Frank Wess


Frank Wellington Wess was an American jazz saxophonist and flautist. In addition to his extensive solo work, Wess is remembered for his time in Count Basie's band from the early 1950s into the 1960s. Critic Scott Yannow 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.

Biography

Wess was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of a principal father and a schoolteacher mother. He began with classical music training and played in Oklahoma in high school. He later switched to jazz on moving to Washington, D. C. and by nineteen was working with big bands. His career was interrupted by World War II although he did play with a military band in the period. After leaving the military, he joined Billy Eckstine's orchestra. He returned to Washington D.C. a few years afterwards and received a degree in flute at the city's Modern School of Music. He played tenor sax with Count Basie from 1953 to 1964, doubling on flute.
Wess was considered one of the best jazz flautists of his time. From 1959 to 1964, he won the Down Beat magazine critics' poll for flute.
He was a member of Clark Terry's big band from 1967 into the 1970s and played in the New York Jazz Quartet. He also did a variety of work for TV. In 1968 he contributed to the album The Jazz Composer's Orchestra. He played tenor and alto sax, doubling on flute throughout his career.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he worked with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid, Buck Clayton, Benny Carter, Billy Taylor, Harry Edison, Mel Tormé, Ernestine Anderson, Louie Bellson, John Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Dick Hyman, Jane Jarvis, Frank Vignola and was a featured member of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra. In the 2000s, Wess released two albums with Hank Jones. In 2007, Wess was named an NEA Jazz Master by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts.
Wess died from a heart attack related to kidney failure on October 30, 2013.

Discography

As leader

With the New York Jazz Quartet
With Toshiko Akiyoshi
With Manny Albam
With Lorez Alexandria
With Earl Washington
With Gene Ammons
With Dorothy Ashby
With Count Basie
With Count Basie Orchestra
With Benny Carter
With Ron Carter
With Kenny Clarke
With Hank Crawford
With Charles Earland
With Harry Edison
With Frank Foster
With Gene Harris
With Johnny Hartman
With Coleman Hawkins
With Johnny Hodges
With Bobby Hutcherson
With Milt Jackson
  • Meet Milt Jackson
  • Opus de Jazz
  • Bags & Flutes
With J. J. Johnson
  • Broadway Express
With Elvin Jones
  • Elvin!
  • And Then Again
  • Time Capsule
With Etta Jones
  • Etta Jones Sings
With Philly Joe Jones Dameronia
  • To Tadd with Love
  • Look Stop Listen
With Quincy Jones
  • The Birth of a Band!
  • Quincy Plays for Pussycats
With Thad Jones
  • Olio
  • After Hours
With Dick Katz
  • In High Profile
With Yusef Lateef
  • Part of the Search
With Junior Mance
  • I Believe to My Soul
With Arif Mardin
  • Journey
With Les McCann
  • Another Beginning
With Jimmy McGriff
  • The Big Band
  • Straight Up
With Charles McPherson
  • Today's Man
With Helen Merrill
  • You've Got a Date with the Blues
With Oliver Nelson
With David Newman
  • The Weapon
With Joe Newman
  • The Count's Men
  • I Feel Like a Newman
  • The Midgets
  • The Happy Cats
  • Counting Five in Sweden
  • Jive at Five
With Chico O'Farrill
  • Nine Flags
With Houston Person
  • Sweet Buns & Barbeque
With Buddy Rich
With A. K. Salim
With Woody Shaw
  • Rosewood
With Zoot Sims
With Melvin Sparks
  • Akilah!
With Leon Spencer
With Dakota Staton
With Billy Taylor
  • Billy Taylor with Four Flutes
  • Kwamina
With Charles Williams
  • Stickball
With Gerald Wilson
  • New York, New Sound
With Lem Winchester'