Ralph Sharon, Piano/Arranger, 1923, London, Eng.
During most of theperiod prior to and after world war two, Ralph worked in his native England with the big-band of Ted Heath, and recorded with Ronnie Scott's unit, the Esquire Five, and The Melody Maker's All Stars. Thereafter, he remained in London, playing and recording with his own group that included Victor Feldman. He moved to the U.S. in 1953 and became a citizen in 1958. In New York he performed with his own group that included such distinguished swing and bop sidemen as Teddy Charles, Charles Mingus, Kenny Clarke, Milt Hinton, Jo Jones, and Oscar Pettiford. He next began a 40 year association as Tony Bennett's music director, a position he currently holds and has no intention of relinquishing. He does all of Bennett's arrangements and contributes many original songs. It was Ralph who pursuaded Bennett to record his hugh hit, " I Left My Heart in San Francisco," a song he claims someone once gave him. Ralph wrote arrangements for Bennett's recordings with the big band of Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman and Duke Ellington. He has also recorded with Mel Torme, Johnny Hartman, Chris Connor and Rosemary Clooney.
Earl May, Bass, 1927, New York, NY
During the early part of the 1950s' Earl worked mostly in New York with Mercer Ellington, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, and Miles Davis. For most of the decade he also managed to play in the trio led by Billy Taylor. Thereafter he seemed to find a nitch for himself playing, arranging and acting as music director for the singer Gloria Lynne. He also continued his jazz activities recorded with Chet Baker, Dave McKenna John Coltrane, and Herman Foster. Later, during the '70s, Earl performed with Joe Newman, Frank Foster, and Johnny Hartman. In the latter part of the '70s he toured extensively in Europe and Japan with George Benson and Frank Foster. May was also involved as a performer in musical theater, playing in the shows Sophisticated Ladies, and The Big Deal. A skilled technician, Earl is a wonderful accompanist with a solid sense of swing. His style most closely resembles the work of his contemporaries of the 1950s, notably Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers, and Percy Heath.
Jack McDuff, Organ, 1926, Champagne, IL
"Brother" Jack McDuff, learned to play the organ without benefit of much formal training. He began his professional life as a bass player with Denny Zeitlin and Joe Farrell. He did have a little formal training briefly in Cincinnatti, before gaining popularity for his work in Chicago with Johnny Griffin. In the 1950s he switched to piano and in 1959, again as an organist, he formed his own group. Jack has made numerous tours of the U.S., appeared at major jazz festivals all over the world, and recorded prolifically as a leader with such sidemen as Joe Henderson, George Benson, and Pat Martino. He has also recorded with Jimmy Witherspoon, David "Fathead" Newman, Roland Kirk, Sonny Stitt, and Gene Ammons. His earlier experience of playing several other instruments has made a subtle and individual impression on his style. Although his playing strongly reflects the influence of the blues, his bop melodies are often pianistic in nature; his remarkably solid bass lines are equaled among organists only by those of Jimmy Smith.
