Gene Gammage

Last updated
Gene Gammage
Birth nameEugene Gammage Jr [1]
Born(1931-01-30)January 30, 1931
Atlanta, Georgia. U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)drums

Eugene "Gene" Gammage (born January 30, 1931) is an American jazz drummer.

Contents

Biography

Gene Gammage begins his professional career as a drummer in 1952 after serving in the Air Force (1948-1952). In 1953, in Los Angeles he finds a steady gig with Teddy Charles, and Bill Crow on bass. Following this, he plays with leaders Buddy Collette (1955) [2] Hampton Hawes (1955), André Previn (1955), Barney Kessel (1956), Herb Geller, Jack Sheldon. [3] [4] Tenor saxophonist Jack Laird hired him for an engagement at Club El Sereno in East LA (with pianist Franck Patchen). [5] Peterson described Gammage as "a young man with an irrepressible sense of humour", "who possessed considerable talent." [6] In November 1956, he is in Las Vegas with Oscar Peterson. [3] In 1957, he joins Beverly Kelly and Pat Moran McCoy for a quartet and trio including Scott LaFaro. Two albums are recorded and issued in 1958 under the two leaders' names. From fall 1958 to Spring 1959, he is hired again by Oscar Peterson. [7] The trio, with Ray Brown on bass, records a jazz version of My Fair Lady on November, 20&21 1958. In St Louis in August 1961, he records 3 live dates with Webster Young, Shirley Horn, [8] and Johnny Hartman. [9]

A New York resident in the late sixties, he takes part of Roswell Rudd's Primordial group, with Enrico Rava (no official recording) [10]

On November 2 1971, he was with Gary McFarland and writer, editor David Burnett at Club 55 in New York City, when they got served drinks filled with liquid methadone, which provoked seizure due to overdose. Gary McFarland was pronounced dead in the bar, David Burnett just a few days later. Gene Gammage survived after some time in the hospital. [11] He appears in This is McFarland , film by Kristian St Clair [12] released in 2006.

From the mid-seventies to the early eighties, his last known regular gig is with Bobby Short. [13]

On page 220 of Oscar Peterson's memoir "A Jazz Odyssey," he states that Gammage died in 1989. [14]

His recordings mostly feature him with piano-led trio and show an accomplished accompanist, with a solid tempo and technicality, typical of the drumming style in the mid-fifties. In 1960 Leonard Feather mentioned his original influences as Max Roach, Kenny Clarke, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, Elvin Jones [15]

Discography

Original album names
Various reissues and compilations

Filmography

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References

Footnotes
  1. ↑ according to 1940 United States Federal Census
  2. ↑ An Unsung Cat: The Life and Music of Warne Marsh - Page 108 Safford Chamberlain · 2004
  3. 1 2 The Encyclopedia Of Jazz - Leonard Feather, reprint 1960 page 222
  4. ↑ two photos feature Gammage with Jack Sheldon in photo book Jazz Seen - William Claxton, page 30 and 122
  5. ↑ LA musician Lanny Aplanalp recalled seeing them live prior Gammage joining Oscar Peterson, on a Facebook post retrieved oct.2, 2021.
  6. ↑ Oscar Peterson - "A jazz odyssey - the life of Oscar Peterson -- Peterson, Oscar; Palmer, Richard, · 2002
  7. ↑ Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing - Page 143 Gene Lees 2000
  8. ↑ St. Louis Jazz: A History - Page 84 Dennis C. Owsley · 2019
  9. ↑ The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story - Page 298 Gregg Akkerman · 2012
  10. ↑ The Village Voice · 16 oct. 1969 · Journal page 80
  11. ↑ Myers, Marc (3 November 2014). "Now Forgotten, Gary McFarland Introduced Jazz to Pop-Rock". Wsj.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  12. ↑ "Welcome | This is Gary McFarland". Thisisgarymcfarland.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  13. ↑ According to Jimmy Cobb in 2010, "he didn't like" that type of music. cited in Jazz and Justice: Racism and the Political Economy of the Music page 371 - Gerald Horne · 2019
  14. ↑ Oscar Peterson - "A jazz odyssey - the life of Oscar Peterson -- Peterson, Oscar; Palmer, Richard, · 2002
  15. ↑ The Encyclopedia Of Jazz - Leonard Feather, reprint 1960 page 221
General references
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