Red Callender


George Sylvester "'Red" Callender' was an American string bass and tuba player. He is perhaps best known as a jazz musician, but worked with an array of pop, rock and vocal acts as a member of The Wrecking Crew, a group of first-call session musicians in Los Angeles. Callender also co-wrote the 1959 top-10 hit "Primrose Lane".

Biography

Callender was born in Haynesville, Virginia, United States. In the early 1940s, he played in the Lester and Lee Young band, and then formed his own trio. In the 1940s, Callender recorded with Nat King Cole, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray, Dexter Gordon, Uffe Baadh and many others. After a period spent leading a trio in Hawaii, Callender returned to Los Angeles, becoming one of the first black musicians to work regularly in the commercial studios, including backing singer Linda Hayes on two singles. He made his recording debut at 19 with Louis Armstrong's band. However, he later turned down offers to work with Duke Ellington's Orchestra and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars.
On his 1957 Crown LP Speaks Low, Callender was one of the earliest modern jazz tuba soloists. Keeping busy up until his death, some of the highlights of the bassist's later career include recording with Art Tatum and Jo Jones for the Tatum Group, playing with Charles Mingus at the 1964 Monterey Jazz Festival, working with James Newton's avant-garde woodwind quintet, and performing as a regular member of the Cheatham's Sweet Baby Blues Band. He also reached the top of the UK Singles Chart as a member of B. Bumble and the Stingers. In November 1964, he was introduced and highlighted in performance with entertainer Danny Kaye, in a duet on the Fred Astaire introduced George and Ira Gershwin song, "Slap That Bass", for Kaye's CBS-TV variety show.
Callender died of thyroid cancer at his home in Saugus, California, at the age of 76.

Discography

As leader

  • 1956: Swingin' Suite
  • 1957: Red Callender Speaks Low
  • 1958: The Lowest
  • 1973: Basin Street Brass
  • 1984: Night Mist Blues
  • ¿? : ''Red Callender Sextet & Fourtette''

    As sideman

With Gregg Allman Band
  • Playin' Up a Storm
With Patti Austin
  • The Real Me
With Frankie Avalon
  • ...And Now About Mr. Avalon
With The Beach Boys
With Harry Belafonte
With Louis Bellson
With Johnny Burnette
  • Roses Are Red
With Judy Carmichael
With Benny Carter
  • Cosmopolite
With John Carter
  • Dauwhe
With Roy Clark
  • Stringing Along with the Blues
With Rosemary Clooney
  • That Travelin' Two-Beat
With Nat King Cole
  • Wild Is Love
  • Let's Face the Music!
With Buddy Collette
With Ry Cooder
  • Paradise and Lunch
  • Chicken Skin Music
  • Jazz
With Sam Cooke
With Bobby Darin
  • Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles
With Willie Dixon
  • Hidden Charms
With Donovan
  • 7-Tease
With Billy Eckstine
  • Billy Eckstine's Imagination
  • Once More With Feeling
With Maynard Ferguson
  • Maynard Ferguson Octet
With Dizzy Gillespie
With Johnny Hodges
  • In a Tender Mood
  • The Blues
With Paul Horn
With Plas Johnson
  • This Must Be the Plas
With B.B. King
With Peggy Lee
  • Jump for Joy
With Rickie Lee Jones
  • Rickie Lee Jones
With Dean Martin
  • A Winter Romance
With Kate & Anna McGarrigle
  • Kate & Anna McGarrigle
With The Monkees
  • Instant Replay
With Maria Muldaur
With Randy Newman
  • Good Old Boys
With Gene Parsons
  • Kindling
With Pete Rugolo
  • Rugolo Plays Kenton
  • The Original Music of Thriller
With Mavis Rivers and Shorty Rogers
  • Mavis Meets Shorty
With Art Tatum
  • The Art Tatum - Ben Webster Quartet
  • Presenting... The Art Tatum Trio
With James Taylor
With Mel Tormé
  • ¡Olé Tormé!
  • Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley
  • Swingin' on the Moon
With Gerald Wilson
  • Calafia
With Betty Wright
  • ''Wright Back At You''