ENDEIT
Frank Wess
Photo: Tom Marcello Webster, New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saxophonists · 1922–2013

Frank Wess

American saxophonist, flutist, composer and arranger

Born
4 January 1922
Kansas City
Died
30 October 2013
Manhattan
Country
United States
Active
1932–
Record labels
Concord Records, Chiaroscuro Records, Commodore Records
Discography
23 albums

Biography

Frank Wess was a jazz musician who played saxophone, flute and Western concert flute. Frank Wess was born on 4 January 1922 in Kansas City and died on 30 October 2013 in Manhattan. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Concord Records, Chiaroscuro Records and Commodore Records. The discography here lists 23 albums, from “North, South, East... Wess” (1956) to “Magic 201” (2014). Honours include NEA Jazz Masters.

Frank Wellington Wess (January 4, 1922 – October 30, 2013) was an American jazz saxophonist and flautist. He was renowned for his extensive solo work; however, he was also remembered for his time playing with Count Basie's band during the early 1950s into the early 1960s. Critic Scott Yanow described him as one of the premier proteges of Lester Young, and a leading jazz flautist of his era—using the latter instrument to bring new colors to Basie's music.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

North, South, East... Wess 1956 · Savoy Records Opus In Swing 1956 · Savoy Records The Spirit of Charlie Parker 1958 · World Wide Records Wheelin’ & Dealin’ 1958 · Prestige Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me 1963 · Prestige Flute of the Loom 1973 · Enterprise Records Flute Juice 1981 · Progressive Records I Hear Ya Talkin' 1984 · SJ Records The Flute Mastery Of Frank Wess 1988 · Progressive Records Jazz Is Busting Out All Over 1992 · Savoy Jazz Jazz for Playboys 1992 · Savoy Jazz Trombones and Flute 1992 · Savoy Jazz Going Wess 1993 · Town Crier Tryin’ to Make My Blues Turn Green 1994 · Concord Jazz
Your Story-The Music of Bill Evans 1994
The Frank Wess Quartet 2004 · Moodsville
WESS POINT - THE COMMODORE RECORDINGS 2007
Once Is Not Enough 2009 · Labeth Music Southern Comfort 2012 · Prestige Elite Magic 101 2013 · IPO Recordings Magic 201 2014 · IPO Recordings, Inc. Paris Barcelona Swing Connection · Fresh Sound Records Two at the Top · Uptown Records

Also plays on

Albums where Frank Wess is credited as a sideman

1955 Telefunken Blues — Kenny Clarke tenor saxophone, woodwind
1955 Opus de Jazz — Milt Jackson flute, tenor saxophone
1955 Flutes & Reeds — Ernie Wilkins / Frank Wess / Jerome Richardson / Hank Jones / Eddie Jones / Kenny Clarke woodwind
1955 Osie's Oasis — Osie Johnson woodwind
1955 THE GREATEST!! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards — The Count Basie Orchestra with Joe Williams woodwind
1956 The Boss of the Blues Sings Kansas City Jazz — Joe Turner tenor saxophone
1956 Opus in Swing — Kenny Burrell flute
1956 No Count — Frank Foster flute, tenor saxophone, woodwind
1957 After Hours — Kenny Burrell / Thad Jones tenor saxophone
1957 Mad Thad — Thad Jones woodwind
1958 The Atomic Mr. Basie — Count Basie Orchestra + Neal Hefti Arrangements woodwind, alto saxophone, flute, reeds
1958 Basie Plays Hefti — Count Basie woodwind
1958 In a Minor Groove — Dorothy Ashby & Frank Wess flute
1958 Hip Harp — Dorothy Ashby flute
1958 The Swingin'est — Bennie Green & Gene Ammons flute, tenor saxophone
1959 The Birth of a Band — Quincy Jones alto saxophone, woodwind, flute
1959 The Genius of Ray Charles — Ray Charles flute, saxophone
1959 Welcome to the Club — Nat King Cole alto saxophone
1959 Count Basie and His Orchestra Swings / Tony Bennett Sings — Basie / Bennett alto saxophone
1959 No Count Sarah — Sarah Vaughan woodwind, saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, tenor saxophone
1959 After Hours at the London House — Sarah Vaughan tenor saxophone
1959 Bags & Flutes — Milt Jackson with Frank Wess & Bobby Jaspar flute
1960 I Gotta Right to Swing — Sammy Davis Jr. reeds
1961 Genius + Soul = Jazz — Ray Charles alto saxophone
1961 First Time! The Count Meets the Duke — Duke Ellington and Count Basie reeds, flute, tenor saxophone
1961 I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face — Tony Bennett, Al Tornello alto saxophone
1961 Count Basie / Sarah Vaughan — Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan woodwind
1962 Elvin! — Elvin Jones flute
1963 Ella and Basie! — Ella Fitzgerald & The Count Basie Orchestra flute
1964 It Might as Well Be Swing — Frank Sinatra, Count Basie And His Orchestra reeds

Awards

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Frank Wess play?

Frank Wess is known for playing saxophone, flute and Western concert flute.

When and where was Frank Wess born?

Frank Wess was born 4 January 1922 in Kansas City.

What are Frank Wess's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include North, South, East... Wess (1956), Opus In Swing (1956), The Spirit of Charlie Parker (1958), Wheelin’ & Dealin’ (1958) and Yo Ho! Poor You, Little Me (1963).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.