City Gates

In an interview in Coda Magazine with drummer Dannie Richmond (early 1951) we could read: "It (= the formation of the quartet) was an experiment at first and it w as only supposed to be for one short tour. We didn't know who the bassist would be for the quartet. But the rapport w as such, primarily because we had all played with Charles Mingus and knew each other (= Adams, Pullen, Richmond), that it was comparatively simple to have a new bassist, which basically meant that he was to follow us. The rapport was there and as soon as we hit the bandstand the music was so hot ó this was about three years ago ó that what was supposed to be a one-tour quartet has in fact become. I think, one of the hottest quartets that's been playing jazz today. There is no lack of excitement, musical ideas, togetherness, openness, freedom, you name it, that can happen within the context of this one group. It's all there and I think that's why it's happened for so long and that it will continue to happen. We're all friends, have been for a long time, there's never been any real static with anybody in the group, and everybody contributes to the oneness in this particular band." Dannie Richmond was right, this quartet was really one of the hottest groups in the early 1980's. A small group, established in 1979 by tenor saxophonist George Adams, pianist Don Pullen and drummer Dannie Richmond: the George Adams/ Don Pullen Quartet.Tenorist George Adams was born in Covington. Georgia on 29 April 1940. At the age of eleven he started to play the piano, at High School he switched to tenor sax. He studied at the Clark College and got lessons on flute by that former Chick Webb man, Wayman Carver. At first George Adams played mostly rhythm and blues in so-called organ trios. He worked with Sam Cooke and some local guys. In 1965 he left for New York. He worked with Roy Haynes (1965-1972), Art Blakey, Charles Mingus (1973-1976). Gil Evans (1975-197S). McCoyTyner (1976-1979) and Archie Shepp (1978). In 1975 he made his first record under his own name when he was touring with Mingus (in the group also Pullen and Richmond). In 1979 the three came to their quartet and they made this quartet a cohesive unit. playing powerful music, intense rhythm, lots of funk. dynamic contrasts and a modern approach. Adams playing on the tenor sax is hard, robust and lean. influenced by John Coltrane, Albert Ayler. Stanley Turrentine. Paul Gonsalves and the great three: Ben Webster. Coleman Haw kins and Charlie Parker. When he is in the mood, and he often is, Adams is a fine blues singer. Pianist Don Pullen was born in Roanoke. Virginia, on 25 December 1941. He started to play gospel music in churches and blues in local groups. He studied at the Lucy Addison High School and the .Johnson C. Smith University. In New York he played and studied with Muhal Richard Abrams (1964). Giuseppe Logan (1964-1965) and Milford Craves (1966. acting as a duo). At that time Don Pullen got the legendary reputation of an important free-jazz musician, one playing with dissonants. scattering handfuls of tone-clusters (a bit like Cecil Taylor but less dramatic). But Don Pullen soon found out that he could not live on free-jazz alone. He started to accompany singers just to earn a living and worked with Big Maybelle, Ruth Brown. Arthur Pry sock, Nina Simone and so on. In 1973 he resurfaced as a member of the Charles Mingus Quintet. He worked with Mingus (1973-1975). Art Blakey (1974), Sam Rivers (1975). Billy Hart, David Murray. Hamiet Bluiett (1977). Beaver Harris, the Mingus Dynasty group (1979) and of course the quartet with George Adams and Dannie Richmond. With his piano play. formed under the influences of Art Tatum. Cecil Taylor. Muhal Richard Abrams. blues, gospel, stride and lots of African elements. Don Pullen became an important pianist and composer. Bassist Cameron Langdon Brown was born in Detroit, on 21 December 1945. For six years he studied the piano, at High School he sw itched to bass and played in a small combo at the Columbia University. He worked with George Russell (1965). Don Cherry (this was when he lived in Sweden). Bill Barren. Donald Byrd (1965-1966). Beaver Harris. Rod O'Brien. Sheila Jordan (1975). Archie Shepp. Art Blakey (1976). Mat Waldron. Steve Lacy. Beaver Harris again (1979). the Adams-Pullen Quartet, the Dannie Richmond Combo and again with Don Cherry. In his play Cameron Brown is influenced by Paul Chambers. Jimmy Garrison. Charles Mingus and dan Peacock. With his full tone and solid swing he is ideal in a small-group context. Drummer Dannie Richmond (New York. 15 December 1935) played tenor sax in rock and roll and rhythm and blues groups. That was when he was in his teens. He toured with Paul Williams' r & b band but switched to drums when he found out that on the jam sessions which he attended often a drummer was missing. Six months later he was a member of the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop. For a long time (1956-1967,1969-1970,1973-1978) Richmond was the regular drummer of Charles Mingus. He worked in rock jazz with Mark Almond (1971-1973), Joe Cocker, Elton John but also with Chet Baker, Johnny Taylor and after Mingus died he became the musical director of the Mingus Dynasty Group. From 1979-1983 and in 1985 he was the drummer of the George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet, of which he w as the co-founder. He played with Chico Freeman (1980), David Murray, Archie Shepp, Bennie Wallace, Ricky Ford and Jack Walrath in the 1980's. Richmond, who died on 16 March 1988, was an all-round drummer with a special feeling for dynamics and changes in tempo (his work with Mingus). He once told that his influences came from Max Roach and PhillyJoe Jones, but this winner of the Down Beat poll in 1968 and 1969 had a style of his own as well, a combination of support and excitement, highly emotional, just the right one for this quartet. Wim van Eyle