Charlie Rouse

Fats Navarro, Charlie Rouse, Ernie Henry and Tadd Dameron. Photo: William P. Gottlieb.

Charlie Rouse (April 6, 1924 - November 30, 1988) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by the collaboration for more than ten years with Thelonious Monk.

Biography

Rouse was born in Washington, DC in 1924. At first he worked with the clarinet, before turning to the saxophone. He is best remembered for having worked with Thelonious Monk for eleven years, from 1959 to 1970, as the saxophonist of the Thelonious Monk Quartet. ^[1] He adapted his playing style, moving away from the usual bop to match Monk's music. Prior to working with Monk he was a member of big bands, those of Billy Eckstine, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington and also worked with Clifford Brown, Count Basie and others. ^[2]

Later, in the 1980s, he was a founding member of the group Sphere,^[1] which began as a tribute to Monk. He also worked with Mal Waldron's quintet.

Charlie Rouse died from lung cancer at University Hospital in Seattle at the age of 64.

Career

• Billy Eckstine Orchestra: 1944;
• Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: 1945;
• Duke Ellington Orchestra: 1949-1950;
• Count Basie Octet: 1950;
• Bull Moose Jackson And His Buffalo Bearcats: 1953;
• Oscar Pettiford Sextet: 1955;
• The Thelonious Monk Quartet: 1959 - 1970

Tribute to Rouse

The asteroid 10426 Charlierouse was officially named to honor Charlie Rouse by American astronomer Joe Montani of Spacewatch, who discovered it in 1999.^[3][4] Earlier, in 1994, asteroid 11091 Thelonious was also discovered and named by Montani.^[3]

Discography

As leader

• The Chase Is On, 1957, Bethlehem.
• Takin' Care Of Business, 1960, Prestige.
• Unsung Hero, 1960-61, Epic.
• Yeah!, 1960, Epic
• Bossa Nova Bacchanal, 1962, Blue Note.
• Two is One, 1973, Strata-East Records.
• Moment's Notice, 1977, Storyville.
• Cinammon Flower, 1977, Rykodisc.
• Upper Manhattan Jazz Society, 1981, Enja.
• Social Call, 1984, Uptown.
• Epistrophy, 1988, Landmark
• Soul Mates (featuring Sahib Shihab)
• Brazil, 2005, Douglas Records

As sideman

With Clifford Brown

• Memorial Album (Blue Note, 1953)

With Benny Carter

• Further Definitions (1961)

With Sonny Clark

• Leapin' and Lopin' (1961)

With Bennie Green

• Bennie Green Blows His Horn (1955)
• Back on the Scene (1958)

With Thelonious Monk

• Monk in France (1961)
• Criss Cross (1962)
• Monk's Dream (1963)
• Live at the It Club (1964)
• Straight, No Chaser (1966)
• Underground (1968)

With Louis Smith

• Smithville (1958)

With Mal Waldron

• The Git Go - Live at the Village Vanguard (Soul Note, 1986)
• The Seagulls of Kristiansund (Soul Note, 1986)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} allmusic ((( Charlie Rouse > Biography )))
2. ^ Kernfeld, Barry (1988). "Charlie Rouse". In Barry Kernfeld. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (first ed.). London: Macmillan Reference. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Montani, Joe. "Spacewatch Minor Planets Joe Has Named". Joe Montani (Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona). http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~jmontani/nam_cits.htm. Retrieved 14 March 2011. 
4. ^ "10426 Charlierouse (1999 BB27)". JPL Small-Body Database. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Caltech. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=10426+Charlierouse. Retrieved 14 March 2011. 

External links

• House of Rouse Radio
• The New York Times Obituary

Persondata
Name	Rouse, Charlie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 6, 1924
Place of birth
Date of death	November 30, 1988
Place of death