Charles Fowlkes
Encyclopedia
Charlie Fowlkes was an American
baritone saxophonist
, best known for his time with Count Basie
, which lasted for more than twenty-five years.
Fowlkes was born in New York
, and studied alto
and tenor saxophone
, clarinet
, and violin
before settling on the baritone sax (he also played occasional flute
). He spent most of his early career in New York, playing with Tiny Bradshaw
(1938–1944), Lionel Hampton
(1944–1948), and Arnett Cobb
(1948–1951). This pattern of work was unusual for a jazz musician at the time; sidemen
generally moved rapidly between bands, but Fowlkes had a sense of loyalty that kept him with bands for much longer periods.
This was nowhere more evident than in his relationship with Count Basie. After joining Basie's orchestra in 1953, Fowlkes stayed with it until his death, with a short break in the 1940s for World War II
(and the occasional absence occasioned by the career of his wife, the singer Wini Brown, whose manager he was).
With Billy Taylor
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
baritone saxophonist
Baritone saxophone
The baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, best known for his time with Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, which lasted for more than twenty-five years.
Fowlkes was born in New York
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...
, and studied alto
Alto saxophone
The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
and tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
before settling on the baritone sax (he also played occasional flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
). He spent most of his early career in New York, playing with Tiny Bradshaw
Tiny Bradshaw
Myron C. Bradshaw was an American jazz and rhythm and blues bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer from Youngstown, Ohio.-Early years:...
(1938–1944), Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
(1944–1948), and Arnett Cobb
Arnett Cobb
Arnett Cobb was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Cobb was born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs in Houston, Texas. His musical career began with the local bands of Chester Boone, from 1934 to 1936, and Milt Larkin, from 1936 to 1942...
(1948–1951). This pattern of work was unusual for a jazz musician at the time; sidemen
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
generally moved rapidly between bands, but Fowlkes had a sense of loyalty that kept him with bands for much longer periods.
This was nowhere more evident than in his relationship with Count Basie. After joining Basie's orchestra in 1953, Fowlkes stayed with it until his death, with a short break in the 1940s for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(and the occasional absence occasioned by the career of his wife, the singer Wini Brown, whose manager he was).
Discography
With The Count Basie Orchestra- The Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings StandardsThe Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings StandardsThe Greatest!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards is a 1956 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra, and Joe Williams. -Track listing:#"Thou Swell" – 2:19...
with Joe WilliamsJoe Williams (jazz singer)Joe Williams was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues, ballads, popular songs, and jazz standards.-Early life:...
(Verve, 1956) - Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams SingsCount Basie Swings, Joe Williams SingsCount Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings is a 1956 album by the American jazz and blues singer Joe Williams, with the Count Basie Orchestra.-Track listing:# "Every Day I Have the Blues" – 5:29# "The Come Back" – 5:28...
with Joe Williams (Verve, 1956) - Basie in LondonBasie in LondonBasie in London is a 1956 live album by Count Basie and his orchestra, recorded in Sweden. - Track listing :# "Jumpin' at the Woodside" – 3:38# "Shiny Stockings" – 5:19...
(Verve, 1956) - Count Basie at Newport Verve, 1957)
- E=MC2 (Roulette, 1957)
- One O'Clock Jump with Joe Williams (Verve, 1957)
- In Person!In Person!In Person! is a 1959 live album by Tony Bennett, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra.Basie and Bennett recorded two albums together in 1959; In Person! was released by Bennett's record label, Columbia, and Strike Up the Band was released by Basie's label, Roulette.-Track listing:Side one#"Just...
with Tony BennettTony BennettTony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
(Verve, 1958) - Chairman of the BoardChairman of the Board (album)The Chairman of the Board is a 1959 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra. - Track listing :# "Blues in Hoss' Flat" – 3:13# "H.R.H...
(Roulette, 1959) - Count Basie/Sarah VaughanCount Basie/Sarah VaughanCount Basie/Sarah Vaughan is a 1961 album by American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, with arrangements by Frank Foster, Thad Jones and Ernie Wilkins. According to James Gavin's liner notes to the 1996 CD release, Basie himself does not perform on any of the...
with Sarah VaughanSarah VaughanSarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
(Roulette, 1960) - First Time! The Count Meets the DukeFirst Time! The Count Meets the DukeFirst Time! The Count Meets the Duke is an album by American pianists, composers and bandleaders Duke Ellington and Count Basie with their combined Orchestras recorded and released on the Columbia label in 1961.-Reception:...
with Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
(Columbia, 1961) - Ella and Basie!Ella and Basie!Ella and Basie! is a 1963 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, with arrangements by Quincy Jones...
with Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldElla Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
(Verve, 1963) - Basie LandBasie LandBasie Land is a 1964 studio album by Count Basie and his orchestra, of music composed and arranged by Billy Byers. - Track listing :# "Basie Land" – 2:16# "Big Brother" – 3:43# "Count Me In" – 4:32# "Wanderlust" – 2:38# "Instant Blues" – 4:54...
(Verve, 1964) - It Might as Well Be SwingIt Might as Well Be SwingIt Might as Well Be Swing is a 1964 studio album by Frank Sinatra, accompanied by Count Basie and his orchestra. It was Sinatra's first studio recording with Quincy Jones.This was Sinatra and Basie's second collaboration after 1963's Sinatra-Basie....
with Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
(Reprise, 1964) - Our Shining HourOur Shining HourOur Shining Hour is a 1965 studio album by Sammy Davis, Jr., accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra, arranged by Quincy Jones.In 1973 Davis re-recorded his vocal lines from Our Shning Hour, it was released by MGM Records as Sammy Davis Jr...
with Sammy Davis, Jr.Sammy Davis, Jr.Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
(Verve, 1965) - Sinatra at the SandsSinatra at the SandsSinatra at the Sands is a 1966 live album by Frank Sinatra, accompanied by Count Basie and his orchestra, conducted and arranged by Quincy Jones, recorded live at the Copa Room of the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas....
with Frank Sinatra (Reprise, 1966) - The Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors (album)The Board of Directors is a LP album recorded at the A & R Recording Studios in New York on November 20-21 1967 and released in 1968, featuring the Mills Brothers with Count Basie and orchestra...
with the Mills BrothersMills BrothersThe Mills Brothers, sometimes billed as The Four Mills Brothers, were an American jazz and pop vocal quartet of the 20th century who made more than 2,000 recordings that combined sold more than 50 million copies, and garnered at least three dozen gold records...
(Dot, 1967) - Basie Straight Ahead (Dot, 1968)
- Basie Big Band (Pablo, 1975)
- I Told You SoI Told You So (Count Basie album)I Told You So is a 1976 album recorded at RCA studios, New York City on January 12, 13 and 14 1976 and released in 1976, featuring Count Basie and his orchestra. All the titles were arranged by Bill Holman. Sound engineer was Bob Simpson and the tape editor was Ben Jordan...
(Pablo, 1976) - Live in Japan '78Live in Japan '78Live in Japan '78 is a 1978 live album by Count Basie and his orchestra.-Track listing:#"The Heat's On" – 3:13#"Freckle Face" – 5:39#"Ja-Da" – 5:28...
(Pablo, 1978) - Digital III at MontreuxDigital III at MontreuxDigital III at Montreux is a 1979 live album featuring a compilation of performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, and Ray Brown, recorded at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival...
with Ella Fitzgerald (Pablo, 1979) - A Classy PairA Classy PairThe Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album three stars and said that "Basie's sidemen are unfortunately restricted in the Benny Carter arrangements to backup work but Basie has a few piano solos and Fitzgerald is in good voice and in typically swinging form" -Track listing:-Personnel:*...
with Ella Fitzgerald (Pablo, 1979)
With Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor
Billy Taylor was an American jazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educator. He was the Robert L. Jones Distinguished Professor of Music at East Carolina University in Greenville, and since 1994, he was the artistic director for jazz at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in...
- My Fair Lady Loves JazzMy Fair Lady Loves JazzMy Fair Lady Loves Jazz is an album by American jazz pianist Billy Taylor featuring performances of show tunes from the musical My Fair Lady recorded in 1957 and originally released on the ABC-Paramount label and rereleased Impulse! label in 1964 following the release of the film.-Reception:The...
(Impulse!, 1957)
Sources and external links
- Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, & Brian Priestley. Jazz: The Rough Guide. ISBN 1-85828-528-3
- [ Charlie Fowlkes] — brief biography by Eugene Chadbourne, for AllMusic.