Happy heavenly birthday, Thad Jones, born on this day in 1923.

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Thadeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923, Pontiac, Michigan, United States – August 20, 1986, Copenhagen, Denmark), known in the jazz world by the diminutive Thad Jones, was born into a family where music was a central theme. Perhaps we are among those in the same league as the Marsalis family, another jazz dynasty of similar importance. Already at the age of sixteen, he worked alongside his older brother, pianist Hank Jones, and saxophonist Sonny Stitt. He enlisted in the military for three years between 1943 and 1946, and upon discharge, he played in Detroit between 1950 and 1953 with Billy Mitchell’s quintet.

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His quality as an instrumentalist—he knew how to use the trumpet, cornet, flügelhorn, and valve trombone—was equal to his extraordinary talents as an arranger and orchestra leader.

After these initial forays into jazz, his moment arrived when he had the opportunity to work with the group of the extraordinary double bassist Charles Mingus between 1953 and 1954, and then with the big band of the piano maestro Count Basie. With whom he spent a whopping nine years between 1954 and 1963.

Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, Thad Jones was intensely active; he co-led a quintet with saxophonist Art Pepper (1965), worked with drummer Mel Lewis at the Village Vanguard in 1966, and later with the same musician formed the Mel Lewis Orchestra, which remained active throughout much of the 1970s.

In 1978, he suffered a lip injury, and had no choice but to leave his musical career and hand over the direction of the orchestra to Mel Lewis. He moved to Europe, settling in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he worked as a music teacher and combined that work with conducting the Danish Public Radio Orchestra. When Count Basie died in 1984, the musicians of the “Count” orchestra asked him to take over as its director, which he did until his death in 1986.

Thad Jones Discography (on Wikipedia)

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Count Basie Orchestra Thad Jones Live in Tivoli Copenhagen.

Count Basie – live 1962 Jazz Icons DVD

Piano: Count Basie Alto Sax: Marshal Royal and Frank Wess Tenor Sax: Eric Dixon, Frank Foster, Frank Wess Baritone Sax: Charlie Fowlkes Trumpet: Al Aarons, Sonny Cohn, Thad Jones, Snooky Young Trombone: Henry Coker, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell Guitar: Freddie Green Bass: Eddie Jones Drums: Sonny Payne Vocal: Irene Reid.