Pete "La Roca" Sims was an American jazz drummer and attorney. Born and raised in Harlem by a pianist mother and a stepfather who played trumpet, he was introduced to jazz by his uncle Kenneth Bright, a major shareholder in Circle Records and the manager of rehearsal spaces above the Lafayette Theater. Sims studied percussion at the High School of Music and Art and at the City College of New York, where he played tympani in the CCNY Orchestra. He adopted the name La Roca early in his musical career, when he played timbales for six years in Latin bands. In the 1970s, during a hiatus from jazz performance, he resumed using his original surname. When he returned to jazz in the late 1970s, he usually inserted "La Roca" into his name in quotation marks to help audiences familiar with his early work identify him. He told The New York Times in 1982 that he did so only out of necessity:
I can't deny that I once played under the name La Roca, but I have to insist that my name is Peter Sims with La Roca in brackets or in quotes. For 16 or 17 years, when I have not been playing the music, people have known me as Sims....When I was 14 or 15, I thought ["La Roca"] was clever; right now, it's an embarrassment. I thought that it would be something that people would probably remember - boy, was I ever right on that one! I can't make my conversion.
John Gilmore was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and percussionist. He was known for his tenure with the avant-garde keyboardist/bandleader Sun Ra from the 1950s to the 1990s, and led the The Sun Ra Arkestra from Sun Ra's death in 1993 until his own death in 1995.
Friends is the thirteenth album by Chick Corea. It features a quartet of Corea, saxophonist Joe Farrell, acoustic bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Steve Gadd. It was released by Polydor Records in 1978, and the cover featured The Smurfs.
Three Quartets is a jazz album released in 1981 by American jazz pianist Chick Corea, in collaboration with saxophonist Michael Brecker, bassist Eddie Gómez and drummer Steve Gadd.
Page One is the debut album by American jazz tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, released by Blue Note Records in 1963. Besides Henderson, the musicians for the album were trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Butch Warren and drummer Pete La Roca. The album's tracks were all written by either Henderson or Dorham, and include two pieces that went on to become jazz standards: "Recorda Me" by Henderson and "Blue Bossa" by Dorham. All the musicians but Tyner are credited are on the album's front cover; Tyner is listed simply as "etc.", because he was signed to the rival Impulse! Records label.
Sundance is the fourth album recorded by Chick Corea. It was recorded in 1969 but not issued until 1972 on the Groove Merchant label. Like his previous album, it features trumpeter Woody Shaw, tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin, flautist Hubert Laws, bassist Dave Holland and drummers Jack DeJohnette and Horace Arnold. In 2002, Blue Note re-released all of Corea’s 1969 sessions, including this album, together with all the tracks from Is as The Complete "Is" Sessions.
Our Thing is the second album by American jazz tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson on Blue Note. It features performances by Henderson, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist Andrew Hill, drummer Pete La Roca and bassist Eddie Khan of originals by Henderson and Dorham. The CD reissue added a bonus take of "Teeter Totter".
Basra is the debut album by drummer Pete La Roca, recorded in 1965 and released on the Blue Note label.
A.R.C. is a collaborative album credited to the trio of pianist Chick Corea, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Barry Altschul, recorded and released in 1971 by the ECM label. The same trio featured on Corea's previous album The Song of Singing, as did an earlier version of “Nefertiti” by Wayne Shorter. The album title stands for "affinity, reality, communication," a term from Scientology, with which Corea had recently become involved. This is the first project in Holland’s long association with ECM.
Paris Concert is a live album by the short-lived jazz group Circle, which consisted of saxophonist Anthony Braxton, pianist Chick Corea, bassist David Holland and drummer Barry Altschul, recorded in 1971 and released in 1972 on the ECM label.
Duet is an album by vibraphonist Gary Burton and pianist Chick Corea recorded in 1978 and released on the ECM label in 1979. The album is the second studio recording by the duo following Crystal Silence (1972).
Whiz Kids is an album by vibraphonist Gary Burton's Quintet, recorded in 1986 and released on the ECM label. Featuring Burton with longtime colleague Steve Swallow on bass guitar, and a new band consisting of tenor saxophonist Tommy Smith, pianist Makoto Ozone and drummer Martin Richards.
Is is the third studio album by Chick Corea, released in 1969 on Solid State Records. It features Corea with trumpeter Woody Shaw, tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin, flautist Hubert Laws, bassist Dave Holland and drummers Jack DeJohnette & Horace Arnold. In 2002, Blue Note Records re-released all tracks from this album, together with 1969's Sundance, along with alternate takes from both albums as The Complete "Is" Sessions.
Relaxin' at Camarillo is an album by American jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson, recorded in 1979 and released on the Contemporary label. Featuring Henderson with keyboardist Chick Corea, and two rhythm sections-bassist Richard Davis and drummer Tony Williams on two tracks, and bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Peter Erskine on the remaining three.
Mirror Mirror is an album by the American jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson, recorded in 1980 and released on the German MPS label. It features pianist Chick Corea, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Higgins.
The Complete Braxton is an album by American jazz saxophonist and composer Anthony Braxton recorded in 1971 and released on the Freedom label. It features a variety of musicians, including trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, pianist Chick Corea, bassist Dave Holland, drummer Barry Altschul, and the London Tuba Ensemble.
Modern Windows is an album by saxophonist Bill Barron which was recorded in 1961 and first released on the Savoy label. The album was reissued on CD combined with The Tenor Stylings of Bill Barron in 2000.
Worshippers Come Nigh is the fourth album led by saxophonist Charles Brackeen which was recorded in 1987 and released on the Swedish Silkheart label.
Remembering Bud Powell is an album by pianist Chick Corea and Friends performing tunes by Bud Powell. It was released on Corea's Stretch label in 1997.
Can't Help Swinging is an album by saxophonist Jimmy Hamilton which was recorded in 1961 and released on the Swingville label.
