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 semelhantes
Discografia
13 álbum(ns) • Ordenado por Mais vendidos
-
Jumpin' With Al
Jazz - Lançado por Disques Black & Blue em 1 de jan. de 1974
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Doin'the Shotish - Single (Remastered)
Pop - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 24 de ago. de 2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shout for Joy
Jazz - Lançado por Southland em 6 de fev. de 2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Surfin' with al Casey (Remastered)
Jazz - Lançado por Master Tape Records em 17 de abr. de 2020
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Return Of The Green Gretsch
Rock - Lançado por Ramco em 1 de jan. de 2007
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'm A Guitar Man
Rockabilly - Lançado por El Toro Records Legendary Masters em 28 de fev. de 2011
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Fool's Blues - Single (Remastered)
Pop - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 24 de ago. de 2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ramrod
Rock - Lançado por Ling Music Group em 28 de jan. de 2013
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Come What May - Single (Remastered)
Pop - Lançado por Bacci Bros Records em 24 de ago. de 2015
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Buck Jumpin'
Jazz - Lançado por BHM em 7 de fev. de 2022
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Instrumental Pop Wonders with Al Casey, Vol. 2
Pop - Lançado por Shami Media Group 3 em 29 de fev. de 2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Instrumental Pop Wonders with Al Casey, Vol. 1
Pop - Lançado por Shami Media Group 3 em 16 de fev. de 2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Surfin' Hootenanny
World - Lançado por TP4 Music em 6 de jan. de 2024
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo