Ike Abrams Quebec 1918

Sassofonista tenore statunitense (Newark, New Jersey, 17.8.1918 – New York, 16.1.1963). In origine ballerina e pianista, esordisce al tenore soltanto nel 1940 con The Barons Of Rhythm. Seguono scritture con Frankie Newton, Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, Trummy Young, The Sunset Royals, Coleman Hawkins, Kenny Clarke, Benny Carter, Ella Fitzgerald.

Tra il 1944 e il 1951 fa saltuariamente parte del complesso di Cab Calloway. Praticamente inattivo durante il decennio successivo riappare all’inizio degli anni ’60: realizza vari album per la Blue Note, etichetta della quale era anche consigliere musicale (tra l’altro ha favorito le incisioni di Thelonious Monk e di Bud Powell.

Ike Quebec non appartiene alla famiglia dei solisti senza problemi. Una latente inquietudine e un continuo interrogarsi trapelano in filigrana da un discorso che pure nasce da una scuola particolarmente sicura di sé, quella di Hawkins e di Ben Webster. E così questo musicista attrae per le sue esitazioni; alterna linee melodiche pure con effetti provenienti dal rhythm and blues.
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[A.T.]

American tenor saxophonist (Newark, New Jersey, 17.8.1918 - New York, 16.1.1963). Originally a dancer and pianist, she made her tenor debut only in 1940 with The Barons Of Rhythm. Writings with Frankie Newton, Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, Trummy Young, The Sunset Royals, Coleman Hawkins, Kenny Clarke, Benny Carter, Ella Fitzgerald follow.

Between 1944 and 1951, it was occasionally part of the Cab Calloway complex. Virtually inactive during the following decade, he reappeared in the early 1960s: he made various albums for the Blue Note, a label of which Quebec was also a music advisor (among other things he favored the recordings of Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell.

Ike Quebec does not belong to the family of soloists without problems. A latent restlessness and a continuous questioning emerge in the filigree of a discourse that also comes from a particularly self-confident school, Hawkins and Ben Webster. This musician attracts by his hesitations; alternates pure melodic lines with effects coming from rhythm and blues.
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[A.T.]