… It was close! But it did happen. I had tried living in LA for a couple of years, starting in January 1967. By September, despite the fact that I was getting pretty good gigs, Gerald Wilson’s and Oliver Nelson’s Big Bands, and even some studio work with Quincy Jones and Lalo Schifrin, I was not lovin’ it there.
Up pops Art Blakey with the most unusual Messengers I ever saw, Billy Harper, McCoy Tyner, Joony Booth, Bill Hardman, and Slide Hampton. The mix was strange but I loved all those players and I enjoyed hearing them.
Billy Harper told me that Gil Evans was sorry I wasn’t in NYC for some movie sessions he was writing that next week. I called Gil right away and Gil got me a plane ticket.
When I told Billy that I was going to New York, McCoy spoke up and asked if I would play tuba on his upcoming recording (Tender Moments) that week. And it wasn’t the just Gil Evans thing and McCoy’s record that fall.
There was Carla Bley and Gary Burton’s “The Genuine Tong Funeral”, Freddie Hubbard’s “High Blues Pressure”, and Andrew Hill’s “Passing Ships”. New York welcomed me back and I had to call LA and cancel some dates. Big Black (conga player) was not too happy about it.
Billy Harper told me that Gil Evans was sorry I wasn’t in NYC for some movie sessions he was writing that next week. I called Gil right away and Gil got me a plane ticket.
When I told Billy that I was going to New York, McCoy spoke up and asked if I would play tuba on his upcoming recording (Tender Moments) that week. And it wasn’t the just Gil Evans thing and McCoy’s record that fall.
There was Carla Bley and Gary Burton’s “The Genuine Tong Funeral”, Freddie Hubbard’s “High Blues Pressure”, and Andrew Hill’s “Passing Ships”. New York welcomed me back and I had to call LA and cancel some dates. Big Black (conga player) was not too happy about it.
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