Blue Mitchell

[Rutman]

Why are the only recordings from the mid 1950's to early 1960? What did
Blue do after that?

[EBjaz]

Rutman; sorry you're in such a rut! Blue is one of the tastiest players ever!

>Why are the only recordings from the mid 1950's to early 1960? >What did Blue
do after that?

He worked in the L.A. scene for years and also had to lay off due to " chop
problems" .
Blue had solo albums in the '70's. I had them all. I learned every solo and
melody. He played "As" by Stevie Wonder on one album..I played every track
over and over. I wish I knew what that album was called. If I heard it, I
could play every lick. Blue
is one of my heroes. What a tasty player!!
Eric Bolvin
Trumpet, Keyboards
Composer-Arranger
Horn Arranger
(408)236 2009

[Vargas1956]

>Why are the only recordings from the mid 1950's to early 1960? What did
>Blue do after that?

Ther is at least one jazz - funk album from the early 70's recorded by Blue
Mitchell.
Brian Moon
Moon...@juno.com
Play easier and sound better with The Original Bore Correction(sm)

[Jonathan E. Sigel]

That is called "Graffiti Blues," from 1973-74. There's a full horn
section, including Jon Faddis and Joe Farrell. I believe Blue died an
untimely death from an illness of one sort or another.

Vargas1956 <varga...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19971013063...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...

[James Peters]

Rutman wrote:
>
> Why are the only recordings from the mid 1950's to early 1960? What did
> Blue do after that?

Here's a clipping from a Blue Mitchell bio that might clear things up;

A wonderful hard bop, blues and ballad player, Blue Mitchell was the kind of hard
working, consistent player who gets overlooked because he's not a star or
innovator. Mitchell's lyrical sound and luminous timbre were superbly presented in
some fine groups and as a leader in his own combos. He began playing trumpet in
high school, acquiring both a good reputation and his nickname. Mitchell toured
with the R&B bands of Paul Williams, Earl Bostic and Chuck Willis in the early
'50s. He returned to his Miami hometown off the road in the late '50s, and
Cannonball Adderley heard him playing at a club. Adderley took Mitchell with him
to New York and they recorded for Riverside in 1958. Mitchell joined Horace
Silver's quintet that same year and remained until 1964, participating in some
invigorating dates. When Silver disbanded the ensemble, its members stayed
together. The original band was Mitchell, Junior Cook, Gene Taylor and Roy
Brooks. Later Chick Corea and Al Foster replaced Taylor and Brooks, with
Mitchell and Cook dividing leadership duties. Later Harold Mabern and Billy
Higgins replaced Corea and Foster. Mitchell became a prolific pop and soul
session player in the late '60s, recording instrumental pop LPs, touring with Ray
Charles and John Mayall. During the mid - '70s, Mitchell did various dates in Los
Angeles, while often serving as principal soloist for Tony Bennett and Lena Horne.
He played in the big bands of Louis Bellson, Bill Holman and Bill Berry and
worked in several bebop bands, including a quintet with Richie Kamauca. Mitchell
was also in a quintet with Harold Land, from 1975 until 1978, while cutting more
instrumental pop and disco albums in the late '70s. His career was cut short by his
death of cancer at 49.

- - Ron Wynn

http://www.tunes.com/tunes-cgi2/tunes/person_frame/2751/0/0/4