Don Lanphere
(tenor, soprano and alto sax) 1928 - 2003
Don Lanphere was born June 26th 1928 in Wenatchee, Washington State. His father ran the biggest music store in town which is where Don first encountered jazz. His first big influence was Coleman Hawkins whose most famous solos he carefully learned. In his teens he often joined famous name bands like Jimmie Lunceford when they played in nearby Seattle.
He moved to North Western University, Illinois to study music and played in and around Chicago. When the leader Johnny Bothwell was playing a Chicago club in 1948 with his combo he engaged the young tenor player. The group then went to New York and was appearing at an uptown club where Don was fired for stealing Bothwell's current girl - Chan Richardson, the future Mrs. Charlie Parker. Lanphere's tenor style was by now heavily influenced by the new music and his growing reputation secured him a record date with the trend setting Max Roach/Fats Navarro band.
Woody Herman then enaged him in late 1949 to become one of the "post four brothers" and was in the band for the November Carnegie Hall concert. He next joined the short lived Artie Shaw band that played at Birdland in 1950. He also recorded the bop inflected Gramercy Five Shaw originals like "Shekomeko Shuffle". Inevitably he became part of the Charlie Parker circle and made a series of portable tape recordings of Parker notably those that became known as the Apartment Sessions. The rest of the following decade and a half was punctuated by narcotic difficulties causing him to return to his father's store in Wenatchee. His life was dramatically changed in the early 70's by becoming a born again Christian. This was reflected in a new positive approach to playing.
In 1982, he was invited by Arkansas businessman William Craig to make a quintet recording which was released by Hep Records and marked his return to the scene. Lanphere, like his mentor Herman, has the gift of finding and inspiring young players. In particular, he has eagerly promoted the talents of pianist Marc Seales and trumpeter Jon Pugh. These musicians are heard on his subsequent recordings for Hep Records. The most successful of these was an album of love songs he dedicated to his wife of over thirty five years Midge - "Don Loves Midge". The sequel "Don Still Loves Midge" is a further testament to the value Lanphere has found in his long marriage.
For the last twenty or so years, Don has been teaching and encouraging other young jazz talents in the NorthWestern area and annually participates at the Port Townsend Jazz Seminar organised by Bud Shank. There have been few young saxophone players in the area who have not benefited by his great teaching patience and dedication to the cause of good music.
After a battle against deteriorating health Don Lanphere passed away on October 9th, 2003.
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CD2022
DON LANPHERE Quintet
"Into Somewhere"
Featuring Jon Pugh on trumpet and with Don Friedman on piano, Jeff Fuller on bass, Ignacio Berroa on drums, Dave Peterson on guitar and Glen Gurnard on marimba. Recorded in New York City and Seattle during 1983.
Titles - Noble Indian Song Pt 2 / Dear Old Stockholm / Take the A Train / Last Night When We Were Young / Brown Rock / I Heard You Cry Last Night / Here, Not There Silly / For Kai / In The Garden.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Don Lanphere Quintet - "Take the A Train"
CD2027
DON LANPHERE Quintet
"Don Loves Midge"
Recorded at Lantern Records, Wenatchee, Washington, USA during 1984 this album represents a musical gift to his wife, Midge. With Jon Pugh on trumpet.
Titles - And The Angels Sing / Easy Living / I Remember Clifford / Try A Little Tenderness / Poor Butterfly / I'll Never Be The Same Again / Once In A while / Old Cape Cod / God Bless The Child / Gone With The Wind / Polka Dots And Moonbeams / Everything I Have Is Yours / Put Your Dreams Away / Soon / My Foolish Heart / There's A Sweet, Sweet Spirit In This Place.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Don Lanphere Quintet - "Soon"
CD2034
DON LANPHERE Quintet
"STOP"
Studio performances with Jon Pugh on trumpet and Marc Seales on piano.
Titles - New U.S.Moon / Stop / Body and Soul / A.L.C. / I Heard You Cry Last Night / Avalon / There's No You / The Preacher / Laura / Still Will.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Don Lanphere - "Body and Soul"
CD2040
DON LANPHERE Sextet
"Go...Again"
Studio performances with Jay Clayton and friends from 1986. Harks back to the 1949 Fats Navarro session for what was then called 'Go'.
Titles - Which / Go Again / Darn That Dream / Maddie's Dance / Music That Makes Me Dance / Darkness On The Delta / The Maestro / What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life / Midge's Late Valentine / I Love You / Shangri La.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Don Lanphere Sextet - "Darn That Dream"
CD2046
JAY CLAYTON/DON LANPHERE
"Live At Jazz Alley"
Live performances at Jazz Alley, Seattle in 1989.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
CD2048
DON LANPHERE / LARRY CORYELL
"Lanphere / Coryell"
Studio performances 1990.
Titles - The Dragon Gate / Very Early / Ascending Truth / Imagination / Green Tutu / Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most / Sunset Blues / My Ideal / The Beach At Nerja / Here They Come, There They Go / Peace.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Lanphere / Coryell - "The Beach at Nerja"
CD2058
DON LANPHERE / BUD SHANK
"Lopin' "
Don Lanphere with Bud Shank and Denney Goodhew. Seattle 1993 - originals and standards.
Titles - I Really Didn't Think That / Love's Question / Lighten Up / A Time For Love / The Lope Of A Dolt / Have You Met Miss Jones? / Fall / El Balie De Las Munecas (Dance Of The Dolls) / M.K. & M.K.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
Don Lanphere/Bud Shank - "A Time for Love"
CD2072
DON LANPHERE
"Don Still Loves Midge"
Seattle 1998.
Price includes postage & packaging per order: £14.99
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