Born: July 30, 1937 Primary Instrument: Sax, alto
James Spaulding, has established his reputation as a masterful soloist for ensemble performances, and for many years was among the busier sidemen for Blue Note Records. An exceptional saxophonist and flutist, he is one of the many fine artists to come out James has worked with Sun Ra, Freddie Hubbard, Max Roach, and more...of the Indianapolis, Indiana area. James is a modernist, with solid roots in classical jazz; his saxophone style is an extension of the Charlie Parker influence, but his overall concept incorporates much of the broad jazz saxophone heritage.
Spaulding's musical training started early, as he came from a musical family in his place of birth Indiana (his father was a professional musician who played the guitar and led his own big band, traveling throughout the country). James began playing a bugle when he was in grade school. He later took up the trumpet and saxophone on his own, and while in high school studied clarinet. He made his professional debut playing around Indianapolis with a rhythm “n” blues group. He has performed as a sideman and been recorded on over 100 recordings... See discography »
From 1954 to 1957, Spaulding was in the army playing in service bands. When he was discharged, he settled in Chicago where he performed in clubs leading his own group, and had a stay with the Sun Ra Orchestra. He also furthered his flute studies there at the Chicago Cosmopolitan School of Music. In 1962, he arrived in New York City, and subsequently was associated with notables such as Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Max Roach and the Ellington Orchestra. In 1975, he received a bachelor's degree in music from Livingston College in New Jersey where he taught flute as an adjunct professor. James' daughters, Gina and Yvonne Spaulding were on the cover of his very first recording: “The Legacy of Duke Ellington,” recorded in 1975. Mr. Spaulding's range of performance experiences extends nationally and internationally, from the concert stage to jazz clubs to colleges and street fairs. His original music, a suite entitled “A Song of Courage,” was performed by him with full orchestra and choir at the Voorhees Chapel at the Rutgers University campus from funds awarded him by the National Endowment for the Arts. He holds a historically significant place in jazz reference books including, The Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Seventies by Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler; The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz by Brian Case and Stan Britt; The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz edited by Barry Keinfeld, just to name a few. He has performed as a sideman and been recorded on over 100 recordings.
James Spaulding/Pierre Christophe Trio, Down With
It! Live at The Sunside (Disques Futura & Marge, 2007)
James Spaulding, Round To It! (Speetones, 2005)
Sun Ra, Spaceship Lullaby--Chicago 1954-60
(Unheard Music Series, 2003)
Alvin Queen, Ashanti (Nilva Records Stereo
NQ-34,2002)
James Spaulding Quintet, Blues Up and Over
(Speetones, 2001)
James Spaulding, Escapade (HighNote, 1999)
James Spaulding, The Smile of the Snake
(HighNote, 1996)
James Spaulding, Blues Nexus (Muse, 1993)
David Murray, David Murray Big Band Conducted
by Lawrence "Butch" Morris (Columbia, 1991)
James Spaulding, Songs of Courage (Muse,
1991)
James Spaulding, Gotstabe A Better Way!
(Muse, 1988)
James Spaulding, Brilliant Corners (Muse,
1988)
James Spaulding, Plays the Legacy of Duke
Ellington (Storyville, 1976)
Charles Tolliver, Impact (Strata-East, 1975)
The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Continuum
(Fantasy, 1975)
Archie Shepp, For Losers (Impulse, 1971)
Pharoah Sanders, Karma (Impulse, 1969)
Freddie Hubbard, The Black Angel (Atlantic,
1969)
Lee Morgan, Standards (Blue Note, 1967)
Freddie Hubbard, High Blues Pressure
(Atlantic, 1967)
Larry Young,Of Love and Peace (Blue Note,
1966)
Freddie Hubbard, Blue Spirits (Blue Note,
1965)
Wayne Shorter, The Soothsayer (Blue Note,
1965)
Bobby Hutcherson, Components (Blue Note,
1965)
Wayne Shorter, The All Seeing Eye (Blue Note,
1965)
Max Roach, Drums Unlimited (Atlantic, 1965)
Freddie Hubbard, Hub-Tones (Blue Note,
1962)
Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra, The
Nubians of Plutonia (Evidence, 1959)
Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra, Visits Planet
Earth (Evidence, 1958)
Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra, Sound Sun
Pleasure!! (Evidence, 1953)
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