ENDEIT
James Moody
Photo: Jaime Olmo from Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saxophonists · 1925–2010

James Moody

American jazz musician (1925-2010)

Born
26 March 1925
Savannah
Died
9 December 2010
San Diego
Country
United States
Active
1947–
Record labels
Blue Note, Warner Bros. Records, Novus
Discography
52 albums

Biography

James Moody was a jazz musician who played saxophone, flute, tenor saxophone and voice. James Moody was born on 26 March 1925 in Savannah and died on 9 December 2010 in San Diego. The music is usually filed under jazz and big band music. Record labels: Blue Note, Warner Bros. Records and Novus. The discography here lists 52 albums, from “James Moody, His Saxophone and His Band” (1950) to “In the Beginning” (2017). Honours include NEA Jazz Masters.

James Moody (March 26, 1925 – December 9, 2010) was an American jazz saxophone and flute player and very occasional vocalist, playing predominantly in the bebop and hard bop styles. The annual James Moody Jazz Festival is held in Newark, New Jersey. Moody had an unexpected hit with "Moody's Mood for Love", a 1952 song written by Eddie Jefferson, which used as its melody an improvised solo that Moody had played on a 1949 recording of "I'm in the Mood for Love". Moody adopted the song as his own, recording it with Jefferson on his 1956 album Moody's Mood for Love and performing the song regularly in concert, often singing the vocals himself.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

James Moody, His Saxophone and His Band 1950 · Dial Records Favorites Volume One 1951 · Prestige Favorites Volume Two 1952 · Prestige James Moody With Strings 1952 · Blue Note James Moody and His Modernists 1952 · Blue Note Moodsville 1954 · EmArcy The Moody Story 1954 · EmArcy Hi Fi Party 1955 · Prestige Flute 'N the Blues 1956 · Argo
James Moody's Moods 1956
Wail Moody, Wail 1956 · Prestige Moody's Mood for Love 1957 · Argo Last Train From Overbrook 1958 · Argo James Moody 1959 · Argo Hey! It's James Moody 1960 · Argo Moody With Strings 1961 · Argo Another Bag 1962 · Argo Comin’ On Strong 1964 · Argo Cookin' the Blues 1965 · Argo Running the Gamut 1965 · Scepter
The Glory of Ireland 1965
Moody and the Brass Figures 1967 · Milestone Don't Look Away Now! 1969 · Prestige The Blues and Other Colors 1969 · Milestone The Teachers 1970 · Perception Records Heritage Hum 1972 · Perception Records Never Again! 1972 · Muse Records Sax & Flute Man 1973 · Paula Records Feelin' It Together 1974 · Muse Records
Harmonica 1976
Sun Journey 1976 · Vanguard Timeless Aura 1976 · Vanguard Too Heavy for Words 1976 · MPS Beyond This World 1978 · Vanguard The Great Day 1984 · Chess Something Special 1986 · Novus Moving Forward 1988 · Novus Sweet and Lovely 1989 · RCA Victor Honey 1990 · Novus Sax Talk 1993 · Disques Vogue
Moody's Party: Celebrating James Moody's 70th Birthday, Live at the Blue Note 1995 · Live
Young at Heart 1996 · Warner Bros. Records Moody Plays Mancini 1997 · Warner Bros. Records Warner Jams Vol. 2: The Two Tenors 1997 · Warner Bros. Records
JVC Jazz Festival Highlights 1999 · Live
Americans Swinging in Paris (In a Rush) 2002 · EMI Music France Homage 2004 · Savoy Jazz Off the Record 2004 · Verve 4A 2009 · IPO Recordings 4B 2010 · IPO Recordings, Inc. In the Beginning 2017 · Inner City Records Favorites Volume Three · Prestige

Also plays on

Albums where James Moody is credited as a sideman

1952 New Sounds — Max Roach/James Moody/Art Blakey tenor saxophone
1957 The Dizzy Gillespie Story — Dizzy Gillespie tenor saxophone
1962 Big Bags — Milt Jackson tenor saxophone, woodwind
1963 New Wave — Dizzy Gillespie percussion
1964 Jambo Caribe — Dizzy Gillespie flute, woodwind
1968 Milt Jackson and the Hip String Quartet — Milt Jackson flute, tenor saxophone
1969 Soul & Salvation — Dizzy Gillespie woodwind
1969 More Power! — Dexter Gordon tenor saxophone
1969 The Tower of Power! — Dexter Gordon tenor saxophone
1970 The Real Thing — Dizzy Gillespie tenor saxophone
1970 Soul Cycle — Cedar Walton tenor saxophone
1972 Let My Children Hear Music — Charles Mingus reeds
1973 Chicago Concert — Ammons & Moody tenor saxophone
1974 Newport Jazz Festival Japan — Joe Newman, Art Farmer, Illinois Jacquet, James Moody, Gerry Mulligan, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Jack Six, Roy Haynes woodwind
1977 Summit Meeting — Elvin Jones tenor saxophone
1978 Oleo — Urbie Green, Ross Tompkins, Carl Fontana, Kai Winding, James Moody, Dick Hyman, Trummy Young tenor saxophone
1982 Europa Jazz — Howard McGhee, James Moody, Zoot Sims flute
1985 Vocalese — The Manhattan Transfer tenor saxophone
1989 Back on the Block — Quincy Jones instruments, performer, saxophone
1989 The Many Faces of Bird - The Music of Charlie Parker — Richie Cole, Lee Konitz, Bobby McFerrin, James Moody & Bud Shank alto saxophone
1991 The Tower of Power / More Power — Dexter Gordon tenor saxophone
1991 The Harem — Milt Jackson Featuring Jimmy Heath, James Moody, Cedar Walton, Bob Cranshaw, Kenny Washington flute
1992 Who's Smoking? — Paquito D’Rivera tenor saxophone
1992 Just Jazz — Lionel Hampton tenor saxophone
1996 Bursting Out With the All-Star Big Band! / Swinging Brass — Oscar Peterson tenor saxophone, piccolo
1996 The Grand Encounter — Dianne Reeves tenor saxophone, vocals
1998 Got to Get It! — Bobby Timmons flute, tenor saxophone
2000 Cool Breeze — Dizzy Gillespie tenor saxophone
2007 Lalo Schifrin & Friends — Lalo Schifrin performer
2008 At the Museum of Modern Art — Milt Jackson flute, vocals

Awards

Historic 78 rpm records

  • Dorothy Howard McGhee Orchestra · Howard McGhee · James Moody · Milt Jackson… · 1947 archive.org ↗
  • Night Mist Howard McGhee Orchestra · Howard McGhee · James Moody · Milt Jackson… · 1947 archive.org ↗
  • Oh, Well! James Moody Quintet · Dexter Gordon · Melba Liston · Charlie Fox ·… · 1948 archive.org ↗
  • LOOP-PLU-E-DU 6 BIPS and a BOP · BABS · Benny Green · James Moody · Dave Burns ·… · 1948 archive.org ↗
  • HONEYSUCKLE ROSE 6 BIPS and a BOP · BABS · Benny Green · James Moody · Dave Burns ·… · 1948 archive.org ↗
  • Carrider Arne Domnerus · James Moody · Leppe Sundewall · Gosta Theselius ·… · 1949 archive.org ↗
  • COOLIE-RINI JAMES MOODY ORCHESTRA · HOWARD McGHEE · JAMES MOODY · MILT JACKSON ·… · 1949 archive.org ↗
  • SURRENDER JAMES MOODY ORCHESTRA · HOWARD McGHEE · JAMES MOODY · MILT JACKSON ·… · 1949 archive.org ↗

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did James Moody play?

James Moody is known for playing saxophone, flute, tenor saxophone and voice.

When and where was James Moody born?

James Moody was born 26 March 1925 in Savannah.

What are James Moody's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include James Moody, His Saxophone and His Band (1950), Favorites Volume One (1951), Favorites Volume Two (1952), James Moody With Strings (1952) and James Moody and His Modernists (1952).

External links

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