Al Grey


Al Grey was a jazz trombonist who was a member of the Count Basie orchestra. He was known for his plunger mute technique and wrote an instructional book called Plunger Techniques.

Career

Al Grey was born in Aldie, Virginia and grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy, where he started playing the trombone. Soon after his discharge, he joined Benny Carter's band, then the bands of Jimmie Lunceford, Lucky Millinder, and Lionel Hampton. In the 1950s he was a member of the big bands of Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie. He led bands in the 1960s with Billy Mitchell and Jimmy Forrest. Later in life he recorded with Clark Terry and J. J. Johnson.
Grey's early trombone style was inspired by Trummy Young. He developed a wild, strong and full sound. Solos often consisted of short, pronounced phrases with precisely timed syncopation. When playing with the plunger, however, he would produce the most mellow fill-ins and shape melodic answers to the lead voice. This aspect of his playing can be heard to great effect in response to Bing Crosby's vocals on the 1972 album Bing 'n' Basie.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

With Count Basie
With Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
  • San Antonio Ballbuster
  • Atomic Energy
  • More Stuff
  • Pressure Cooker
With Ray Charles
  • The Genius of Ray Charles
  • Genius + Soul = Jazz
  • At the Club
With Dizzy Gillespie
  • Dizzy Gillespie at Newport
  • Dizzy in Greece
  • Birks' Works
With Lionel Hampton
  • Newport Uproar!
  • Hamp's Big Band Live!
  • Live at the Blue Note
With Jon Hendricks
  • Fast Livin' Blues
  • Freddie Freeloader
  • Boppin' at the Blue Note
With Quincy Jones
  • Golden Boy
  • Gula Matari
  • I Heard That!!
  • Quincy Jones Talkin' Verve
With Oscar Pettiford
With Clark Terry
  • Squeeze Me!
  • What a Wonderful World
  • Shades of Blues
With others