Oliver Nelson was an influential American jazz musician, composer, arranger, and bandleader, whose career spanned from the late 1950s until his untimely death in 1975. Born on June 4, 1932, in St. Louis, Missouri, Nelson made a notable impact on jazz during the 1960s and 70s with his innovative compositions and arrangements that fused jazz with other musical elements. Although he played alto and tenor saxophone primarily, he was also proficient on several other instruments, including piano and clarinet.

One of Nelson’s most acclaimed works is his 1961 album "The Blues and the Abstract Truth," which featured the jazz standard "Stolen Moments." This piece remains one of the defining compositions of the post-bop era. His discography includes a diverse array of studio recordings, ranging from the hard bop style of "More Blues And The Abstract Truth" to the rich orchestral textures of "Berlin Dialogue for Orchestra" and "The Kennedy Dream," which reflected his versatility and ability to cross genres. His later works, such as the funk-infused "Skull Session" and collaborations showcased in "Soulful Brass," demonstrated an adeptness for blending jazz with popular music trends of the time. Oliver Nelson's legacy is preserved through his distinctive approach to music, shaping the direction of jazz orchestration and composition, and influencing generations of musicians to come.

Genres

Bebop

Contemporary Post-bop

Jazz

Jazz Saxophone

Related Artists

John Coltrane

Miles Davis

Charlie Parker

Chet Baker

Stan Getz

Cannonball Adderley

Thelonious Monk

Ella Fitzgerald

Duke Ellington

Quincy Jones

Dizzy Gillespie

Sonny Rollins

Latest Release

Something 'Bout The Music (Parx Remix)

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Oliver Nelson

Single - Released June 28, 2019