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George Cables

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Cables
Background information
Born (1944-11-14) November 14, 1944 (age 79)
New York City
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano
LabelsSteepleChase, Contemporary, Atlas
Websitewww.georgecables.com

George Andrew Cables (born November 14, 1944)[1] is an American jazz pianist and composer.

Early life

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Cables was born in New York City, United States.[1] He was initially taught piano by his mother.[1] He then studied at the High School of Performing Arts and later at Mannes College (1963–65).[1] He formed the Jazz Samaritans at the age of 18, a band that included Billy Cobham, Steve Grossman, and Clint Houston.[1] Cables' early influences on piano were Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock.[1]

Later life and career

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Cables has played with Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Joe Henderson, and other well-established jazz musicians.[2]

His own records include the 1980 Cables' Vision with Freddie Hubbard among others.[3] From 1983, Cables worked in the project Bebop & Beyond. He left later in the 1980s, but returned for guest appearances on two early 1990s albums, before rejoining in 1998.[1]

Cables is a charter member of The Cookers band, founded in 2010, which includes leading jazz composers and players like Billy Harper, Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Donald Harrison, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart and others.

Discography

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George Cables in 1984

As leader/co-leader

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Year recorded Title Label Notes
1975 Why Not Whynot Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Carl Burnett (drums)
1979 Circle Contemporary With Joe Farrell (flute), Ernie Watts (alto sax), Rufus Reid (bass), Eddie Gladden (drums)
1979 Cables' Vision Contemporary With Freddie Hubbard (flugelhorn), Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone), Tony Dumas (bass, electric bass), Peter Erskine (drums); some tracks with Ernie Watts (tenor sax, flute), Vince Charles (percussion) added
1980 Morning Song HighNote Quartet, with Eddie Henderson (trumpet), John Heard (bass), Sherman Ferguson (drums); in concert
1980? Some of My Favorite Things Atlas Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
1981 Whisper Not Atlas Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)
1982? Old Wine, New Bottle Atlas Trio, with David Williams (bass), Carl Burnett (drums)
1982? Wonderful L.A. Atlas Trio, with David Williams (bass), Carl Burnett (drums)
1982 Goin' Home Galaxy Duo, with Art Pepper (alto sax, clarinet)
1982 Tête-à-Tête Galaxy Duo, with Art Pepper (alto sax)
1983? Sleeping Bee Atlas Trio, with Tony Dumas (bass), Ralph Penland (drums)
1984 The Big Jazz Trio Eastworld Trio, with Stanley Clarke (bass), Peter Erskine (drums)
1985 Phantom of the City Contemporary Trio, with John Heard (bass), Tony Williams (drums)
1986 Double Image Contemporary Duo, with Frank Morgan (alto sax)
1987 By George Contemporary Some tracks solo piano; most tracks trio, with John Heard (bass), Ralph Penland (drums)
1991 Cables Fables SteepleChase Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)
1991 Night and Day DIW Trio, with Cecil McBee (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1991 Beyond Forever SteepleChase With Joe Locke (vibraphone), Santi Debriano (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
1993 I Mean You SteepleChase Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums)
1994 Quiet Fire SteepleChase Trio, with Ron McClure (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1994 George Cables at Maybeck Concord Solo piano; in concert
1995 Person to Person SteepleChase Solo piano
1995 Alone Together Groove Jazz Trio, with Philippe Soirat, Carlos Barretto
1995 Skylark SteepleChase Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Albert Heath (drums)
1996 Dark Side, Light Side SteepleChase Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Hart (drums)
1997 Bluesology SteepleChase Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2000 One for My Baby SteepleChase Trio, with Jay Anderson (bass), Yoron Israel (drums)
2001 Senorita de Aranjuez Meldac Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2001 New York Concerto Meldac Trio, with George Mraz (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2001 Shared Secrets MuseFX With Bennie Maupin (bass clarinet), Gary Bartz (alto sax), Alphonso Johnson and Abraham Laboriel (bass; separately); Vinny Colaiuta and Peter Erskine (drums; separately)
2003 Looking for the Light MuseFX One track solo piano; one track trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Victor Lewis (drums); most tracks quartet, with Gary Bartz (alto sax, soprano sax) added
2004 A Letter to Dexter Kind of Blue Trio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2007 You Don't Know Me Kind of Blue Solo piano
2012 My Muse HighNote Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2013 Icons & Influences HighNote Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2015 In Good Company HighNote Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2016 The George Cables Songbook HighNote Some tracks trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums); some tracks quartet, with Sarah Elizabeth Charles (vocals) added); one track quintet, with Craig Handy (tenor sax, flute) added; some tracks sextet, with Steven Kroon (percussion) added
2019 I'm All Smiles HighNote Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)
2020 Too Close for Comfort HighNote Trio, with Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)

As sideman

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With Laurie Antonioli

  • Soul Eyes (Catero, 1984)

With Gary Bartz

With Art Blakey

With Joe Chambers

With The Cookers

With Joe Farrell

With Chico Freeman

  • Focus (Contemporary, 1995)

With Curtis Fuller

With Dexter Gordon

With Billy Harper

With Roy Haynes

With Eddie Henderson

With Joe Henderson

With Freddie Hubbard

With Bobby Hutcherson

With Philly Joe Jones

With Eddie Marshall

With Greg Marvin

  • Taking Off! (Planet X, 1991)
  • Special Edition (Planet X, 2001)

With Frank Morgan

With David "Fathead" Newman

With Art Pepper

With Max Roach

With Sonny Rollins

With Charlie Rouse

With Bud Shank

With Woody Shaw

With Archie Shepp

With Bennie Wallace

With Kazumi Watanabe

  • Lonesome Cat (Denon, 1978)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Rinzler, Paul; Kernfeld, Barry, Cables, George, Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, retrieved December 18, 2014
  2. ^ Biography, AllMusic
  3. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Cables' Vision: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  4. ^ "Witness to History". eddiehenderson.bandcamp.com. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
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