• Alternative Name: George Holmes Tate
• Genre: Jazz
• Active: '30s - '90s
• Instruments: Sax (Tenor), Clarinet

Biography

One of the more individual tenors to emerge from the swing era, the distinctive Buddy Tate came to fame as Herschel Evans' replacement with Count Basie's Orchestra. Earlier he had picked up valuable experience playing with Terrence Holder (1930-1933), Count Basie's original Kansas City band (1934), Andy Kirk (1934-1935), and Nat Towles (1935-1939). With Basie a second time during 1939-1948, Tate held his own with such major tenors as Lester Young, Don Byas, Illinois Jacquet, Lucky Thompson, and Paul Gonsalves. After a period freelancing with the likes of Hot Lips Page, Lucky Millinder, and Jimmy Rushing (1950-1952), Tate led his own crowd-pleasing group for 21 years (1953-1974) at Harlem's Celebrity Club. During this period, Tate also took time out to record in a variety of setting (including with Buck Clayton and Milt Buckner) and he was the one of the stars of John Hammond's Spirituals to Swing concert of 1967. Tate kept busy after the Celebrity Club association ended, recording frequently, co-leading a band with Paul Quinichette in 1975, playing and recording in Canada with Jay McShann and Jim Galloway, visiting Europe many times, and performing at jazz parties; he was also a favorite sideman of Benny Goodman's in the late '70s. Although age had taken its toll, in the mid-'90s Buddy Tate played and recorded with both Lionel Hampton and the Statesmen of Jazz. Tate lived in N.Y. until January, 2001, when he moved to Phoenix, AZ, to live with his daughter. Buddy Tate died a few weeks later, on February 10. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Representative Songs:

"Vine Street Breakdown," "Tate's a Jumpin'," "Early Morning Blues"

Representative Albums:

Hard Blowin', Buddy Tate Meets Abdullah Ibrahim: The Legendary Encounter, Sherman Shuffle

Similar Artists:

Paul Quinichette, Don Byas, Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt, Ike Quebec, Budd Johnson, Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Forrest, Arnett Cobb, Gene Ammons

Influences:

Herschel Evans, Georgie Auld, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Stan Getz

Followers:

Humphrey Lyttelton

Performed Songs By:

George Duvivier, Buck Clayton

Worked With:

Dicky Wells, Earle Warren, Walter Page, Jimmy Rushing, Jo Jones, Freddie Green, Harry "Sweets" Edison

Tate Live Buy this CD	Midnight Slows Buy this CD	1945-1950 Buy this CD	Texas Tenor Sax: 1939-1947 Buy this CD	Buddy & Claude Buy this CD
Tate's A-Jumpin' Buy this CD	Buddy Tate Meets Abdullah Ibrahim: The Legendary Encounter Buy this CD	After Dark Buy this CD	Just Jazz Buy this CD	Ballad Artistry of Buddy Tate Buy this CD

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