David Newman Tenor Saxophone, Flute February 24, 1933 -- January 23, 2009

David Newman

"David 'Fathead' Newman is the first to emerge from the Texas tenor sound since Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb . . . He has an edge to his sound and a moan inside the tone."

--Cannonball Adderley

David Newman played professionally in Dallas with Buster Smith while still in his teens, and later played with Ornette Coleman in a band led by the saxophonist Red Connors; he also worked with such rhythm-and-blues musicians as Lowell Fulson, T-Bone Walker, and, from 1952, Ray Charles, who had been Fulson's pianist. From 1954 he played in Charles' band, first as a baritone saxophonist, then as the tenor saxophone soloist, and in 1958 he made his first recording as a leader, with Charles and Hank Crawford among his sidemen.

After leaving Charles' band in 1964 he played for two years in Dallas, then moved to New York. He worked again with Charles (for a brief period in 1970-71) and played with Red Garland and Herbie Mann (1972-74). Later he performed and recorded as a leader and recorded with Junior Mance (1983).

--DAVID WILD, The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz

A selected discography of David Newman albums.

• Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David Newman, 1958, Atlantic.
• Straight Ahead, 1960, Atlantic.
• Back To Basics, 1977, Milestone.
• Still Hard Times, 1982, Muse.
• Fire! Live At The Village Vanguard, 1988, Atlantic.
• Return To The Wide Open Spaces, 1990, Amazing.
• Mr. Gentle Mr. Cool, 1994, Kokopelli.

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