David "Fathead" Newman
As a teenager, David Newman played professionally around Dallas and Fort Worth with Charlie Parker's mentor, Buster Smith, and also with Ornette Coleman in a band led by tenor saxophonist Red Connors. In the early '50s, Newman worked locally with such R&B musicians as Lowell Fulson and T-Bone Walker. In 1952, Newman formed his longest-lasting and most important musical association with Ray Charles, who had played piano in Fulson's group. Newman stayed with Charles' band from 1954-1964, while concurrently recording as a leader and a sideman with, among others, his hometown associate, tenor saxophonist James Clay. Upon leaving Charles, Newman stayed in Dallas for two years. He then moved to New York, where he recorded under King Curtis and Eddie Harris; he also played many commercial and soul dates. Newman returned to Charles for a brief time in 1970-1971; from 1972-1974 he played with Red Garland and Herbie Mann. Newman parlayed the renown he gained from his experience with Charles into a fairly successful recording career. In the '60s and '70s, he recorded a series of heavily orchestrated, pop-oriented sides for Atlantic and in the '80s he led the occasional hard bop session, but Newman's métier was as an ace accompanist. Throughout his career, he recorded with a variety of non-jazz artists; Newman's brawny, arrogant tenor sound graced the albums of Aretha Franklin, Dr. John, and many others. It is, in fact, Newman's terse, earthy improvisations with Charles that remain his most characteristic work. Newman began a productive relationship with HighNote Records at the close of the 1990s, releasing an impressive series of albums, including Chillin' (1999), Keep the Spirits Singing (2001), Davey Blue (2001), The Gift (2003), Song for the New Man (2004), I Remember Brother Ray (a moving tribute to Ray Charles released in 2005), Cityscape (2006), and Life (2007). Diamondhead followed in 2008. Newman passed on January 20, 2009, from pancreatic cancer.
© Chris Kelsey /TiVo
Discography
30 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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"Fathead" - Ray Charles Presents David Newman (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by RevOla on 18/07/2019
Available in24-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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Boogaloo to Beck
Classical - Released by Scufflin' Records on 20/05/2003
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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I Remember Brother Ray
Bebop - Released by HighNote Records on 4/01/2005
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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Song for the New Man
Bebop - Released by HighNote Records on 13/01/2004
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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Four Classic Albums (Ray Charles Presents David Newman / The Sound of Wide Open Spaces / Straight Ahead / Fathead Comes On) (Digitally Remastered)
Jazz - Released by AVID Jazz on 6/07/2018
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Soulful Mr. Newman
Bebop - Released by HighNote Records on 20/09/2011
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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Blue Greens & Beans
The Rein De Graaff Trio, Marchel Ivery, David "Fathead" Newman
Jazz - Released by Timeless Records on 14/09/2008
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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The Sound Of The Wide Open Spaces!!!!
James Clay, David "Fathead" Newman
Jazz - Released by Original Jazz Classics on 26/04/1960
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Keep the Spirits Singing
Bebop - Released by HighNote Records on 12/01/2001
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Soul Clinic (feat. David "Fathead" Newman) [Bonus Track Version]
Jazz - Released by Circadian Jazz on 20/02/2014
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Sound of the Wide Open Spaces! & Straight Ahead
Jazz - Released by Fresh Sound Records on 11/11/2011
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Ray Charles Presents David Newman
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 15/04/2009
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo