George Holmes " Buddy" Tate (February 22, 1913 – February 10, 2001)
Biography
Tate was born in Sherman, Texas, United States,
and first played the
alto saxophone.
According to the website All About Jazz, "Tate was performing in public as early as 1925 in a band called McCloud's Night Owls."
Tate's 2001
New York Times obituary stated that "he began his career in the late 1920s, playing around the Southwest with bands led by Terrence Holder, Andy Kirk and Nat Towles."
Tate switched to tenor saxophone, making a name for himself in bands such as the one led by Andy Kirk.
After his period with Basie ended, he worked with several other bands before he found success on his own, starting in 1953 in Harlem.
In 1979, Tate's hometown invited him to play a concert at Austin College's Sid Richardson Center as part of The Sherman Symphony Pops Series. Mayor Virginia Morriss issued a proclamation declaring October 6 "Buddy Tate Day".[ Texas Jazz magazine, October 1979, Page 1. ] Accompanying Tate were Jay McShann, Claude Williams, Buster Smith and Paul Gunther.
In 1980, he was injured by scalding water in a hotel shower, which kept him inactive for four months.
In 1992, Tate took part in the documentary, Texas Tenor: The Illinois Jacquet Story. In 1996, he recorded with reeds player James Carter on the younger man's second release for Atlantic Records, Conversin' with the Elders, along with trumpeters Harry "Sweets" Edison and Lester Bowie, and saxophonists Hamiet Bluiett and Larry Smith.
Tate lived in New York until 2001 when he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to be cared for by his daughter. He died in Chandler, Arizona, twelve days before his 88th birthday.
Discography
As leader
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Jumpin' on the West Coast (Blue Lion, 1947)
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And His Celebrity Club Orchestra (Black & Blue, 1976) – recorded in 1954, some titles issued on the Baton Records label
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Swinging Like Tate (Felsted Records, 1958)
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The Madison Beat (Harmony Records, 1959)
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Tate's Date (Prestige Records, 1960)
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Tate-a-Tate (Swingville, 1960) with Clark Terry
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Buck & Buddy (Swingville, 1960) with Buck Clayton
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Groovin' with Buddy Tate (Swingville, 1961)
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Buck & Buddy Blow the Blues (Swingville, 1961) with Buck Clayton
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And His Celebrity Club Orchestra Vol. 2 (Black & Blue, 1968)
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Unbroken (MPS Records, 1970)
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Broadway (Black & Blue, 1972)
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Buddy Tate and His Buddies (Chiaroscuro, 1973)
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The Texas Twister (Master Jazz Recordings, 1975)
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Jive at Five (Storyville, 1975)
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Our Bag (Riff, 1975)
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Kansas City Joys (Sonet Records, 1976)
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Tate A Tete At La Fontaine - Buddy Tate Quartet & Quintet Featuring Tete Montoliu At La Fontaine, September 24 1975, Copenhagen (Storyville, 1976)
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Buddy Tate Meets Dollar Brand (Chiaroscuro, 1977) with Dollar Brand
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Live at Sandy's (Muse Records, 1978)
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Hard Blowin' (Muse, 1978)
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The Great Buddy Tate (Concord Records, 1981)
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The Ballad Artistry (Sackville, 1981) with Ed Bickert
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Just Jazz (Uptown Records, 1984) with Al Grey
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Just Friends (Muse, 1990 1992) with Nat Simkins and Houston Person
As sideman
With Ray Bryant
With James Carter
With Milt Buckner
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Midnight Slows, Volume 1 (Black & Blue, 1973)
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Midnight Slows, Volume 4 (Black & Blue, 1974)
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Midnight Slows, Volume 5 (Black & Blue, 1974)
With Buck Clayton
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Buck Meets Ruby (Vanguard Records, 1954) with Ruby Braff
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Jumpin' at the Woodside (Columbia, 1955)
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All the Cats Join In (Columbia 1956)
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Songs for Swingers (Columbia, 1958)
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Copenhagen Concert (SteepleChase, 1959 1979)
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One for Buck (Columbia, 1961)
With Arnett Cobb
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Live at Sandy's! (Muse, 1978)
With Wild Bill Davis
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Midnight Slows, Volume 2 (Black & Blue, 1973)
With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
With Roy Eldridge
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Rockin' Chair (Clef, 1951)
With Claude Hopkins
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Yes Indeed! (Swingville, 1960) with Emmett Berry
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Let's Jam (Swingville, 1961) with Joe Thomas
With Jay McShann
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The Last of the Blue Devils (Atlantic, 1978)
With Jimmy Rushing
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Livin' the Blues (BluesWay, 1968)
With Al Sears
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Things Ain't What They Used to Be (Swingville, 1961) as part of the Prestige Swing Festival
With Rex Stewart
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Henderson Homecoming (United Artists, 1959)
With Eddie Vinson
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Live at Sandy's (Muse, 1978 1981)
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Hold It Right There! (Muse, 1978 1984)
With Dicky Wells
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Bones for the King (Felsted, 1958)
External links
