Ike Quebec
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2008-06-02T22:27:29Z
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'''Ike Abrams Quebec''' (born [[August 17]] [[1918]] in [[Newark, New Jersey]], died on [[January 16]], [[1963]]) was a [[jazz]] [[tenor saxophone|tenor saxophonist]]. His [[surname]] is pronounced KYOO-bek.
Critic Alex Henderson writes, "Though he was never an innovator, Quebec had a big, breathy sound that was distinctive and easily recognizable, and he was quite consistent when it came to down-home blues, sexy ballads, and up-tempo aggression."<ref>[http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:w1u06j8h71w0 Henderson, Alex, "Ike Quebec" from Allmusic.com] URL accessed January 26, 2007</ref>
==Biography==
An accomplished dancer and pianist, he switched to tenor sax as his primary instrument in his early 20s, and quickly earned a reputation as a promising player. His recording career started in 1940, with the Barons of Rhythm.
Later on, he recorded or performed with [[Frankie Newton]], [[Hot Lips Page]], [[Roy Eldridge]], [[Trummy Young]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Benny Carter]] and [[Coleman Hawkins]]. Between 1944 and 1951, he worked intermittently with [[Cab Calloway]]. He recorded for [[Blue Note]] records in this era, and also served as a [[A&R|talent scout]] for the label (helping pianists [[Thelonious Monk]] and [[Bud Powell]] come to wider attention) and, due to his exceptional [[sight reading]] skills, was an uncredited impromptu [[orchestration|arranger]] for many Blue Note sessions.
Due in part to struggles with [[drug addiction]] (but also due to the fading popularity of [[big band]] music), Quebec recorded only sporadically during the 1950s, though he still performed regularly. He kept abreast on new developments in jazz, and his later playing incorporated elements of [[hard bop]], [[bossa nova]], and [[soul jazz]].
In 1959 he began what amounted to a comeback with a series of albums on the [[Blue Note]] label. Blue Note executive [[Alfred Lion]] was always fond of Quebec's music, but was unsure how audiences would respond to the saxophonist after a decade of low visibility. In the mid-to-late 1950s, Blue Note issued a series of Quebec [[single (music)|singles]] for the [[juke box]] market; audiences responded well, leading to a number of warmly-received albums.
Quebec's comeback was cut short by his death from [[lung cancer]].
==Select Discography==
* ''"Heavy Soul"'' (1961; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"It May As Well Be Spring"'' (1961; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"Easy Living"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"Blue and Sentimental"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"Congo Lament"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"Soul Samba"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
'''with [[Sonny Clark]]:'''
* ''"Leapin' And Lopin'"'' (1961; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
'''with [[Grant Green]]:'''
* ''"Gooden's Corner"'' (1961; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"Born To Be Blue"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
'''with [[The Three Sounds]]:'''
* ''"Out Of This World"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
* ''"Soul Samba"'' (1962; [[Blue Note Records|Blue Note]])
==References==
<references/>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quebec, Ike}}
[[Category:American jazz tenor saxophonists]]
[[Category:Soul-jazz saxophonists]]
[[Category:Jump blues musicians]]
[[Category:Hard-bop saxophonists]]
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1963 deaths]]
[[de:Ike Quebec]]