - d. 1963). Under tragic circumstances ? Drugs involved there too ? AMG states he had two sessions, one on Blue Note, the other on Vogue, from 1953 (ha was 19 at the time). And no more as a leader. What ever happened to him ? I think the Blue Note release was licensed from Vogue - however I could be wrong, but I think I remember reading this somewher. Legge was on Mingus' "The Clown", and he played with Dizzy (documented on Vogue, too, reissued in the Original Vogue Masters series a few years ago). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Played with Donald Byrd / Gigi Gryce too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Didn't know about Byrd/Gryce. Again on the BN LP: I guess it is from Paris (Vogue), the bass player and drummer are the same that were on Dizzy's 1953 tour (on Vogue CD "Pleyer Concert 1953"), as was Legge. There's a Dizzy 10" LP with Vogue recordings, too, I believer. ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Legge is on a number of cuts on the old Columbia Byrd / Gryce album called Jazz Lab. Reissued on Collectables. Tommy Flanagan is the pianist on the other cuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 It was his strong solos on some Gillespie big band sides (from 1953?) that first alerted me to Legge. A nice pianist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Wade Legge also played for a while in Johnny Richards big band in 1957-1958. He has a few solos in some of the broadcasts of the Richards band that appeared on the JazzHour CD 'Live In Stereo 57-58'. The Wade Legge trio date was recorded in Paris for the Vogue label. The trio was the rhythm section of the Dizzy Gillespie quintet which toured Europe in 1953. The Vogue date was released shortly later by Blue Note as part of the exchange agreement Vogue and BN had at the time. Wade Legge also recorded two sessions in February 1953 with the same trio (Lou Hackney, Al Jones) in Stockholm. Lars Gullin on baritone was added to the trio for the first session. The two sessions were made for the Swedish label Modern Music. Legge is also the piano player on that great 'Plays For Bird' date by Sonny Rollins for Prestige (with Kenny Dorham, George Morrow and Max Roach). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 I first heard Legge on one of Lar Gullin's albums on the Dragon label. It's possible this is the recording brownie is referring to. Gullin did a series of five recordings for Dragon. Not sure on which of these Legge appears, but as I recall he only plays on a few of the tracks. I know I heard enough of his playing to make a mental note to keep my eyes peeled for other recordings. I did track down one other Legge led album. Got it from Early Records. I don't think it's the Vogue or the Blue Note, but I won't know for sure until I check it out when I get home tonight. I did not realize he was on Montrose's "Jayhawkin'". Guess I just wasn't paying enough attention. Montrose is one of my favorite second tier tenor players and I've often thought I need to pick this one up. Now that I know Legge is on it, I will do so at the next available opportunity. I'll tell you one thing...it's amazing to me that someone with that kind of talent never did much more than jiggle the needle on the great jazz seismograph. Up over and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 The Vogue/Blue Note session is available on compact disc, albeit for a hefty price here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 (edited) He played on one of the Milt Jackson Savoy session with Lucky Thompson. Fine pianist, don't know about the causes of his early death. Edited April 30, 2004 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 The Vogue/Blue Note session is available on compact disc, albeit for a hefty price here. I picked up my copy at Amazon Japan...and they still have 'em in stock for about $17. When you factor in all the shipping & handling fees, you're looking at about $25 -- much better than going the CD Universe route. It's a short disc (26 min.).....but worth that amount imo. http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...3465451-0871414 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 1, 2004 Report Share Posted May 1, 2004 I got mine on sale at Red Trumpet a while back for around $13-$15 as I recall. Gotta watch those sales at Red Trumpet & carpe diem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garthsj Posted May 1, 2004 Report Share Posted May 1, 2004 I first heard Legge on one of Lar Gullin's albums on the Dragon label. It's possible this is the recording brownie is referring to. Gullin did a series of five recordings for Dragon. Not sure on which of these Legge appears, but as I recall he only plays on a few of the tracks. I know I heard enough of his playing to make a mental note to keep my eyes peeled for other recordings. Wade Legge appears with Lars Gullin on Vol. 2 ("Modern Sounds") of the Dragon Gullin retrospective series. He is on just two cuts: "All The Things You Are" (3:33) "The Squirrel" (3:10) Legge was, of course, best known for his work with Dizzy Gillespie, having started out as a bass player before switching to piano! He made one great album with Sonny Rollins .. "Rollins Plays For Bird" (Prestige 7095 - OJC 214) And, there is Mingus's "The Clown," which has aready been mentioned and the Jaz Lab recording with Gigi Gryce. Perhaps Mike Fitgerald can tell us about his early death in 1963 (in Buffalo, N.Y.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Fitzgerald Posted May 1, 2004 Report Share Posted May 1, 2004 Not much. I know my Gryce co-author Noal Cohen played at least one gig with him, perhaps in Rochester. A hardcore junkie, I am told. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted May 1, 2004 Report Share Posted May 1, 2004 Stupid (I know), but every time I see his name I think of "Wade In the Water" or "Legge In the Water". For classical fans the image of Legge in the water can have different consequences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrdlu Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 As Mike has said, Wade was on one of the two sessions that Milt Jackson and Lucky Thompson made for Savoy in early 1956. Those are wonderful recordings, by the way. They first came out on four LPs that had very stingy playing times; the complete output would easily fit onto two CDs. There was also a two LP set covering the entire sessions. I don't think they are all currently available on CD, though no doubt they have appeared in Japan as dreadfully expensive mini LPs that were available for at least six months. The AMG guide does list CD reissues, but domestic Savoy CDs have never been all that easy to track down, and the listed reissues include tracks from other, unrelated sessions, as well as continuing the tradition of short playing times. I first got these selections on some French Musidisque LPs that were very cheap - so the short playing times were not an issue. I was not grumbling about the timings anyway, as the quality of the performances was so high. Hank Jones was on several tracks. Quite honestly, I could never tell which pianist was on which track without consulting the listings, and I think that is a compliment to Wade, n'est-ce pas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 Looks like Legge shows up on an early-1950s Miles broadcast from Birdland, according to the In a Silent Way site: 53May16 Date: May 16, 1952 Venue: Birdland Location: New York City, New York Recording: WABC radio broadcast, mono Performers: Miles Davis All-Stars Miles Davis - trumpet Sahib Shihab [Edmund Gregory] - baritone saxophone Wade Legge - piano Lou Hackney - bass Al Jones - drums Candido Camero - congas Joe Carroll - vocals Bob Garrity - announcer The Performances: Introduction by Bob Garrity: - "We have on the stage right now, with the exception of Dizzy, his entire group is here. We'll have Candido coming up very shortly, and Joe Carroll. But right now, another of the very great, guys in modern jazz trumpet. Let's bring him to the stand with the proper welcome. Mr. Miles Davis, ladies and gentlemen, Miles. And in the Miles Davis repertoire, this one you have to hear, Miles doing 'Move'" Move Announcement by Bob Garrity: - "And it sure does 'Move' by Miles Davis. And in the process of giving due credit, the rest of the guys here on the stand feature, first of all, the rhythm section, on the piano Wade Legge. Wade Legge at the piano ladies and gentlemen. Lou Hackney at the "p"...at the bass, and Allen Jones on drums. The baritone belongs to Sahib Shihab, on baritone. Course, you know Miles Davis on trumpet. How 'bout something real quiet and pretty, Miles, right now. Something like the beautiful standard 'Tenderly'" Tenderly Announcement by Bob Garrity: - "Tenderly, real 'Tenderly' Miles. Miles Davis and the All-Stars." "In addition to the guys we have on the stand we'd like to make one more addition, and bring some very fine Cuban rhythm to the stage at Birdland. In the person of the amazing Candido. Candido, ladies and gentlemen, doing 'A Night in Tunisia'. Miles:" A Night in Tunisia add Candido (congas) Announcement by Bob Garrity: - "Candido on the congas, and Candy and Miles. Before, ah, before we bring Joe Carroll on we have room for just kind of a short one. So maybe we'll do that thing that Miles has recorded for Prestige label. That the one you wanna do, Miles? Thing titled 'Dig', huh? Okay..." Dig I Got Rhythm add carrol (vocals) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 There was also a two LP set covering the entire sessions. I don't think they are all currently available on CD, though no doubt they have appeared in Japan as dreadfully expensive mini LPs that were available for at least six months. Milt Jackson 'Second Nature - The Savoy Sessions'. Released in 1976 by Arista. Wonderful set. Wade Legge replaces Hank Jones on 'Come Rain or Come Shine', ' Fred's Mood', 'Wild Man', 'Soulful', 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' and (a superlative version of) 'Flamingo'. Recorded Jan 5th 1956. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 Happen to listen to these today - making my own CD transfer as Savoy seems to ignore them. Good pianist, but Hank Jones is more elegant and has the more beautiful touch. Legge is not as fluid in sixteenth note phrases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Found the two Milt Jackson Savoy CDs that have Legge on them--MEET MILT JACKSON and ROLL 'EM BAGS. A local shop had 'em new for $7.99 apiece, so I bit--and glad I did. Listening to a nice Legge solo on Milt's "Soulful" right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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