Butch Warren
Encyclopedia
Edward "Butch" Warren is an American
jazz
double bassist who plays in the hard bop
genre. He was especially active in the late-50s and the 1960s.
's as well as with altoist and bandleader Rick Henderson
at the historic Howard Theater on 7th and T Streets.
In 1958, he moved to New York City
to play with Kenny Dorham
, appearing on his first recording, with Dorham, in January 1960 with saxophonist Charles Davis, pianist Tommy Flanagan
and drummer Buddy Enlow. He stayed in New York for the rest of his musical career, mainly as house bassist for Blue Note
records.
A popular sideman, he also recorded with Miles Davis
, Hank Mobley
, Donald Byrd
, Sonny Clark
, Dexter Gordon
, Herbie Hancock
, Joe Henderson
, Jackie McLean
, and Stanley Turrentine
. He played with Thelonious Monk
in 1963 and 1964 and then moved back to Washington, D.C., where he briefly worked in television before becoming seriously ill.
Since his illness he has played professionally only occasionally. For the past few years he has played a regular gig at Columbia Station in Washington D.C.'s Adams Morgan
neighborhood.
He rarely soloed, preferring to accompany other musicians, and never recorded as a leader but performed as a sideman on many albums, including Dexter Gordon's Go
, Jackie McLean's Vertigo (1959) and Hipnosis (1967), and many recordings with Thelonious Monk.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
double bassist who plays in the hard bop
Hard bop
Hard bop is a style of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz which incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano...
genre. He was especially active in the late-50s and the 1960s.
Biography
Warren began playing professionally at age 14 in a local Washington, D. C. band led by his father, Edward Warren. He later worked with other local groups, including Stuff SmithStuff Smith
Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith , better known as Stuff Smith, was a jazz violinist. He is known well for the song "If You're a Viper".-Biography:...
's as well as with altoist and bandleader Rick Henderson
Rick Henderson
Rick Henderson was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger.Born in Washington, D.C., Henderson studied composition as a high schooler and played in the late 1940s locally. He served in the Army from 1951-53, then joined Duke Ellington's Orchestra after being recommended by Clark Terry...
at the historic Howard Theater on 7th and T Streets.
In 1958, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to play with Kenny Dorham
Kenny Dorham
McKinley Howard Dorham was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer born in Fairfield, Texas. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did...
, appearing on his first recording, with Dorham, in January 1960 with saxophonist Charles Davis, pianist Tommy Flanagan
Tommy Flanagan
Thomas Lee Flanagan was an American jazz pianist born in Detroit, Michigan, particularly remembered for his work with Ella Fitzgerald...
and drummer Buddy Enlow. He stayed in New York for the rest of his musical career, mainly as house bassist for Blue Note
Blue note
In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note sung or played at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. Typically the alteration is a semitone or less, but this varies among performers and genres. Country blues, in particular, features wide variations from the...
records.
A popular sideman, he also recorded with Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
, Hank Mobley
Hank Mobley
Henry Mobley was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz...
, Donald Byrd
Donald Byrd
Donaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd is best known as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a...
, Sonny Clark
Sonny Clark
Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark was an American jazz pianist who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom.-Biography:...
, Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
, Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
, Jackie McLean
Jackie McLean
John Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra...
, and Stanley Turrentine
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
. He played with Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
in 1963 and 1964 and then moved back to Washington, D.C., where he briefly worked in television before becoming seriously ill.
Since his illness he has played professionally only occasionally. For the past few years he has played a regular gig at Columbia Station in Washington D.C.'s Adams Morgan
Adams Morgan
Adams Morgan is a culturally diverse neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., centered at the intersection of 18th Street and Columbia Road. Adams Morgan is considered the center of Washington's Hispanic immigrant community, and is a major night life area with many bars and restaurants,...
neighborhood.
He rarely soloed, preferring to accompany other musicians, and never recorded as a leader but performed as a sideman on many albums, including Dexter Gordon's Go
Go (Dexter Gordon album)
-Personnel:*Dexter Gordon – tenor saxophone*Sonny Clark – piano*Butch Warren – bass*Billy Higgins – drums...
, Jackie McLean's Vertigo (1959) and Hipnosis (1967), and many recordings with Thelonious Monk.
As sideman
- 1959: VertigoVertigo (Jackie McLean album)Vertigo' is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1962 and 1963 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1980. The original 1980 release contained only the five tracks from 1963 but the later 2000 CD release added six tracks from the 1962 session originally marked for...
- Jackie McLeanJackie McLeanJohn Lenwood McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator, born in New York City.-Biography:McLean's father, John Sr., played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra... - 1960: Jazz ContemporaryJazz ContemporaryJazz Contemporary is an album by American jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham featuring performances recorded in 1960 and released on the Time label. The album features the recording debut of pianist Steve Kuhn.-Reception:...
- Kenny DorhamKenny DorhamMcKinley Howard Dorham was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer born in Fairfield, Texas. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did... - 1961: Leapin' and Lopin'Leapin' and Lopin'Leapin' and Lopin is a 1961 album by jazz pianist Sonny Clark, released on Blue Note Records. Michael Nastos of Allmusic writes that "Top to bottom Leapin' and Lopin' is a definitive recording for Clark, and really for all time in the mainstream jazz idiom." All About Jazz stated "Although...
- Sonny ClarkSonny ClarkConrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark was an American jazz pianist who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom.-Biography:... - 1961: Royal FlushRoyal Flush (album)Royal Flush is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring Byrd with Pepper Adams, Herbie Hancock, Butch Warren, and Billy Higgins recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4101...
- Donald ByrdDonald ByrdDonaldson Toussaint L'Ouverture Byrd II, is an American jazz and rhythm and blues trumpeter. A sideman for many other jazz musicians of his generation, Byrd is best known as one of the only bebop jazz musicians who successfully pioneered the funk and soul genres while simultaneously remaining a... - 1961: Free FormFree Form (album)Free Form is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring Byrd with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Butch Warren, and Billy Higgins recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label in 1962. It was remastered in 2003 and reissued on CD...
- Donald Byrd - 1962: Takin' OffTakin' OffTakin' Off is the debut album of jazz pianist Herbie Hancock originally released in 1962 for the Blue Note label as BST 84109. The recording session included Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and veteran Dexter Gordon on tenor saxophone. The album was a typical hard bop LP, with its characteristic two...
- Herbie HancockHerbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound... - 1962: GoGo (Dexter Gordon album)-Personnel:*Dexter Gordon – tenor saxophone*Sonny Clark – piano*Butch Warren – bass*Billy Higgins – drums...
- Dexter GordonDexter GordonDexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone... - 1962: Preach Brother!Preach Brother!Preach Brother! is an album by American saxophonist Don Wilkerson recorded in 1962 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:The Allmusic review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded the album 4½ stars and stated "The result is another fine record that proves Wilkerson was one of the best,...
- Don WilkersonDon WilkersonDon Wilkerson was an American soul jazz / R&B tenor saxophonist born in Moreauville, Louisiana, probably better known for his Blue Note Records recordings in the 1960s as bandleader with guitarist Grant Green. Prior to signing with the label, he worked frequently with Cannonball Adderley... - 1962: Jubilee Shout!!!Jubilee Shout!!!Jubilee Shout!!! is an album by jazz saxophonist Stanley Turrentine compiled from two sessions recorded for the Blue Note label, the first performed by Turrentine with his brother Tommy Turrentine, Horace Parlan, George Tucker, and Al Harewood in 1961 and a 1962 session with Kenny Burrell added and...
- Stanley TurrentineStanley TurrentineStanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family... - 1962: A Swingin' AffairA Swingin' AffairA Swingin' Affair is a 1962 jazz album by saxophonist Dexter Gordon, recorded two days after his best-known album Go!, and with the same line-up.-Track listing:#"Soy Califa" –6:24...
- Dexter Gordon - 1962: Feelin' the SpiritFeelin' the SpiritFeelin' the Spirit is an album by jazz guitarist Grant Green originally issued on Blue Note Records as BLP 4132 and BST 84132. Consisting purely of jazz versions of African American spirituals, it is one of a series of theme records recorded by the guitarist in 1962.From the original liner notes:...
- Grant GreenGrant GreenGrant Green was a jazz guitarist and composer.... - 1963: No Room for SquaresNo Room for Squares- Track listing :# "Three Way Split" – 7:49# "Carolyn" – 5:30# "Up a Step" – 8:31# "No Room for Squares" – 6:57# "Me 'N You" – 7:17# "Old World Imports" – 6:08# "Carolyn" [alternate take] – 5:35 Bonus track on CD...
- Hank MobleyHank MobleyHenry Mobley was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz... - 1963: Happy Frame of MindHappy Frame of MindHappy Frame of Mind is the seventh album by American jazz pianist Horace Parlan featuring performances recorded in 1961 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1988...
- Horace ParlanHorace ParlanHorace Parlan is an American hard bop and post-bop piano player.He is noted for his contributions to the classic Charles Mingus recordings Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots.... - 1963: Exultation!Exultation!Exultation! is an album by American jazz saxophonist Booker Ervin featuring performances recorded in 1963 for the Prestige label.-Reception:...
- Booker ErvinBooker ErvinBooker Telleferro Ervin II was an American tenor saxophone player. He was perhaps best known for his association with bassist Charles Mingus.... - 1963: A New PerspectiveA New PerspectiveA New Perspective is a 1963 album by jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4124 and BST 84124. The performances are mainly in a hard bop style, but the recording also features a gospel choir....
- Donald Byrd - 1963: Page One - Joe HendersonJoe HendersonJoe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
- 1963: The TurnaroundThe Turnaround- Track listing :# "The Turnaround" - 8:15# "East of the Village" - 6:44# "The Good Life" - 5:08# "Straight Ahead" - 7:02# "My Sin" - 6:53...
- Hank MobleyHank MobleyHenry Mobley was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz... - 1963: Miles & Monk at NewportMiles & Monk at NewportMiles & Monk at Newport was a combined album of a Miles Davis appearance at Newport with an appearance of Thelonious Monk, from the LP era. Despite the title, the two artists do not perform together on the LP, and they are represented on each side by separate live appearances at the Newport Jazz...
- Thelonious MonkThelonious MonkThelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"... - 1963: Una MasUna MasUna Mas, on the front cover named Una Mas , is a jazz album by trumpeter Kenny Dorham and his quintet, released in 1963 by Blue Note, as BLP 4127 and BST 84127. The album is one of the musician's last albums, since after 1964, he'd begin to fade and disappear from the jazz scenes...
- Kenny DorhamKenny DorhamMcKinley Howard Dorham was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer born in Fairfield, Texas. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did... - 1963: Straight No FilterStraight No FilterStraight No Filter is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Blue Note label. It features performances recorded at four different sessions from 1963 to 1966.-Reception:...
- Hank Mobley - 1964: It's Monk's TimeIt's Monk's TimeIt's Monk's Time is the sixth album Thelonious Monk released in 1964 for Columbia Records, featuring three original compositions as well as two jazz standards.-Tracklisting:#"Lulu's Back In Town" – 9:55...
- Thelonious Monk - 1964: Holiday SoulHoliday SoulHoliday Soul is an album of Christmas music by American jazz pianist Bobby Timmons recorded in 1964 and released on the Prestige label.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars.-Track listing:# "Deck the Halls"...
- Bobby TimmonsBobby TimmonsRobert Henry "Bobby" Timmons was an African American jazz pianist and composer.He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is best known for his role as sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the composition of "Moanin'", "Dat Dere", and "This Here", each of which are typical of his... - 1967: Hipnosis - Jackie McLean