Frank Wess
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Biography
Born January 4, 1922 in Kansas City, Missouri, Frank Wess was a jazz saxophonist and flautist, best known for his time with Count Basieâs band as well as his own solo recordings. Relocated to Oklahoma, he began classical music training in high school. He moved to Washington, D.C. at the age of 19 and switched to jazz, playing in local big bands. Interrupted briefly by World War II, Wess picked up where he left off when he left the military. He began playing with Billy Eckstineâs orchestra and attended the Modern School of Music, earning a degree in flute. He joined Count Basieâs band in 1953, playing tenor saxophone and flute with Basie until 1964. Considered one of jazzâs best flautists, he won DownBeat magazineâs critics poll for flute each year from 1959 to 1964. He also recorded his own solo releases including the 1954 self-titled release from the Frank Wess Quintet, which featured a recording of one of his most well-known tracks, âWess Pointâ. Other albums recorded during this period include Flutes & Reeds (1955), Jazz for Playboys (1957), Southern Comfort (1962), and Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me (1963). He joined Clark Terryâs big band in 1967 and stayed with him in until the early â70s. He also worked with the New York Jazz Quartet, Gene Ammons, Ron Carter, Kenny Barron, Benny Carter, Mel Torme, Ernestine Anderson, Dick Hyman, Thad Jones, Yusef Lateef, and many others. Wess continued working into the 2000s, releasing a pair of albums with Hank Jones. Frank Wess died of a heart attack on October 30, 2013.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Stella by Starlight
- The Very Thought of You
- Gin's Beguine
- Summer Frost
- Southern Comfort
- Blue Monk
- Gone with the Wind
- Jugging Around featuring Nat Adderley
- Little Me
- Wheelin' featuring Paul Quinichette
- Things Ain't What They Used To Be featuring Paul Quinichette
- The Long Road
- Cold Miner
- Poor You
- Dealin' featuring Paul Quinichette
- Robbins' Nest featuring Paul Quinichette
- Seventy-Six Trombones featuring Steve LaSpina
- Only Trust Your Heart featuring Steve LaSpina
- Jim Dog featuring Nat Adderley
- Centerpiece featuring Warren Vaché
- Blues For Butterball
- Blue Skies
- Heat Of Winter featuring Frank Foster
- Shufflin'
