Biography of Gene Ammons

The son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons, Gene Ammons came to prominence as a teenage tenor saxophonist with Billy Eckstine's big band (1944-1946), later with Woody Herman (1949). He had his own combos from 1947-1955 featuring Sonny Stitt as co-leader (1950-1952), and his recordings for Mercury (1947-1949) include the big hit "My Foolish Heart". Ammons began recording with Prestige in 1950 and (except for 1952-1953) continued with this label until his death in 1974. Highlights include: tenor battles with Stitt ("Blues up and Down") and small combo singles to 1955; hi-fi jam sessions and album contests from 1955-1958; small group with occasional guests from 1960-1962. Later recordings (1969-1974) resumed after a lengthy prison sentence for narcotics violations and involve a whole spectrum of settings.Always a popular jazz artist, Ammons recorded dozens of albums. His most creative period was the early 60s when almost anything he recorded is worth hearing. There have been album collections of his complete Mercury output, complete Chess recordings, and a whole spate of Prestige reissues. His work is highlighted by a hard-driving mixture of bebop and R&B devices delivered with a tone as big as a house. One of the great ballad players of any era, he has been widely hailed as a great interpreter. ~ Bob Porter