Al Grey


Al Grey was an American jazz trombonist who was a member of the Count Basie orchestra. He was known for his plunger mute technique and wrote an instructional book in 1987 called Plunger Techniques.

Career

Al Grey was born in Aldie, Virginia, United States, and grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He was introduced to the trombone at the age of four, playing in a band called the Goodwill Boys, which was led by his father. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy, where he continued to play the trombone. Soon after his discharge, he joined Benny Carter's band, then the bands of Jimmie Lunceford, Lucky Millinder, and Lionel Hampton. In the 1950s, he was a member of the big bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie. He led bands in the 1960s with Billy Mitchell and Jimmy Forrest. Later in life he recorded with Clark Terry and J. J. Johnson. He made thirty recordings under his own name and another seventy with bands.
Grey's early trombone style was inspired by Trummy Young. He developed a wild, strong, and full sound. Solos often consisted of short, pronounced phrases with precisely timed syncopation. However, when playing with the plunger, he would produce the most mellow fill-ins and shape melodic answers to the lead voice. This aspect of his playing can be heard to great effect in response to Bing Crosby's vocals on the 1972 album, Bing 'n' Basie.
He died in Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 74 after suffering from several ailments, including diabetes.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

  • Dizzy Atmosphere
  • The Last of the Big Plungers
  • The Thinking Man's Trombone
  • The Al Grey - Billy Mitchell Sextet
  • Snap Your Fingers
  • Having a Ball
  • Boss Bone
  • Night Song
  • Shades of Grey
  • Grey's Mood
  • Get It Together
  • O.D. with Jimmy Forrest
  • Struttin' and Shoutin'
  • Things Are Getting Better All the Time with J. J. Johnson
  • Just Jazz with Buddy Tate
  • Al Grey & Jesper Thilo Quintet
  • Al Grey Featuring Arnett Cobb and Jimmy Forrest
  • The New Al Grey Quintet
  • Al Grey Fab
  • Live at the Floating Jazz Festival
  • Christmas Stockin' Stuffer
  • Truly Wonderful with Jimmy Forrest
  • Centerpiece: Live at the Blue Note
  • Me 'n' Jack
  • ''Matzoh and Grits''

    As sideman

With Count Basie
  • The Atomic Mr. Basie
  • Basie Plays Hefti
  • Basie
  • Breakfast Dance and Barbecue
  • Basie One More Time
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Strike Up the Band
  • Dance Along with Basie
  • Kansas City Suite
  • Count Basie/Sarah Vaughan
  • Easin' It
  • Basie Picks the Winners
  • Pop Goes the Basie
  • Big Band Scene '65
  • Basie Swingin' Voices Singin
  • Basie Meets Bond
  • Arthur Prysock/Count Basie
  • Broadway Basie's...Way
  • Have a Nice Day
  • Bing 'n' Basie
  • Count Basie Plays Quincy Jones & Neal Hefti
  • Basie Big Band
  • I Told You So
  • Montreux '77
  • Prime Time
  • Basie Jam #2
  • Basie/Eckstine Incorporated
  • Basie Jam #3
  • Count On the Coast
  • Count On the Coast Vol. II
  • Autumn in Paris
  • Count On the Coast '58
  • Live in Stockholm
  • Loose Walk
  • Basie in Europe
With Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
  • San Antonio Ballbuster
  • Atomic Energy
  • More Stuff
  • Pressure Cooker
With Ray Charles
  • The Genius of Ray Charles
  • Genius + Soul = Jazz
  • At the Club
With Dizzy Gillespie
  • Dizzy Gillespie at Newport
  • Dizzy in Greece
  • Birks' Works
With Lionel Hampton
  • Newport Uproar!
  • Hamp's Big Band Live!
  • Live at the Blue Note
With Jon Hendricks
  • Fast Livin' Blues
  • Freddie Freeloader
  • Boppin' at the Blue Note
With Quincy Jones
  • Golden Boy
  • Gula Matari
  • I Heard That!!
  • Quincy Jones Talkin' Verve
With Oscar Pettiford
With Clark Terry
  • Squeeze Me!
  • What a Wonderful World
  • Shades of Blues
With others