Al Casey
Renowned for his long collaboration with Fats Waller, Al Casey towers alongside the finest acoustic guitarists of the swing era, boasting a subtly powerful presence that flourished in intimate musical contexts. Born September 15, 1915, in Louisville, KY, Casey was a child prodigy who first adopted the violin, briefly moving to the ukulele before zeroing in on the guitar, which he studied at New York City's DeWitt Clinton High School. He joined Waller while in his mid-teens, recommended to the legendary pianist by his uncles, who met Waller while on tour with their gospel group the Southern Singers. Waller insisted Casey remain in school and earn his diploma before he could join the group full-time, but the guitarist was a fixture of recording sessions from the early '30s onward, and even joined Waller on tour during extended holiday breaks. Casey remained with the group until Waller's 1943 death, appearing on more than 200 classic swing sides; the famous blues number "Buck Jumpin'" took shape after Casey appeared late to a gig, prompting Waller to single him out on-stage and invite him to play a solo. The result was so electrifying that it was later captured in the studio.
Casey also recorded with trumpeter Louis Armstrong, singer Billie Holiday, vibist Lionel Hampton, and pianist Teddy Wilson, even joining the latter's short-lived big band in 1939. After Waller's passing, he played with pianist Clarence Profit's trio before assembling his own trio, which headlined New York's Onyx Club for close to a year before moving to the Down Beat. Around this time Casey moved to the electric guitar, and in both 1944 and 1945 he was named the instrument's top player in Esquire magazine's annual jazz poll; he spent much of the decade to follow as a gun-for-hire, capped off by a four-year collaboration with R&B saxophonist King Curtis initiated in 1957. Casey briefly retired from music in 1961, working in a Xerox copy shop before returning to performing, recording sessions in support of singer Helen Humes and pianist Jay McShann. After another extended period of retirement, he resurfaced in 1981 with the Harlem Jazz and Blues Band, which remained his primary vehicle for the next two decades; in 1994, he also cut his first headlining date, signing to the Jazzpoint label for A Tribute to "Fats". After a long battle with colon cancer, Casey died on September 11, 2005, just days short of his 90th birthday.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
Artistas similares
Discografía
17 álbum(es) • Ordenado por Mejores ventas
-
Jumpin' With Al
Jazz - Editado por Disques Black & Blue el 1 ene. 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Surfin' Hottenanny (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks)
Pop - Editado por Surfin' Bird el 1 ene. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Doin'the Shotish - Single (Remastered)
Pop - Editado por Bacci Bros Records el 24 ago. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Surfin' with al Casey (Remastered)
Jazz - Editado por Master Tape Records el 17 abr. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Return Of The Green Gretsch
Rock - Editado por Ramco el 1 ene. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'm A Guitar Man
Rockabilly - Editado por El Toro Records Legendary Masters el 28 feb. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Who Put the Bomp
Jan & Dean, The Surfaris, Al Casey, The Impacts, The Sentinals
Pop - Editado por Plates of History el 1 nov. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Fool's Blues - Single (Remastered)
Pop - Editado por Bacci Bros Records el 24 ago. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Body And Soul
Jazz - Editado por Black & Partner Licenses LLC el 2 jun. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Come What May - Single (Remastered)
Pop - Editado por Bacci Bros Records el 24 ago. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Instrumental Pop Wonders with Al Casey, Vol. 2
Pop - Editado por Shami Media Group 3 el 29 feb. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Instrumental Pop Wonders with Al Casey, Vol. 1
Pop - Editado por Shami Media Group 3 el 16 feb. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Surfin' Hootenanny
World music - Editado por TP4 Music el 6 ene. 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones of Jazz Legends: More Jazz Guitar, Vol. 2
Jazz - Editado por Intense Media GmbH el 18 mar. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo