Born: August 14, 1937 Primary Instrument: Drums
James E. “Jimmy” Wormworth III, born August 14, 1937 in Utica, New York, is a seasoned, veteran jazz drummer who trumpeter John Marshall (WDR Big Band) calls “a living part of jazz history.” At age 20 he toured Europe with his own quartet, then went to New York City on the invitation of arranger Torrie Zito and soon began touring the United States with Nellie Lutcher.
Along with Mal Waldron and Peck Morrison in the house rhythm section of the legendary Five Spot café in 1959, he worked with Art Farmer, Kenny Dorham, John Coltrane, Booker Little, Pepper Adams, Bobby Jaspar and many more. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he worked with Lou Donaldson, “Les Jazz Modes” (Charlie Rouse, Julius Watkins), Phineaus Newborn, Sahib Shihab, Babs Gonzalez and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.
In 1969, Jimmy Wormworth was invited by Barry Harris to perform with Coleman Hawkins at The Fillmore East for Mr. Hawkins' second-to-last performance before his death. He has also performed with Roy Eldridge, Ernestine Anderson and Helen Humes. He worked regularly with Al Haig from 1969 until 1982 as well as with J. R. Monterose, Charles Davis, Lonnie Hillyer, Charles McPherson, Barry Harris and Dizzy Reece. In addition, he performed with baritone-saxophone legend Cecil Payne in 2003.
His extensive discography includes seminal recordings with Charlie Rouse and Julius Watkins, Lou Donaldson, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Jon Hendricks, Al Haig, J. R. Monterose, Allen Eager, Hod O’Brien and Josh White, more recently, highly acclaimed albums with Annie Ross, Joe Magnarelli, Tardo Hammer, Charles Davis and John Marshall.
Jimmy Wormworth is also a recipient of “The Barry” award, given to him in 2005 by Barry Harris “For True Jazz Mastery.”
These days, as one of the generation of great bebop drummers in New York City, Jimmy keeps a busy working schedule. Recently he toured Germany and Switzerland with both Charles Davis and John Marshall and has also toured Europe with Annie Ross, Warren Vaché and Tardo Hammer. In 2011 and 2012, he taught jazz drumming workshops and master classes in Berlin (Drumtrainer) and Vienna (Konservatorium Wien)
Awards:
"The Barry" awarded to him in 2005 by Barry Harris "For True Jazz Mastery."“...drummer Jimmy Wormworth sizzles with an aggressiveness that brings to mind the late Art Taylor.” John Vincent Barron's review of Land of Dreams
“Jimmy Wormworth is a powerful drummer, whose boundless energy is not easily contained in any room, and who exemplifies the same kind of ageless musicality as [Charles] Davis.” Luke Kaven's liner notes for Land of Dreams
The Jazz Modes
Charlie Rouse, Julius Watkins
Atlantic
1958
Tracks: The Oblong; 1-2-3-4-0 In Syncopation; Moods In Motion; This 'n' That.
Personnel: Charlie Rouse: tenor sax, Sahib Shihab: baritone sax, Julius Watkins: French horn, Gildo Mahones: piano, Martin Rivera: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Light-Foot
Lou Donaldson
Blue Note
1958
Tracks: Light-Foot; Hog Maw (False Start)- Hog Maw; Mary Ann; Green Eyes; Walking by the River; day Dreams; Stella by Starlight.
Personnel: Lou Donaldson: alto sax, Herman Foster: piano, Peck Morrison: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums, Ray Barretto: conga.
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Sing Ellington
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Columbia
1960
Tracks: Cottontail; All Too Soon; Happy Anatomy; Rocks in my Bed; Main Stem; I Don’t Know What Kind of Blues I’ve Got; Things Ain’t What They Used to Be; Midnight Indigo; What Am I Here For?; In a Mellow Tone; Caravan.
Personnel: Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks & Annie Ross: vocals, Gildo Mahones: piano, Ike Isaacs: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Evolution of the Blues Song
Jon Hendricks
Columbia
1960
Tracks: Introduction; Amo; Some Stopped on de Way; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; New Orleans; I Had My Share; Please Send Me Someone to Love; Sufferin’ Blues; That’s Enough; Aw, Gal; See See Rider; Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid; Sun Gonna Shine in My Door; W.P.A. Blues; Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child.
Personnel: Jon Hendricks, Hanna Dean, “Big” Miller, “Pony” Poindexter, Ben Webster, Jimmy Witherspoon with the Ike Isaacs Trio: Gildo Mahones: piano, Ike Isaacs: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
L, H & R Flying High with the Ike Isaacs Trio
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
Columbia
1961
Tracks: Come On Home; The New A B C; Farmer’s Market; Cookin’ at the Continental; With Malice Toward None; Hi-Fly; Home Cookin’; Halloween Spooks; Popity Pop; Blue; Mr. P.C.
Personnel: Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks & Annie Ross: vocals, Gildo Mahones: piano, Ike Isaacs: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
They All Played Bebop
Various Artists
Columbia
1977
Tracks: Woody'n You; Con Alma; A Night in Tunisia.
Personnel: Al Haig: piano, Jamil Nasser: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Serendipity
Al Haig
King Records
1977
Tracks: I Love You; In A Sentimental Mood; I've Got Something For You; Tea Dreams; I'll Keep Loving You; All Blues; Along Came Betty; A Night In Tunisia; Come Sunday.
Personnel: Al Haig: piano, Jamil Nasser: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
I Love You
Al Haig
RCA
1977
Tracks: I Love You; In A Sentimental Mood; I've Got Something For You; Tea Dreams; I'll Keep Loving You; All Blues; Along Came Betty; A Night In Tunisia; Come Sunday.
Personnel: Al Haig: piano, Jamil Nasser: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Welcome Back, J.R! also released as Lush Life
J.R. Monterose Quartet
Progressive Records
1979
Tracks: Lush Life; Giant Steps; My Old Flame; Luan; Evelyn's Delight; Marty's Place.
Personnel: J.R. Monterose: tenor sax, Hod O'Brien: piano, Teddy Kotick: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Bits and Pieces
Hod O'Brien Trio
Uptown
1982
Tracks: Bits and Pieces; Hi-Fly; Dameron Medley: Lovely One in the Window/Heaven's Doors Are Open Wide; Ray's Idea; Jennifer; Storybook Dreams; Through the Smoke; Toby's Song.
Personnel: Hod O'Brien: piano, Teddy Kotick: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Renaissance
Allen Eager
Uptown
1982
Tracks: Just You, Just Me; For All We Know; Room Service Blues; Equinox; I Should Care; Ladybird.
Personnel: Allen Eager: tenor sax, Hod O'Brien: piano, Teddy Kotick: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Tardo’s Tempo
Tardo Hammer
Sharp Nine Records
2004
Tracks: Last Time I Saw Paris; I Waited for You; Russian Lullaby; Philly Twist; Journey to Liechtenstein; Minor Mishap; Very Early; Little Man (You’ve Had a Busy Day); Thelonious.
Personnel: Tardo Hammer: piano, Dennis Irwin: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Toward Love
Deborah Latz
2004
Tracks: It Had to Be You; Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered; How Insensitive; Gone with the Wind; Avril a Paris; Lover Man; I Only Have Eyes for You; Night and Day; The Thrill is Gone; Bluesette.
Personnel: Deborah Latz: vocal, Timo Elliston: piano, Bob Bowen: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums, Bob Sher: guitar.
Treat Me Kindly: The Songs of Evelyn Thaler
Marty Elkins
2004 (unissued)
Personnel: Marty Elkins: vocal, Tardo Hammer: piano, arrangements, Warren Vaché: cornet, Bill Easley: reeds, John Webber: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums
Frisky
John Marshall Quintet
organic music
2005
Tracks: Junka; Max is Makin’ Wax; Pristine; Ugly Beauty; New Girl; Nascimento; Night Creepers; Why Was I Born?; Frisky; Oblivion.
Personnel: John Marshall: trumpet, flugelhorn, Grant Stewart: tenor sax, Tardo Hammer: piano, John Goldsby: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Let Me Sing
Annie Ross
CAP
2005
Tracks: Fun to be Fooled; Accentuate the Positive; Day In Day Out; Kiss Me Again/Indian Summer; Nobody’s Heart/By Myself; Embraceable You; I Told Every Little Star; Alone Together; Isn’t It a Pity; Just friends; Speak Low; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square; I Thought About You, Lush Life.
Personnel: Annie Ross; vocal, Tardo Hammer: piano, Neal Miner: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums, Bucky Pizzarelli: guitar, Warren Vaché: horns.
I Love You
Stephanie Nakasian
Spice of Life
2006
Tracks: The Gypsy in My Soul; I Don't Mind; I Love You; Serenade in Blue; All the Things You Are; Blue Moon; So Many Stars; The Days of Wine and Roses; Someone to Watch Over Me; The Breeze and I; I'm in the Mood for Love; But Beautiful; I Can't Believe You're in Love with Me; You Must Believe in Spring.
Personnel: Stephanie Nakasian; vocal, Harry Allen: tenor sax, Hod O'Brien: piano, Neal Miner: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Better Late Than Never
Gil Coggins Trio
Smalls Records
Recorded 2001/2002, released 2007
Tracks: I’m Old Fashioned; Smooch; Repetition; Vierd Blues; The Scene is Clean; Isn’t It Romantic; A House is Not a Home.
Personnel: Gil Coggins: piano, Mike Fitzbenjamin: bass, Louis Hayes: drums (2/16/02), Jimmy Wormworth: drums (3/27/01)
Land of Dreams
Charles Davis
Smalls Records
2007
Tracks: JC; Moon Nocturne; How Am I To Know?; If You Could See Me Now; Love For Sale: Some Wandering Bushman; Strangeness; We See; Land of Dreams.
Personnel: Charles Davis: tenor & soprano sax, Tardo Hammer: piano, Lee Hudson: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Float Like a Butterfly
Mike Longo Trio
Consolidated Artists Productions
2007
Tracks: Girl of My Dreams; Dancing in the Dark; Witch Hunt; Diminished Returns; Tenderly; Blue Spirits; Everytime I See You; It Could Happen to You; Laura; Here Tiz (Impromptu); Evidence.
Personnel: Mike Longo: piano; Paul West: bass; Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
Waltz for Worms
John Marshall Quintet
organic music
2010
Tracks: The Highest Mountain; Malice Toward None; Bearcat; Bro’ Slim; Waltz for Worms; Bye-Ya; Deep in a Dream; Out of the Blue; I Was a Little Too Lonely; Conception.
Personnel: John Marshall: trumpet, vocal, Grant Stewart: tenor sax, Tardo Hammer: piano, John Goldsby: bass, Jimmy Wormworth: drums.
My Old Flame
Joe Magnarelli + Strings
2010
Tracks: My Old Flame; I'll Be Seeing You; Highbridge; Eracism; The Duke; Blues for "Skee"; When Your Lover Has Gone; Bilbao; McChesney Park.
Personnel: Joe Magnarelli: trumpet, Marty Sheller: orchestrations, Dick Oatts: alto sax, Rick Germanson: piano, David Wong: bass, Peter Bernstein: guitar, Vince Cherico: drums, Jimmy Wormworth: drums, Wilson "Chembo" Corniel: percussion, Daniel Sadownick: percussion.
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Primary Instrument:
Drums
Location:
Rego Park, NY
Willing to teach:
Intermediate to advanced students
Credentials/Background:
Taught jazz drum workshops, lessons and master classes at Drumtrainer Berlin, Berlin public music schools, Konservatorium Wien (Vienna Conservatory).
